Ubisoft CEO Yves “Trust Me, This Time It’s Different” Guillemot has declared that generative AI is as monumental for gaming as the shift from 2D to 3D — a comparison that suggests he either has a time machine or a very optimistic PR team.
According to Guillemot, Ubisoft has bravely integrated generative AI “across the entire company,” presumably meaning every employee now has at least one tab of ChatGPT open at all times. During the latest earnings call — otherwise known as “Corporate Buzzword Bingo” — he assured investors that AI is here, it’s huge, and it’s definitely not just something they’re doing to cut production costs.
“We’re making great strides,” he said, “applying Gen AI to high-value use cases that bring tangible benefits.”
Translation: Look, shareholders, we swear this is going to save money somehow.
Guillemot went on to hype Ubisoft’s “groundbreaking” player-facing AI, referencing those Neo NPCs announced in 2024 — the ones that impressed everyone by being… NPCs, but with improv skills. Ubisoft has apparently advanced these from “prototype” to “player reality,” meaning they’ve at least managed to plug the tech into a demo without it crashing instantly. A victory.
Ubisoft’s embrace of AI apparently goes beyond special projects: every single team across all studios is now “exploring new use cases.” Which sounds very visionary until you remember Ubisoft recently had to apologize for accidentally shipping an AI-generated loading screen in Anno 117. Revolutionary, indeed — nothing screams “cutting-edge future” like a stock AI background accidentally slipping into a AAA game.
Meanwhile, journalists who tested the Neo NPC prototype described it as a tool built first in the hope someone eventually figures out what problem it solves. So innovation is alive and well.
All this enthusiastic AI evangelism comes right after Ubisoft halted trading, sparking widespread takeover rumors. The company blamed new auditors, but luckily nothing calms investors faster than loudly shouting “AI” several times during an earnings call.
In summary: Ubisoft is all-in on AI, it’s going to change everything forever, it’s totally under control, and definitely not being used as a convenient distraction from awkward business questions. The future of gaming has never been brighter — or more procedurally generated.
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