The post ‘Mad Cow Disease’: Grand Theft Auto Dev Warns That Generative AI Could Harm Games appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. In brief Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser warned that AI models scraping AI-generated data could trigger a creative breakdown in games. He warned that training AI on synthetic data would produce models that “mirror themselves” and degrade over time as original human work becomes harder to find. Houser said he “couldn’t see how the information gets better” as studios adopt tools built on increasingly self-referential datasets. Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser—one of the key figures who helped propel the popular Grand Theft Auto franchise—delivered a stark warning about the direction of generative AI in video games, arguing that models trained on synthetic data will eventually degrade quality across the industry. Speaking on Virgin Radio UK, Houser said AI models that are scraping an internet increasingly populated with AI-generated content risk pushing the medium toward a recursive loop and collapse in quality. “As far as I understand it, which is a really superficial understanding, the models scour the internet for information, but the internet’s going to get more and more full of information made by the models,” Houser said. “So it’s sort of like when we fed cows with cows, and got mad cow disease.”  His comments come as generative AI increasingly becomes a part of video game development. A recent Google Cloud survey of 615 developers found that nearly nine in ten studios already use AI agents somewhere in their pipelines, with many saying those agents now influence live gameplay through real-time NPC behavior, tutorials, and automated testing. Experts, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, argue that as original human-made material becomes harder to find online, development will struggle, and AI models will be forced to train on synthetic data produced by other models. That loop, Houser said, will eventually cause the information to degrade. “I can’t see how the information gets better if… The post ‘Mad Cow Disease’: Grand Theft Auto Dev Warns That Generative AI Could Harm Games appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. In brief Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser warned that AI models scraping AI-generated data could trigger a creative breakdown in games. He warned that training AI on synthetic data would produce models that “mirror themselves” and degrade over time as original human work becomes harder to find. Houser said he “couldn’t see how the information gets better” as studios adopt tools built on increasingly self-referential datasets. Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser—one of the key figures who helped propel the popular Grand Theft Auto franchise—delivered a stark warning about the direction of generative AI in video games, arguing that models trained on synthetic data will eventually degrade quality across the industry. Speaking on Virgin Radio UK, Houser said AI models that are scraping an internet increasingly populated with AI-generated content risk pushing the medium toward a recursive loop and collapse in quality. “As far as I understand it, which is a really superficial understanding, the models scour the internet for information, but the internet’s going to get more and more full of information made by the models,” Houser said. “So it’s sort of like when we fed cows with cows, and got mad cow disease.”  His comments come as generative AI increasingly becomes a part of video game development. A recent Google Cloud survey of 615 developers found that nearly nine in ten studios already use AI agents somewhere in their pipelines, with many saying those agents now influence live gameplay through real-time NPC behavior, tutorials, and automated testing. Experts, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, argue that as original human-made material becomes harder to find online, development will struggle, and AI models will be forced to train on synthetic data produced by other models. That loop, Houser said, will eventually cause the information to degrade. “I can’t see how the information gets better if…

‘Mad Cow Disease’: Grand Theft Auto Dev Warns That Generative AI Could Harm Games

2025/12/02 08:51

In brief

  • Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser warned that AI models scraping AI-generated data could trigger a creative breakdown in games.
  • He warned that training AI on synthetic data would produce models that “mirror themselves” and degrade over time as original human work becomes harder to find.
  • Houser said he “couldn’t see how the information gets better” as studios adopt tools built on increasingly self-referential datasets.

Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser—one of the key figures who helped propel the popular Grand Theft Auto franchise—delivered a stark warning about the direction of generative AI in video games, arguing that models trained on synthetic data will eventually degrade quality across the industry.

Speaking on Virgin Radio UK, Houser said AI models that are scraping an internet increasingly populated with AI-generated content risk pushing the medium toward a recursive loop and collapse in quality.

“As far as I understand it, which is a really superficial understanding, the models scour the internet for information, but the internet’s going to get more and more full of information made by the models,” Houser said. “So it’s sort of like when we fed cows with cows, and got mad cow disease.”

His comments come as generative AI increasingly becomes a part of video game development. A recent Google Cloud survey of 615 developers found that nearly nine in ten studios already use AI agents somewhere in their pipelines, with many saying those agents now influence live gameplay through real-time NPC behavior, tutorials, and automated testing.

Experts, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, argue that as original human-made material becomes harder to find online, development will struggle, and AI models will be forced to train on synthetic data produced by other models. That loop, Houser said, will eventually cause the information to degrade.

“I can’t see how the information gets better if there’s not… they were already running out of data,” Houser said. “Algorithms will become saturated by the definition of how they are sourced and how they are therefore constructed, and it’s going to become this sort of mirror of itself.”

He also took a dig at executives pushing generative AI, suggesting that they “maybe aren’t fully-rounded humans.”

Houser left Rockstar Games in 2020 after more than two decades shaping blockbuster franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, and Max Payne.

While Houser warned about the risk of quality information drying up online, developers are using AI to speed up production, with teams relying on agents for coding, localization, playtesting, and real-time NPC behavior. Small studios said AI helped them compete, while larger publishers struggled to adapt.

“If you’re not on the AI bandwagon right now, you’re already behind,” Kelsey Falter, CEO and co-founder of indie studio Mother Games, recently told Decrypt.

Jack Buser, global games director at Google Cloud, warned that studios that are unable to adapt may not survive the shift.

“Some of these game companies are going to make it, and some of them are not,” Buser told Decrypt. “And some are going to be born through this revolution.”

Major publishers like Ubisoft, Square Enix, Electronic Arts, and Krafton have recently announced major generative AI pushes, including integrating AI-powered tools and revealing experimental game projects. Such moves have come following widespread layoffs across the video game industry over the last couple of years.

Despite his warning, Houser said he still found the technology fascinating.

“I’m slightly obsessed by the fact that when you search for the same thing again, it doesn’t give you the same answer,” he said. “It’s wrong a lot of the time, but it says it so confidently.”

GG Newsletter

Get the latest web3 gaming news, hear directly from gaming studios and influencers covering the space, and receive power-ups from our partners.

Source: https://decrypt.co/350556/grand-theft-auto-dev-warns-generative-ai-could-harm-games

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

Litecoin Fluctuates Below The $116 Threshold

Litecoin Fluctuates Below The $116 Threshold

The post Litecoin Fluctuates Below The $116 Threshold appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Sep 17, 2025 at 23:05 // Price Litecoin price analysis by Coinidol.com: LTC price has slipped below the moving average lines after hitting resistance at $120. Litecoin price long-term prediction: bearish The 21-day SMA support helped to alleviate the selling pressure. In other words, the price of the cryptocurrency is above the 21-day SMA support but below the 50-day SMA barrier. This suggests that Litecoin will be trapped in a narrow range for a few days. If the 21-day SMA support or the 50-day SMA barrier is overreached, the cryptocurrency will trend upwards. For example, if the LTC price breaks through the 50-day SMA barrier, it will rise to a high of $124. Litecoin will fall to its current support level of $106 if the 21-day SMA support is broken. Technical Indicators  Resistance Levels: $100, $120, $140 Support Levels: $60, $40, $20 LTC price indicators analysis Litecoin’s price is squeezed between the moving average lines. It is unclear in which direction Litecoin will move. The moving average lines are horizontal in both charts. However, the price bars are limited to the distance between the moving averages. The price bars on the 4-hour chart are below the moving average lines. LTC/USD price chart – September 17, 2025 What is the next move for LTC? On the 4-hour chart, Litecoin is currently trading in a bearish trend zone. The altcoin is trading above the $112 support and below the moving average lines, which represent resistance at $116. The upward movement is hindered by the moving average lines, which are causing the price to oscillate within a limited range. Meanwhile, the signal for the cryptocurrency is bearish, with price bars below the moving average…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 08:15