Embracer CEO acknowledges AI concerns but says the tech can become a catalyst for creativity (and profit)

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Embracer Group expects its Fellowship Entertainment division (one of three new standalone businesses to emerge from a recent restructure) to release nine triple-A titles over the next two financial years, and it will be leveraging AI tools to achieve that target.

Speaking during the company’s Annual General Meeting on September 18, Embracer CEO Phil Rogers—who stepped into to role in August this year—said AI tools can become a “power multiplier” within the realm of video game production. 

Rogers acknowledged it’s a phrase that might sound like “corporate speak” but insisted “these are the words we’re hearing from studio heads and heads of production.”

“In an industry defined by escalating development costs and limitless player expectations, the question is no longer if a company will adopt a technology like AI, but how it leads with it? How we take Embracer forward across Fellowship? Our answer is a smart implementation of generative AI in ethical and sustainable ways,” he said.

“We really do view AI as a strategic catalyst. It’s the most powerful technology or tool of our generation for driving efficiency, amplifying creativity, and ultimately delivering the high-quality, memorable games that players demand more effectively, more predictably, and more profitably than before.”

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 Rogers said Embracer’s development teams will always own the creative and final product, but that AI tools will “empower” its workforce to bring innovative titles to market faster than ever before. 

“This isn’t a theoretical future,” he added. “It’s happening now and the results are quite compelling. Many of our studios have been experimenting with AI in the past couple of years and are now starting to really leverage it to eliminate bottlenecks and empower our development teams. We’re beginning to see measurable increases in productivity.” 

To drive home that point, he claimed recent AI advancements from the likes of Nvidia are producing in-game animations that are “indistinguishable” from motion capture. “These animation tools reduce dependencies and production time for gameplay and cinematic animation. We’re seeing a seven day mocap shoot cut in half.” he continued. 

Rogers explained AI tools are currently being leveraged by animators, designers, engineers, and asset creators within Embracer and said they have accelerated workflows across the board. He underlined the need for “tuning by human hand” when using those technologies, but said they provide developers with more time to “add their unique authorship.” 

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“We’ve seen great acceleration, turning days and weeks of preparation time into minutes and hours. It represents a fundamental shift in our operational efficiency. But really, we’re on step one. I think of it as becoming experts at using AI to empower our people. It’s like electric or power tools you might use at home. Reducing repetitive tasks, and that 70 percent lift to make room for step two—and step two is innovation.”

“We see the headlines and we hear the concern from players and developers alike”

Ultimately, Rogers claims AI tools will eliminate the need for busywork so developers have more time to find the fun. He also stressed that AI will never replace human authorship. 

“We see the headlines and we hear the concern from players and developers alike, but we believe the greatest risk is not in using AI, but in using it without a strong ethical framework,” he added. “Players aren’t longing for generic, soulless side quests or synthetic AI voices. Developers want creative freedom to innovate and experiment and reduce iteration time so they can make more content. Artists, actors, writers need protection from plagiarism. Intellectual properties need to be nurtured and respected. 

“This is why our core principle is ’empower, never replace.’ For us, ethics and good business are one and the same. They really do go hand in hand. Our position is clear: human authorship is final. Our developers will always have the final creative control and authorship. After all, AI is a co-pilot. It is not the pilot.” 

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Rogers said Embracer is committed to being transparent with players about how and where AI is being used throughout production. To that end, he said the company will implement strict AI governance using controls such as audit logs and workflow approvals.

The irony, of course, is that Roger’s remarks about ethics, good business, and AI controls come just days after Embracer subsidiary Aspyr Media was forced to issue a hotfix for Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered  to remove “unauthorized AI generated content” from the title. 

That content, it seems, took the form of AI-generated voiceovers that replicated the performance of French Lara Croft actress Françoise Cadol without consent. Although Aspyr acknowledged the issue, it has yet to fully explain how the mistake was made or who was responsible for creating that content in the first place. 

Moreover, while Rogers claims developers are eagerly hopping aboard the AI bandwagon, the latest GDC State of the Game Industry survey indicated that rank-and-file workers across the industry are not warming to the technology. Notably, those surveyed in 2025 were much more downbeat about AI tools like Copilot, ChatGPT, and MidJourney than they were in 2024. 

One common view is the AI tools will ultimately be used to oust and replace workers—as was allegedly the case within Microsoft subsidiary King. Embracer, of course, has already established itself as a pioneer when it comes to layoffs after delivering mass redundancies, studio closures, and project cancellations under the stewardship of former CEO Lars Wingefors. 

As we mentioned earlier, Wingefors was replaced by Rogers in August 2025. He has since been appointed executive chair of the board and will now focus on “strategic initiatives, M&A, and capital allocation.”

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