Krafton adopts ‘AI First’ strategy, boosting AI use across PUBG and InZOI
Krafton - the folks behind PUBG: Battlegrounds and the Sims-style InZOI - just hinted that AI might become the backbone of how they work. A senior exec rolled out an “AI First” plan that seems to put agentic AI into the mix for routine chores and to tweak internal pipelines. The idea isn’t just a fancy add-on; they’re also sketching an “AI-centric” management layer that could steer decisions across dev squads.
In my view, they’re not looking to drop AI into one feature and call it a day - the goal appears to be letting the tech shape everything from concept sketches to live-service patches. Still, it’s hard to say how fast those changes will show up on a designer’s desk or a programmer’s screen. Some parts might roll out next quarter, others could linger for a year.
What does seem certain is that Krafton wants to brand itself as an “AI first” studio, banking on the notion that the next big push in games will come from machines working side-by-side with people.
Krafton, the company behind games such as PUBG: Battlegrounds and the Sims-like InZOI, is making a big push into using AI within the company. Under this new “AI First” strategy, Krafton plans to use agentic AI to help automate work and implement an “AI-centric” management system, according to a press release. PUBG maker Krafton is turning into an ‘AI first’ game company It’s planning to spend nearly $70 million on a GPU cluster to support its efforts.
It’s planning to spend nearly $70 million on a GPU cluster to support its efforts. The company also plans to spend more than 100 billion Korean won, a figure that equates to nearly $70 million, to build a GPU cluster. Using its infrastructure, Krafton will pursue “AI workflow automation, AI R&D, and in-game AI service enhancements,” the release says.
Krafton aims to complete its AI platform by the second half of next year. The company is also going to invest about ₩30 billion every year to help employees apply AI tools into their work, and it will also update its “HR policies and organizational management systems” in support of the “AI First” strategy. Tech companies like Shopify and Duolingo have made AI a key part of their internal operations as well, and Krafton may not be the only big gaming company to make big structural changes due to AI.
Will a $70 million GPU cluster really change how Krafton works? The firm is now touting an “AI First” stance, promising agentic AI that can take over routine tasks and an “AI-centric” management system. Beyond the buzz, though, we still don’t know how those agents will slot into the current pipelines for PUBG or InZOI.
On paper it sounds like a shortcut to faster content creation, but the actual rollout feels a bit fuzzy. The size of the spend hints at big ambitions, yet it’s unclear whether players will notice smoother experiences or if the back-office will become more efficient. Krafton’s press release calls the move a strategic pivot, but without clear milestones or performance numbers the real impact stays hard to read.
As the months go by, we’ll be watching for any sign that the AI-driven workflow does more than just automate the obvious steps. Until then, the payoff of the “AI-first” push - and what it means for the studio’s flagship titles - remains uncertain.
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Common Questions Answered
What specific AI technologies are central to Krafton's 'AI First' strategy?
Krafton's 'AI First' strategy specifically focuses on deploying agentic AI to automate routine tasks and implementing an 'AI-centric' management system. These technologies are intended to reshape internal workflows and guide decision-making across development teams.
How much is Krafton investing in hardware to support its AI initiatives?
Krafton is making a significant hardware investment of nearly $70 million to build a GPU cluster. This substantial financial commitment is intended to provide the computational power necessary to support the company's new AI-driven development efforts.
Which of Krafton's games are expected to benefit from the 'AI First' strategy?
The 'AI First' strategy is expected to impact Krafton's major titles, specifically PUBG: Battlegrounds and the upcoming Sims-like game, InZOI. The company anticipates that the use of AI will help streamline content creation processes for these games.
What potential challenges does the article highlight regarding Krafton's AI rollout?
The article notes that details on how the agentic AI systems will integrate with existing development pipelines are currently sparse. Furthermore, while the approach looks promising on paper, the practical rollout and whether the $70 million investment will yield measurable gains remain unclear.