Square Enix Aims for AI to Handle 70% of QA by 2027
▼ Summary
– Square Enix aims to have generative AI handle 70% of its QA work by the end of 2027 through a partnership with the University of Tokyo’s Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory.
– The company believes AI automation will improve QA efficiency and establish a competitive advantage in game development, as stated in its Mid-Term Business Plan progress report.
– A joint research team of over ten members, including university researchers and Square Enix engineers, is collaborating on this AI initiative.
– Square Enix has been actively promoting AI use in Japan and previously utilized Azure Open AI in game development, with the CEO emphasizing an aggressive approach to AI application in 2024.
– The company has also shown interest in emerging technologies like the Metaverse and blockchain games, launching Symbogenesis in 2023, while recently requesting OpenAI to stop training its Sora 2 model on their creative works.
Square Enix has set an ambitious goal to have generative artificial intelligence manage seventy percent of its quality assurance processes by the year 2027. This strategic move, developed in collaboration with the University of Tokyo’s Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory, is outlined in the company’s latest progress report. The primary motivation is to enhance operational efficiency within QA and secure a stronger competitive position in the game development industry.
A dedicated research team, consisting of more than ten members from both the Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory and Square Enix’s own engineering staff, is driving this initiative forward. The laboratory itself is a specialized division of the University of Tokyo committed to cutting-edge technological innovation, with a stated mission to build an ecosystem comparable to Silicon Valley.
In the year since launching its Mid-Term Business Plan, Square Enix has actively promoted the adoption of AI technologies across its Japanese operations. This forms part of a broader strategy to establish a more stable and resilient foundation for future projects. Earlier this year, in February, the company confirmed it was already integrating AI, specifically Azure OpenAI, into its development workflow. The CEO emphasized at the start of 2024 that the firm intended to pursue AI applications aggressively.
Beyond AI, Square Enix has shown considerable interest in emerging digital domains like the Metaverse and blockchain gaming. Former President Yosuke Matsuda noted back in 2022 that the Metaverse would be integral to the company’s long-term vision. More recently, Square Enix released Symbogenesis, a blockchain-based game that entered its final season eight months ago.
Interestingly, just this week Square Enix joined other Japanese publishers in requesting that OpenAI stop training its Sora 2 model on their copyrighted creative works. As for the practical outcomes of their AI integration so far, the publisher experimented with the technology during the development of Foamstars. Support and updates for that title were discontinued at the beginning of this year.
(Source: EuroGamer)
