AI Writing Is "3/10" Says Baldur's Gate III Lead Writer - Here's the Practical Read for Writers
Larian Studios' Writing Director Adam Smith didn't mince words during a recent Reddit AMA: generative AI for actual game writing scored "3/10 at best" in their tests. He said no AI text generation touches dialogues, journals, or any shipped writing for their next project, Divinity. Human first drafts beat it. And the real work is iteration.
His point wasn't anti-tool. It was quality. Hitting the bar takes "a great many eyes and hands," and even a single line demands multiple passes. He joked that his worst first drafts sit at "4/10" (the boss may disagree), which tells you where the baseline is.
Context: How Larian Is Operating
Baldur's Gate III launched on PC in August 2023 and PS5 the following month, becoming a rare critical and commercial win. Instead of sticking with Baldur's Gate or D&D, Larian is moving on. Divinity was announced at The Game Awards 2025 and will include co-op at launch.
Inside the studio, text-generation tools were explored by a small group, but only for research and exploration. None of it ships. The writing that makes the cut is human-led, peer-reviewed, and iterated until it holds up in the scene, in the voice, and out loud.
Takeaways Working Writers Can Use Today
- Don't ship placeholders. If AI helps you brainstorm, fine. Treat it like research, not copy.
- Define the bar. Voice, intent, subtext, lore/brand consistency, and read-aloud clarity. If a line fails any one of these, it's not ready.
- Build the pipeline. Multiple passes, style guide checks, continuity reviews, and table reads. Quality is a process, not a moment.
- Use AI where it's actually useful. Summaries, outline nudges, alt phrasings, edge-case checks. Keep final lines human.
- Timebox iteration. Schedule rewrites like tasks, not afterthoughts. Great lines come from revision, not inspiration.
- Protect voice. Keep character sheets or a brand bible visible while you write. Enforce it in reviews.
For Game Writers Specifically
- Playable beats pretty. Lines must support performance, pacing, and player intent. Test them in context, not just on the page.
- Add a "do-not-say" list with examples. It speeds up reviews and keeps tone tight across a big team.
- Co-op means more branches. Plan for systemic consistency so you don't fill gaps with bland filler.
Bottom Line
Tools can help your process, but they can't replace judgment, taste, and a team that rewrites without ego. If you're experimenting with AI, set strict guardrails and keep final ownership human.
If you want structured ways to use AI without letting it write for you, these guides can help:
Your membership also unlocks:
