Take-Two CEO: AI Didn't Cut GTA 6 Development Costs
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said generative AI provided no financial benefit during Grand Theft Auto 6's development, despite the studio's massive budget for the game launching in November 2026.
In a Bloomberg interview, Zelnick addressed whether AI helped reduce costs on the highly anticipated sequel. His answer was direct: it didn't. "AI influence notwithstanding. We haven't seen those costs decline yet. Maybe we will, maybe we won't," he said.
Zelnick did not specify how much AI was actually used during development.
AI's Cost Burden Outweighed Benefits
The expense of implementing AI tools offset any potential savings. Rockstar Games and Take-Two chose to absorb these costs rather than pass them to development teams as efficiency gains.
This comes after Take-Two fired its head of AI, Luke Dicken, in April 2026-just months before GTA 6's release.
Zelnick has been skeptical of AI's creative potential. In a separate CNBC interview, he said generative AI cannot produce hit games like GTA 6. "There is no creativity that can exist by definition in any AI model," he stated.
An Unlimited Budget for Perfection
Take-Two took a different approach to cost control: it didn't. Zelnick revealed that GTA 6 received an "unlimited budget" to reach what he called "perfection" at launch.
The decision reflects Take-Two's confidence in its creative teams. "We have the most amazing creative teams. We not only encourage them to pursue their passions, we insist that they do it. We try to give them unlimited financial, creative, and human resources and then they aim to deliver perfection," Zelnick said.
Reports estimate GTA 6's budget between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. Take-Two has not confirmed official figures.
Betting on Proven Success
The investment reflects GTA 5's dominance. Released in 2013, the game has generated approximately $10 billion in revenue through early 2026, making it one of the most profitable entertainment products ever made.
Spending $1 billion to $1.5 billion on its successor represents roughly 10 to 15 percent of GTA 5's lifetime revenue-a calculation that justifies the expense for a studio betting on sustained success.
For development teams at other studios, Zelnick's comments underscore a broader reality: AI for IT & Development remains a tool with uncertain ROI, particularly in creative fields where human judgment still drives outcomes.
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