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Take-Two disbands AI division weeks after CEO touts its importance ahead of GTA VI launch

Take-Two Interactive shut down its AI division weeks after CEO Strauss Zelnick publicly touted hundreds of generative AI pilot projects. AI chief Luke Dicken, promoted in January 2025, confirmed his departure on LinkedIn.

1 min read
Executives and strategy

Take-Two Dismantles AI Division Weeks After Touting Its Strategic Value

Take-Two Interactive has disbanded a core artificial intelligence unit, contradicting public statements from executives about the technology's importance to the company's future. The move raises questions about the publisher's near-term strategy ahead of its most significant product launch in years.

Former AI chief Luke Dicken confirmed on LinkedIn that he and an unspecified number of colleagues have departed Take-Two. Dicken held the leadership role for less than a year, having been promoted in January 2025. The affected team was largely staffed by employees from Zynga, the mobile gaming studio Take-Two acquired for $12.7 billion in 2022.

Strategy Shift or Contradiction?

The timing creates a credibility problem. Two months before the layoffs, CEO Strauss Zelnick said publicly that Take-Two was running hundreds of generative AI pilot projects to boost efficiency and free developers for more complex work. The dissolution of the machine learning and procedural content generation specialists now appears to contradict that direction.

Take-Two declined to comment on personnel matters.

Broader Cost Cuts Across the Industry

The AI division shutdown may fit into wider cost reduction efforts. Take-Two cut its global workforce by five percent in 2024, targeting approximately $165 million in savings. The decision also mirrors industry trends: OpenAI paused projects recently, and Oracle conducted large-scale job cuts.

The company posted strong quarterly results with net bookings of $1.76 billion. Its stock, however, has declined roughly 19 percent since the start of the year and currently trades near €173.

Focus Shifts to GTA VI

Take-Two's attention is now fixed on November 19, 2026-the release date for Grand Theft Auto VI. Financial models project the launch will initiate a multi-year cycle of margin expansion, increased bookings, and substantial cash generation. For many investors, this anticipated event is expected to overshadow the current period of restructuring.

For executives evaluating AI investment decisions, Take-Two's reversal offers a practical lesson: AI for Executives & Strategy requires clear metrics and sustained commitment, not pilot projects disconnected from measurable business outcomes.

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