'AI in Game Art - Threat or Opportunity?' with Shrungar Dadarkar

AI is transforming game development at lightening speed. Some call it a revolution, others see it as a threat. So, what does this mean for YOU as a game artist?To answer this, I am joined by Shrungar Dadarkar, Director of Gen AI at Scopely. With a background in concept art and game art direction, he’s seen both sides: the all-manual work and the AI-driven. In this episode, we explore:- Why game studios are integrating AI into art production?- Should game artists embrace AI, or is there a downside?- How AI is changing skill expectations and hiring in game art- How artists can future-proof themselves and stay ahead in the AI era?Connect with Shrungar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrungar/ If you have topic requests for future episodes, or if you would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode, please connect with and write to me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshiraj/⁠Watch this podcast as video on: https://youtu.be/hbF_VCwqNWkChapters:0:00 Intro Sequence0:08 Opening and introduction1:49 Introduction: Shrungar Dadarkar3:28 The Growing Role of Gen AI in Game Development5:59 Player Perceptions of AI-Generated Art10:41 Should Artists Embrace Gen AI?17:18 Artists’ Concerns About AI Adoption20:31 Roles at Risk37:58 Recruitment and Evaluation in the Age of Gen AI45:58 Standing Out in the Era of Gen AI47:37 Wrap up