Strauss Zelnick: “Generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building” with GTA 6

Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has told GamesIndustry.biz that the company is making extensive use of AI and “always has”, but said it was deployed in tools rather than creativity, and “generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building” for GTA 6.

He was speaking ahead of the release of the company’s Q3 financial results, which followed a week in which the company’s stock price plunged to an 11-month-low following Google’s announcement of experimental AI “playable world” tool Project Genie. He’d previously told CNBC that “there is no creativity that can exist by definition in any AI model, because it is data-driven.”

“On the topic of AI, I’ve been enthusiastic since the very beginning,” he told GamesIndustry.biz. “This company’s products have always been built with machine learning and artificial intelligence. We’ve actually always been a leader in the space, and right now we have hundreds of pilots and implementations across our company, including within our studios. And we’re already seeing instances where generative AI tools are driving costs and time efficiencies.”

“That said, do I think tools by themselves create great entertainment properties? No, there’s no evidence that that’s the case and it won’t be the case in the future. Specifically with regards to GTA 6, Generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building. Their worlds are handcrafted. That’s what differentiates them. They’re built from the ground up, building by building, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood. They’re not procedurally generated, they shouldn’t be. That’s what makes great entertainment.”

The company’s last earnings release in October 2025 was headlined by GTA 6 being delayed for the second time, to a new date of November 19th. Zelnick said he remained confident that date would be hit, and the company posted strong financials and said it would be increasing its guidance for the current financial year, ending March 31st.

Our full interview with Strauss Zelnick will be posted shortly.