To make it simpler for developers who create experiences on Roblox to produce games and other assets, Roblox is developing generative AI tools. A tool to create “generative AI materials from a text prompt” and a tool for generative AI to complete code are the first two tools that will be tested in the upcoming weeks.
This brief video, which I’ve also linked at the top of this post, will give you a general understanding of how they function. In one instance, several material descriptions for an automobile are typed in, and those patterns are immediately implemented. Others let you see how auto-completed code might function to do things like turn on the car’s lights and make it rain in the game’s setting.
Roblox’s inclusion of generative AI tools makes some sense. One of the primary features of Roblox is that it provides an advanced production environment that is simple for beginners to learn. Moreover, generative AI tools may make some aspects of game development even more accessible to creators. Roblox has more potential to generate money off Robux, the network’s currency, the more approachable its tools are, the more users might use the platform to create popular games.
According to Sturman, some Roblox developers are already utilizing generative AI techniques. Yet these ‘off-the-shelf’ AI systems are not integrated with our platform, and they frequently don’t provide ‘Roblox ready’ output, necessitating a lot of follow-up effort from a developer, according to Sturman. But, Samantha Spielman, a representative for the company, tells The Verge that it is intending to develop a means for other AI creation services to integrate with its own tools, though it does not currently have a schedule to give.
The business is already considering moderation, which is crucial given how well-liked Roblox is among children. Sturman thinks that Roblox must always be kept safe and civil. This calls for the development of an efficient and scalable moderation flow for all forms of creation.
Roblox also appears to be mindful of concerns that AI tools can displace human labor, since Sturman states that “we need an economic framework that fosters” the development of AI. Roblox stands out as a platform with a strong creator-backed economy, and Sturman says that we must expand it to accommodate both novice user-creators and AI algorithm developers.
While it appears like generative AI could bring some benefits, there are concerns about how it could replace jobs. GamesIndustry.biz has a fantastic story asking creators what they think about it. Generative AI’s complete impact on game design is still unclear. Although Roblox’s support for generative AI could be a significant development for the field, we’ll have to wait to see how practical these tools will be until they become live.
