The State of AI in Video Games: A Conversation With Behaviour Interactive’s Stephanie Marchand

In 2025, we’ve seen a growing conversation about the state of AI in video games. As all corners of the creative sectors brace for the continued integration of AI, concerns of how this emerging technology is being used in games continue to swirl.

2025 has been a tumultuous year for the gaming industry. In this year alone, an estimated 3,563 layoffs have been made. From developers, to artists, to voice actors and even the players, the gaming industry has been walking on eggshells in many ways as it traverses what could only be looked at as a transition phase for how games are made. AI is being used in many ways for game development, with some success stories being told. Arc Raiders, the latest multiplayer game to become a viral sensation, integrates voice lines created through AI assistance, trained on paid voice actors. In the same breath, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has been under fire for its use of AI for asset creation.

All of this is to say that there’s no clear-cut definition of how or when AI will be used in games. At a very top level, AI can be used as a tool to accelerate the development of games. As game development has become increasingly more demanding with ballooning budgets, it only makes sense that studios, big and small, look at cost-cutting measures that can also save efficiency.

That’s exactly what Behaviour Interactive Senior VP of Production Stephanie Marchand is doing. While speaking to Marchand during AWS Re:Invent in Vegas, it feels as though the Montreal-based studio behind the commercial hit Dead by Daylight is optimistic about sustainably using AI tools.

“What we’re seeing is that a lot of companies want to adopt [AI], Marchand says about 2025 trends. “A lot of people realized that it’s going to be a plus. I don’t think anyone will really understand what it can bring. When we talk about AI, if you take the assets and production, they’re doing it faster. We also know that this is one of the most contrary virtual views. It’s also one of the most challenging, as purely legally, if you create an asset with generative AI, you don’t own the IP. That’s something we’re really thinking about at Behaviour. How can we do things in games using generative AI that are not feasible without it? I think that’s when games are going to start doing this, is when it’s going to start to unlock the full potential and hopefully convince the public and community of players.”

Marchand’s optimistic comments arrive when players aren’t so willing to accept baked-in AI assets or the use of AI from a deeper level. There’s currently a feeling of pessimism from a vocal audience that’s created a push and pull from developers. “There are clear concerns from players that AI will be used for creating fast games, and that’s seeing how many games are coming out every year. There’s more than 18,000 games coming out on Steam this year. Quality is always a concern for the player. It hasn’t been proven how great quality can be with AI. It is all over the place right at the moment. That’s not on them. That’s on us, the industry. I also think over time, it’s going to regulate itself.”

The conversation about the use of AI tools in gaming has been ongoing for years. There are already practical uses of generative tools in games that can enhance developers and not replace them. Merchand also believes we’ve merely scratched the surface on how AI tools can create more immersive experiences. “Right now, we are at a point where we can think of having NPCs and games have deeper conversations with you. It could just be a prompt or use natural language to speak to players or see the game react to you. Having a more bespoke experience, something that makes it more unique for each player and each game. We can also probably change the style of the environment and some 3D modelling in real time.”

Dead by Daylight is Behavious Interactive’s commercially successful game. Released in 2016, the asymmetric horror game has amassed a dedicated audience. To avoid ostracizing its community while still venturing into the world of AI tools, Behaviour Interactive created an internal AI policy in 2024. “It’s a mix of our legal stance and our values of the company, and also respects all the ethical aspects regarding AI and intellectual property. One of the things we’re also concerned about any asset that is created using Gen AI is free of rights. So, that’s also something that we want to make sure we are never faced with in a situation where the propriety of our own games is in question. No content created via generative AI makes it into the game at all. It’s a very, very strong policy for us.”