Invoke CEO declares genAI's honeymoon is over at GDC 2025 talk. What's next?

In a special talk for the Game Developers Conference 2025, Kent delivers a candid, deep-dive talk on the current state of generative AI—what’s working, what’s not, and where we go from here.

He shares insights on how GenAI is actually being used in game development today, why the “AI as magic” narrative falls short, and how human creativity and iteration remain at the center of high-quality work. Kent also covers critical legal updates around IP and copyright for AI-generated content, and explains how artists can protect their work while building with powerful tools like Invoke’s Canvas.

Chapters (AI-Generated)
0:00 Intro & Speaker Background
1:54 Talk Overview: GenAI Reality, IP, Deployment
3:09 The AI Hype vs. The "AI Slop" Reality
4:17 Why Human Creativity is Crucial for AI Tools
6:08 Finding the Middle Way: Beyond Pro/Anti AI
6:40 Adaptation, Not Replacement: Evolving with AI
9:13 Deep Dive: Generative AI & Intellectual Property
10:34 The Copyright Rules: Pure AI vs. Human Input
11:07 The Ethics: Open Source vs. Licensed Data
12:48 Copyright Case Study 1: Midjourney Art (No Copyright)
13:34 Copyright Case Study 2: Zarya of the Dawn (Arrangement Copyright)
14:30 Copyright Case Study 3: Sketch Input (Partial Protection)
15:31 How Invoke Copyrighted AI Art (Iteration is Key!)
17:03 Core IP Takeaway: Human Creativity is Essential
18:10 GenAI in Practice: Tools & Workflows
18:57 Building AI as a Collaborator (Interface Matters)
20:03 Tool Example 1: Invoke Canvas - Iterative Control
22:00 Tool Example 2: Invoke Workflows - Simplified Pipelines
23:35 The Future: AI for 3D & Video Generation
26:21 Core Takeaway: GenAI is a Powerful Tool
27:36 The REAL Opportunity: Making Better Games
28:48 Live Demo Introduction
29:54 Canvas Demo: Sketch to Knight Concept
34:43 Canvas Demo: Iteration & Refining Details
38:52 Workflow Demo: 3D Asset to Concept (Pink Turtle!)
41:53 Q&A Start
42:30 Q1: AI Tool vs. Replacement? Convincing Artists
49:11 Q2: AI for 3D Assets & Training
54:04 Q3: Copyright Ownership & Human Input Line
57:44 Q4: Advice for Students & AI
58:51 Q5: Achieving Consistency with AI Art
1:00:16 Final Remarks

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