A few months before the release of GTA 6presented as the biggest video game launch of the decade, the parent company of Rockstar Games, Take-Two Interactivehas just struck where no one expected: the head of the group’s artificial intelligence was fired along with his team.
The timing is anything but trivial: the release of Grand Theft Auto VI is still set for November 19, 2026 and the marketing campaign should start this summer, but behind the scenes Take-Two Interactive reshuffles its cards on AI. Enough to question the real place of these technologies in GTA 6 and, above all, the group’s priorities for post-release.
Take-Two fires its AI boss: what happened before GTA 6 ?
Head of group AI, Luke Dicken announced on LinkedIn, in a message spotted by Indy100, the end of his mission and that of his team. “It’s truly disappointing to share with you that my time with Take-Two – and that of my team – has come to an end”, he wrote, before recalling: “We’ve been developing cutting edge technology to support game development now for seven years.”
This team worked mainly with Zyngathe mobile specialist bought in 2022 for around $12.7 billion (nearly 11.7 billion euros). She developed applied AI tools to help produce games faster, from test scripts to analysis systems, without directly intervening in the game scenario. GTA 6.
The exact number of people affected remains unknown, and Take-Two Interactive refuses to comment. However, this layoff is in addition to a plan to reduce the workforce by around 5% announced in 2024, as the entire sector seeks to reduce costs while focusing on generative AI.
GTA 6 in danger or simply a strategic shift on AI at Take-Two?
Officially, Strauss Zelnickthe CEO of Take-Two Interactivegives a reassuring speech. During the last investor call, he explained that the company is “actively embracing it” in order to make routine tasks simpler and free up creators to focus on the most interesting content; clearly, AI must automate repetitive tasks, not replace teams.
He repeats as regularly as using generative AI to create a game of the caliber of GTA 6 would be “ridiculous” and, cited by TechSpot, that “generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar is building”.
After GTA 6 : what future for AI and players at Take-Two?
For players, the most credible scenario remains a launch of GTA 6 November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series, around 70 to 80 euros. Where this pivot will really weigh is on monitoring: anti-cheat AI, analysis tools, personalization of the online experience. By cutting into this historic team, Take-Two Interactive seems to favor more targeted, even external, solutions, while insisting that the heart of GTA 6 remains shaped by humans.