In a surprising development, Take-Two Interactive – the gaming giant behind the highly anticipated blockbuster Grand Theft Auto VI – has ditched its entire AI division, laying off its head of AI and several team members. The shift comes barely two months after CEO Strauss Zelnick publicly declared that the company was “actively embracing generative AI.”
The layoffs were revealed through LinkedIn posts by affected employees.
Luke Dicken, who had served as Take-Two’s Head of AI since January 2025, wrote, “It’s truly disappointing that I have to share with you that my time with T2 — and that of my team — has come to an finish.” He added that he would appreciate support in finding new positions for his former colleagues.
Other departures confirmed on the platform include the former director of AI research and at least two senior data scientists. The team had been working for seven years on cutting-edge AI tools to support game development, including procedural content generation, machine learning systems, and solutions to empower developers across the workflow.
Much of the group came from Zynga’s applied AI department after Take-Two’s $12.7 billion acquisition of the mobile gaming company back in 2022.
Take-Two, however, declined to comment on the layoffs. A senior director from the team attributed the cuts to “shifting priorities from upper management.”
Take Two laid off AI team despite ‘actively embracing it’
The timing of the layoffs has raised eyebrows in the industest. In an earnings call in February 2026, CEO Strauss Zelnick notified investors that Take-Two was “actively embracing generative AI,” highlighting hundreds of ongoing pilots and implementations across its studios.
However, Zelnick has consistently maintained a cautious stance on the technology. He has repeatedly dismissed the idea that generative AI could magically produce blockbuster games, calling the notion of “pushing a button to generate the next GTA” laughable.
He also confirmed that generative AI played “zero part” in the development of Grand Theft Auto VI, with Rockstar Games handcrafting its vast world “street by street.”
What this means for GTA VI and future games
The disbanding of the dedicated AI team does not necessarily mean Take-Two is abandoning AI entirely. The company could be shifting toward a more decentralised approach, integrating AI tools directly into individual studios rather than maintaining a centralised division. Still, the abrupt finish of a seven-year-old initiative, which was meant to support game development, has left many in the industest puzzled.
Take Two’s shift comes at a time when the broader gaming sector continues to see heavy investment in AI for tquestions like asset creation, NPC (Non-Playable Character) behaviour, and procedural generation.
Despite the layoffs, Grand Theft Auto VI remains on track for release later this year, as the game has no reported involvement of generative AI in its core creation. As one of the most expensive and ambitious games in history, GTA VI’s handcrafted approach promises to set it apart in an industest that is increasingly experimenting with automation.
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