Is the Pursuit of Artificial Intelligence a Futile Endeavor? | This Week in Business

This Week in Business is a weekly column that presents a collection of statistics, quotes, and opinions to shed light on various trends in the industry. In a recent interview with Roblox's chief technology officer, Daniel Sturman, the company's plans for generative AI were discussed. Sturman believes that AI can act as an incredible on-ramp to creators on the platform and accelerate existing creators. However, the question remains whether AI will genuinely work as promised and whether the people rolling it out will ultimately shed any ethical concerns. The column assumes that ethical AI is possible and that Roblox will be a responsible steward of this technology. It explores the potential impact of AI on the creator economy and the company's revenue model. The column also discusses the potential effects of AI on the game development industry, including the possibility of a race-to-the-bottom economy and the devaluation of creators' work. The author expresses skepticism about the benefits of AI for creators and the potential for companies like Roblox to make money from AI-powered tools. The column concludes that the best-case scenario for Roblox is that the AI tools fail to revolutionize game development, and the company can still benefit from the novelty of the tools and attract new creators to the platform.