Jagex, developer of the RuneScape games, vowed never to use generative AI for any gaming experience that players can "touch, hear or feel."
While company leaders admitted they would accept the use of large language models to increase "efficiency," this remains one of the staunchest stances against AI from a major publisher.
Those who stand against any AI use, however, remained unsatisfied.
A hard line on RuneScape player-facing AI
In a late January interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Jagex Senior Vice President of Product James Dobrowski said the company is against using AI in any way that a player might notice or that would "drive creativity" among the developer team.
"We've got a pretty hard line stance with the team, which is a commitment that no generative AI will ever be present in any asset that a player can touch, hear or feel," he said. "There will be no generative AI in the game that they experience."
"Where we are open to the use of AI is in things like tooling efficiency; how do we make the way we work more efficient in order to make our staff's lives easier and allow us to produce better content."
Jagex is extending that policy to "various external partners" and conducting an audit to ensure compliance, according to Dobrowski.
This sentiment originally came from Jagex CEO Jon Bellamy in 2025. In a December interview with AI gaming company Sett, Bellamy expressed reluctance to use the technology in games or even ads.
"I don't believe that Jagex is a great fit for having AI produce its content that players play or its advertisements that players see," he said.
"Our games are intrinsically human, intrinsically artisanal."
"Nobody wants you Gen AI"
After seeing a number of AAA gaming companies embrace AI in spite of fan backlash, many found Jagex's stance refreshing. RuneScape fans largely praised the developer for holding the line.
"Jagex keeping it real," said @shzhv13 on X. "No gen AI in player assets protects RuneScape's soul."
"That is the sexiest thing a video game company can say," joked @Flick_Maddox.
"Nobody wants you Gen AI," wrote 3D artist @TheMG3D.
At the same time, true AI haters balked at the idea of a gaming company using the tech for any part of the work. They noticed the caveats to Jagex's pledge, and they're not letting the company off the hook.
"When companies phrase it like this, it makes me think that they're still going to use it for concept art and in other stages of development that you can pay people for," said @xjames.bsky.social on Bluesky.
"Using it behind the scenes is still using it!!" @blueaizu.blue declared.
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