Electronic Arts is deepening its push into generative artificial intelligence through a new multi-year partnership with Stability AI, the James Cameron-backed company known for its image and media models.
The collaboration, announced following EA’s major go-private deal, aims to explore how AI tools can support game development across franchises like The Sims, Battlefield and Madden NFL, while keeping creative control in human hands.
The partnership includes a strategic investment by Electronic Arts in Stability AI during its latest funding round in October. Electronic Arts Chief Strategy Officer Mihir Vaidya said discussions around the deal began well before EA’s proposed $55 billion go-private move involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
Vaidya said EA evaluated several AI companies before choosing Stability AI. He explained that many general-purpose AI models act as black boxes, offering broad capabilities but little control for specific creative tasks. Stability AI stood out because it was willing and able to deeply customise its models to suit EA’s needs, allowing developers to adapt tools without losing creative intent.
The adoption of generative AI has caused worry in the video game industry, which fears that AI could replace game developers. Stability AI CEO Prem Akkaraju denied this, saying that technology tends to increase the number of employees rather than decrease them. He gave an example of the adoption of ATMs, which increased the number of bank branches and the number of skilled employees.
Vaidya admitted that the fear of job replacement is genuine, but EA views AI as an opportunity to reimagine work rather than replace people. He explained that AI has the potential to enhance particular aspects of a particular job, giving rise to new jobs and new skill sets in the future.
Vaidya emphasised that EA wants to be a part of the process in the adoption of AI in the gaming industry and not just a reactive force in the face of disruption from outside the creative industries.