Square Enix aims to automate 70% of its QA and debugging with AI by 2027

Square Enix has announced plans to automate the majority of its quality assurance and debugging work using generative AI, aiming to have the controversial technology handle 70% of its tasks by the end of 2027.

The details:

• As part of its latest progress report on its medium-term business plan, Square Enix Reboots and Awakens, the publisher confirmed that it had entered a partnership with the Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, which aims to improve “game development efficiency through AI technologies.”
• The small team made up of researchers and Square Enix engineers, dubbed the “Joint Development of Game QA Automation Technology Using Generative AI,” is now working to “automate 70% of QA and debugging tasks in game development by the end of 2027.” The company says it will "aim to improve the efficiency of QA operations and establish a competitive advantage in game development" through automation technology.
• The move has sparked debate within the gaming industry, with concerns raised about potential job losses and whether AI can match human testers' ability to spot and describe in-game issues. Last month, it was reported that EA is allegedly pressuring its employees to use AI tools for "just about everything.” In the report, a former Respawn QA tester suspected that they had been let go from the studio due to the efficiency of AI during testing.