Rockstar Games Parent Take-Two Lays Off AI Team, Former Head Confirms

Take-Two Interactive, the company behind Rockstar Games, has laid off its artificial intelligence team. The update comes from Luke Dicken, the company’s former head of AI, who shared that both his role and his team have been cut.

In a LinkedIn post, Dicken said his time at the company had come to an end and asked for support in helping team members find new opportunities. The company hasn’t shared how many people were affected.

The Work Behind the Team

Dicken had joined Take-Two in early 2025 after a long stint at Zynga. His team wasn’t working on headline features, but on systems that sit behind the scenes.

That includes machine learning models, procedural tools, DevOps support, and production workflows. In simple terms, the kind of work that helps studios build games more efficiently rather than directly shaping what players see on screen.

From his description, the focus was on solving practical development problems and building tools that teams across the company could use.

Where AI Fits — And Where It Doesn’t

The timing of these layoffs stands out because Take-Two hasn’t exactly stepped away from AI.

CEO Strauss Zelnick has said multiple times that the company already uses AI across its studios, with several internal projects and implementations in place. But he’s also been clear about the limits.

His stance has been consistent. AI can help make development faster or cheaper, but it’s not something that can create a major title on its own. Earlier this year, he also confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 will not include generative AI content.

A Wider Industry Pattern

This isn’t happening in isolation. The games industry has seen a steady run of layoffs over the past few months.

Companies like Electronic Arts and Epic Games have both reduced staff recently, even as some of their biggest titles continue to perform well. The reasons vary, but the broader pattern is clear. Studios are reassessing costs, teams, and long-term priorities.

Take-Two’s move fits into that same shift, even if the focus on an AI team adds another layer to the conversation.