At the 2024 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, artificial intelligence (AI) was everywhere — from Nvidia’s booth to trailers allegedly generated by AI that no one wanted to take credit for. Yet amidst the hype, some key voices in the gaming industry pushed back. In his article “Everyone Should Be Listening to Grand Theft Auto 6’s Publisher About AI”, journalist Andrew King (2024) highlights a perspective that educators, not just game developers, should be paying attention to.
One of the most striking quotes comes from Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive (publisher of Grand Theft Auto), who said:
“I’m not worried about AI creating hits, because it’s built on data that already exists. It’s backward-looking. Big hits are forward-looking and, therefore, need to be created out of thin air. Being the most creative means not just thinking outside the box; it means there is no box.” (as cited in King, 2024)
This is a powerful reminder that true creativity — in games, in schools, in any field — isn’t about remixing what’s already been done. It’s about imagining something entirely new. For teachers, this statement goes beyond games: it’s a call to reassert the human, creative heart of education.
1. AI is Retrospective — Teaching is Future-Oriented
Zelnick’s observation that AI is “backward-looking” mirrors a challenge in education. AI tools like ChatGPT can summarize, simulate, and support — but they operate based on past data. Meanwhile, education should be focused on preparing students for the unknown future, not simply rehearsing the past.
As Biesta (2010) notes, education should not be driven by predictability and measurement alone. Rather, it must help students become “subjects” in their own right, able to navigate complex and unpredictable realities.
“Education, if it is to contribute to the future, cannot be based solely on patterns from the past.” (Biesta, 2010, p. 3)
2. Originality Comes from Experience and Emotion
Zelnick’s assertion that “the humanity is not optional” speaks volumes. AI cannot feel, interpret, or reflect on the world. It cannot draw on lived experience. In the classroom, the best teaching moments come from empathy, intuition, and a deep understanding of students — things that no algorithm can replicate.
According to research in affective neuroscience, emotion plays a critical role in how people learn. As Immordino-Yang and Damasio (2007) found, emotional engagement is essential to cognition.
“We feel, therefore we learn.” (Immordino-Yang & Damasio, 2007, p. 7)
In other words, the very elements that make a teacher effective — passion, empathy, curiosity — are exactly what AI lacks.
3. Students Don’t Just Want What They Already Know
King (2024) argues that creativity isn’t about fulfilling known desires, but sparking new ones: “People don’t want what they already know they want; they want what they don’t know they want yet.” This reflects the magic of teaching — helping students uncover ideas they didn’t expect to care about.
This is aligned with Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of the Zone of Proximal Development: real learning happens just beyond a learner’s current knowledge, where a teacher or peer introduces something new and transformative.
4. AI Can Follow Trends — But It Can’t Lead Them
Just as AI-generated content might follow the success of human-created formats (like Fortnite following PUBG), education may soon see a wave of AI tools claiming to personalize or automate teaching. But as Zelnick reminds us, AI responds to what already exists — it doesn’t create the next big shift.
The OECD (Vincent-Lancrin et al., 2023) cautions that while AI can offer support, it may also reinforce conventional thinking unless educators maintain a focus on originality and innovation.
“AI tools risk reinforcing current practices rather than fostering radical innovation.” (Vincent-Lancrin et al., 2023, p. 6)
5. Human Connection is the Core of Teaching
Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, also downplayed the role of AI, stating: “We hope to continue to deliver value that is unique to us and cannot be achieved through technology alone” (as cited in King, 2024). This echoes what many educators already know: relationships, trust, and presence are the cornerstones of great teaching.
These uniquely human attributes are what inspire learning — and they cannot be downloaded or generated.
Conclusion: Embrace AI as a Tool — Not a Replacement
Educators should experiment with AI tools, but always with a critical lens. AI can support creativity, but it cannot replace the original, visionary, and emotional work that teachers do every day.
So next time someone suggests AI will replace teachers, remind them what Strauss Zelnick reminded us: “Being the most creative means not just thinking outside the box; it means there is no box.”
References
Biesta, G. (2010). Good education in an age of measurement: Ethics, politics, democracy. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203850402
Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Damasio, A. (2007). We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(1), 3–10. https://www.routledge.com/Good-Education-in-an-Age-of-Measurement-Ethics-Politics-Democracy/Biesta/p/book/9781594517914?srsltid=AfmBOooDECvQC1atqAJaVf3pO1Y2GVlA1bsQbmefJBSXI7ic6mtz0DZP
King, A. (2024, April 1). Everyone should be listening to Grand Theft Auto 6’s publisher about AI. TheGamer. https://www.thegamer.com/gta-6-take-two-publisher-strauss-zelnick-backward-looking-ai/
Vincent-Lancrin, S., Cobo, C., Reimers, F. M., & van der Vlies, R. (2023). AI and the future of teaching and learning: Towards a research agenda. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/en/about/projects/artificial-intelligence-and-future-of-skills.html
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
