After chasing NFTs and the metaverse, Square Enix wants generative AI to do 70% of its QA by 2027

Square Enix is setting some ambitious goals for the future, aiming to have generative AI handle 70% of its Quality Assurance (QA) work by the end of 2027. This plan is part of a broader strategy detailed in the company’s recent progress report on its Mid-Term Business Plan. They are teaming up with the University of Tokyo’s Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory, which focuses on cutting-edge tech research, to bring this vision to life. The idea is that automating QA processes with AI will not only boost efficiency but also give Square Enix a competitive edge in game development. The collaboration between Square Enix and Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory isn’t just a simple partnership—it’s a full-fledged research team with over ten members. This team includes both the university’s researchers and Square Enix engineers working side-by-side. According to the lab’s official stance, their goal is to build an ecosystem akin to Silicon Valley, pushing innovation boundaries. Square Enix has been actively pushing AI integration ever since kicking off the Mid-Term Business Plan, making it a priority to stabilize and innovate their operations in Japan with AI’s help. Back in February, Square Enix revealed it was already employing AI tools like Azure Open AI in the game development process. This move aligns with their CEO’s early 2024 statement about aggressively adopting AI technologies. But AI isn’t the only futuristic tech Square Enix has dabbled in. The company has also shown a strong interest in the metaverse and blockchain gaming, seeing them as key parts of their future. In fact, their president, Yosuke Matsuda, mentioned in 2022 that the metaverse would be central to Square Enix’s roadmap. They even launched a blockchain game, Symbogenesis, in 2023, which wrapped up its final season roughly eight months ago. Despite the enthusiasm for AI, Square Enix and other Japanese publishers recently made headlines by requesting OpenAI to stop training its Sora 2 model on their creative content. This move reflects ongoing tensions around AI’s use of copyrighted materials without explicit permission. On the game front, Square Enix has already experimented with AI-assisted development in titles like Foamstars. However, updates for Foamstars stopped early this year, hinting at possible challenges or shifts in their AI strategy. Overall, Square Enix’s AI ambitions indicate a significant shift toward integrating advanced automation into their development pipeline. The partnership with the University of Tokyo’s AI lab suggests they’re serious about building robust, efficient QA systems that could reshape how games are tested and polished. While there are some bumps—like their pushback against AI training methods—their commitment to AI, the metaverse, and blockchain reveals a company eager to stay at the forefront of gaming innovation.