Take-Two's Strauss Zelnick Says AI Won't Make Hits Easier

Strauss Zelnick, chairman and chief executive of Take-Two Interactive, says artificial intelligence "won't make creating hits any easier." The remark appears in a Business Insider Live video published on 5 November 2026, as part of the outlet's long-form interview series The Long Play.

Take-Two is the company behind the Grand Theft Auto games, one of the best-selling video game series of all time. Artificial intelligence, or AI, refers to software that can generate text, images and other content. Many game companies are testing it to speed up parts of development, and investors often ask how it will affect costs and sales.

The interview was conducted by Sarah E. Needleman, Business Insider's senior leadership and workplace correspondent. It covered Zelnick's career in entertainment, the habits he follows to stay healthy as he gets older, and his views on AI as a way to grow a business. The video's headline gives the AI comment as its central point, and the full conversation runs in the video itself.

Zelnick's remarks on entertainment also reach beyond games. In 2024, he acknowledged that the Borderlands movie was disappointing with critics and audiences. He said at the time that the film had still helped sell Borderlands video games, which are published by Take-Two. Earlier that year, he had said he hoped people would go and see the film anyway.

For readers, the main point is simple. A senior figure at one of the largest game publishers has said that new tools will not automatically produce successful titles. Making a hit still depends on the people who design, write, test and release a game, and on whether players want to play it.

The Business Insider video is the latest public statement from Zelnick on the subject. Readers who want his full answers can watch the interview in full.