Subnautica and PUBG publisher Krafton has appointed Kangwook Lee as chief AI officer (CAIO) to develop AI technologies it claims will “enhance gameplay experiences and support development teams.”Â
The South Korean company said the newly-created role will help formalize leadership across gameplay, AI, developer tools, and long-term research initiatives.Â
Lee has served as head of Krafton AI since 2022. During his tenure, he directed internal research into machine learning, language models, natural language processing, reinforcement learning, and multimodal systems.Â
He also orchestrated significant external partnerships—such as the collaboration with Nvidia that facilitated the creation of AI-enabled Co-Playable Characters (CPCs)—while helming Krafton’s proprietary foundation model project.
Many of those initiatives are examples of generative AI technology—which continues to divide opinion across the game industry—being put into practice.Â
Lee said Krafton only intends to use AI to “amplify human imagination and creativity,” as opposed to replacing workers. “Our goal is to build better experiences for players while investing in technologies that empower our teams and support long-term innovation,” he added.
As described in a press release, Krafton said its AI strategy will now focus on three core areas:
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Elevating Gameplay // Krafton will continue developing AI features designed to deepen immersion, responsiveness, and player interaction. Technologies such as CPCs are intended to complement human-designed gameplay systems, with studios maintaining full creative ownership and final decision-making authority. AI is applied where it meaningfully enhances player experience while preserving the handcrafted elements that define each title.Â
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Supporting Development Teams // Krafton is investing in AI tools that help streamline repetitive or technical tasks, enabling developers to spend more time on creative planning, storytelling, and design. The company views AI as a way to support its workforce by reducing friction in production workflows and empowering teams to focus on craft. AI-driven analytics and development tools operate using authorized and responsibly managed data in accordance with applicable privacy standards.Â
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Exploring Long-Term Research Opportunities // Building on its experience operating large-scale, physics-based virtual worlds, Krafton is also conducting long-term research into physical AI and robotics through a newly established entity, Ludo Robotics, with operations in the United States and Korea. This research remains exploratory and focused on software intelligence, leveraging simulation environments to test and validate complex systems. Games remain Krafton’s core business, and future research initiatives are designed to build on the company’s foundational strengths in interactive technology.
Last year, Krafton outlined plans to transform the publisher into an “AI First” company. A few weeks later, it initiated a voluntary resignation program to purportedly give employees a chance to evaluate their “growth direction” during an “era of AI transformation.”Â
As noted in its latest fiscal report, Krafton just delivered record annual revenue thanks to the popularity of its PUBG franchise. The company once again reiterated its commitment to becoming an industry leader in “future-facing AI innovation” when publishing its results.Â
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