Ubisoft's Gen-AI Initiative Internally Called Motherbrain

Ubisoft is internally calling its latest generative-AI initiative Motherbrain, according to trademark applications filed by the publisher and reported by The Game File and Kotaku.

The trademark filings describe various applications of the Motherbrain label. One references downloadable computer software using artificial intelligence for creating video games and interactive content. Another refers to an AI service used for analyzing data and interacting with humans, as well as research and design of AI software.

Ubisoft has not publicly announced Motherbrain. The term is used only internally within the publisher's walls.

The move fits Ubisoft's broader push into generative AI. In 2023, the company unveiled Ghostwriter, a gen-AI tool designed to help developers create background dialogue for non-player characters. Last year, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot stated that generative AI had rolled out across the entire company, calling it a revolution comparable to the transition from 2D to 3D games. This summer, Ubisoft announced it was accelerating investment into Teammates, described as the publisher's first playable generative AI experience in the shooter genre.

The Motherbrain initiative arrives amid significant organizational changes at Ubisoft. In January, the publisher closed two studios, canceled six projects and laid off developers. Additional studio closures and restructuring followed months later, cutting around 380 more jobs.