The wave of generative AI tools in the gaming sector is causing considerable strife among employees at Electronic Arts (EA). Reports indicate that management has been strongly encouraging its workforce—comprising nearly 15,000 individuals—to adopt AI solutions in their everyday tasks, from training sessions to utilizing an internal chatbot named ReefGPT for task automation.

An anonymous former quality assurance worker expressed that AI was capable of performing significant parts of his role, such as summarizing feedback from playtesters, and suspects the AI-driven changes are associated with his April layoff.

Moreover, the push for AI has met skepticism from staff, reflected in humorous Slack messages mocking upper management’s persistent insistence on AI integration. There are concerns that this initiative may be a cover for potential layoffs amid rising workloads and management’s insistence on AI efficiency. Related workplace studies have indicated that two-thirds of workforce sentiments are not aligned with the leadership’s views on the value AI brings to productivity, hinting at a widening gap between corporate strategies and employee experiences.