---
title: Quoting Tarn Adams
link: https://simonwillison.net/2026/Sep/1/tarn-adams/
source: simon-willison
published: 2026-09-01T17:01:11Z
updated: 2026-09-01T17:01:11Z
first_seen: 2026-09-02T14:07:29.769486161Z
tags:
- ai
- game-design
summary: 'They took the letters from me! I have to talk about dwarf behavior now. I can''t even talk about dwarf AI. It doesn''t exist. It''s dwarf behavior, and they misbehave sometimes — Tarn Adams, co-creator of Dwarf Fortress Tags: ai, game-design'
content: feed
html: 2026-09-01-quoting-tarn-adams.html
---

> They took the letters from me! I have to talk about *dwarf behavior* now. I can't even talk about dwarf AI. It doesn't exist. It's *dwarf behavior*, and they misbehave sometimes

— [Tarn Adams](https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/dwarf-fortress-creator-says-the-industrys-in-shambles-over-ai-and-layoff-happy-ceos-everyone-i-know-their-bosses-are-slowly-getting-psychosis/), co-creator of Dwarf Fortress

Tags: [ai](https://simonwillison.net/tags/ai), [game-design](https://simonwillison.net/tags/game-design)