I hear this a lot on here. You will be surprised that a lot know what each other is doing. A lot socialize with each other, and a lot adopt the same practices.
Now game mechanics/design/etc you do not want stolen or borrowed sure, but general practices like this... they know. He speaks from experience, and how they do things, and a lot adopt similar practices.
So paying for someone's work is a dumb reason?
Tell that to Gamestop, next time you go in and get a game without paying for it, and just walk out.
Taken out of context it sounds brash, but combined with everything he said, that if the quality is there, and they paid people to make said quality, then why not purchase said quality? We do it all the time from rentals to a bag of candy that is gone in an hour.
Just playing a little devil's advocate here, being good friends with a few developers/producers and directors. As well as seeing the inner workings for years.