Hideo Kojima says AI can’t replace human craftsmanship in video games

Renowned video game designer Hideo Kojima has expressed his reservations about the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the creative process in gaming. During an interview with Japanese outlet Game*Spark, the celebrated creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding highlighted the importance of human creativity in the development of games.

Kojima emphasized that the enjoyment of crafting a game lies in the process itself, rather than simply obtaining a finished product through the use of AI. He described AI as efficient, but lamented that the "fun isn't in finishing the picture. It's in the process." According to Kojima, while it's acceptable to instruct a computer to create certain aspects of a game, he finds the act of guiding its corrections to be less compelling in terms of craftsmanship.

The game developer stressed that he is concerned about the future of human creativity in gaming, questioning whether AI could dominate the industry to the point where it diminishes the unique spark that creators experience when crafting their own works. Kojima's comments echo those of Jason Graves, composer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's soundtrack, who also warned against using AI for music generation, asserting that "Music is not just a bunch of notes strung together."

Kojima offered a glimpse into his vision for the future of AI in creative industries. "It's not about telling someone to make a song like this and then being satisfied with the result; it's the trial and error in between that gets the adrenaline pumping, and it's incredibly exciting. I don't want a future where that's lost," he said.

He concluded by asserting that while AI might provide efficiency benefits for the next five to ten years, the younger generation must decide the long-term impact of AI on creative fields, as he himself will not be around to witness it.