Hideo Kojima says AI is “a friend,” not a threat to creativity in game development

Hideo Kojima recently shared an optimistic view on artificial intelligence, framing it not as a threat to the games industry or to human creativity for that matter, but a collaborative “friend’ that can handle the more time-consuming aspects of game development.

In a recent interview with Wired Japan, Kojima highlighted that while many in the industry use AI to generate ideas, he views it differently, stating: “A lot of people use AI in creative work to come up with ideas. But I think of AI as more of a friend… I would lead the creative part and use AI to boost efficiency.”

Kojima’s perspective on the use of AI and its role in creative workflows comes amid a time when many companies like Activision, Level-5, and Capcom are using AI. A recent survey in June and July found that 32% of CESA member companies are using AI to develop in-house game engines, extend to visual game assets, generate text, and assist in programming.

It’s pretty surprising how much of a foothold AI already has in gaming, considering some companies have been quite open about their use of AI in pretty much everything from visual upscaling to code generation, even as user and developer pushback continues on multiple mediums.

Kojima's approach shows how AI can be used to streamline monotonous tasks such as animation, motion capture, and NPC behaviors without supplanting the core creative process in video game development. 

He further added in the Wired interview, saying,

I’d like AI to handle the tedious tasks. That would lower the cost and cut down on time. It’s more like co-creating with AI instead of just using it. I see a future where I stay one step ahead, creating together with AI.

Kojima’s stance on the use of AI stands in stark contrast to the push toward full automation in some sectors, maintaining AI as a tool for efficiency rather than a complete substitute. For instance, during the development of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Kojima Productions employed machine learning for scanning actors, including Elle Fanning and Shioli Kutsuna, to create digital models.

While Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has been praised for its high-fidelity visuals, realistic character models, and facial animations, Kojima himself views the result as merely “okay” and seeks even greater realism in future endeavors like OD and Physint.

At the New Global Sport Conference in Riyadh in August, he discussed a few challenges during Death Stranding 2’s production, and mentioned:

We scanned and we made a rig, an AI machine learning rig. We took so much time and made sure that we scanned them into digital, but made sure that they move analog in a way. And it took so much time. Looking back, I think it’s okay. But my next project, I think I want to make it more realistic.

Debates over the use of AI in the game industry continue unabated, even as it remains the leading cause for layoffs in an industry struggling to find sustained profitability. While some developers are aiming for total automation, Kojima’s vision for using AI as a co-creator could help reduce game development costs, while making sure humans remain at the helm of innovation.

Buy Death Stranding 2: On The Beach on Amazon