Hideo Kojima says AI won’t create real art in his lifetime: "A janitor for creative chores"

Hideo Kojima has expressed enthusiasm for generative AI in recent months, but he has now clarified his stance on the technology in an interview with the Washington Post. While he sees AI as a tool to speed up development workflows, he believes that’s essentially the extent of its role. Kojima says he doesn’t expect generative AI to play any part in the creation of ‘true art’ within his lifetime.

Kojima spoke about the topic during a session at a high-profile Prada art event held at New York’s Chelsea Hotel, just weeks after appearing in a promotional short film that was widely criticized for its AI-driven marketing.

The AI-generated promotional video featured a digital version of Kojima alongside director Nicolas Winding Refn on an adventure through space, a project that many gamers and fans of Kojima bluntly labeled as “AI slop.”

Following the disappointing campaign, Kojima addressed the broader conversation surrounding art and AI head-on, explaining, “Art is life, but in 50 years, 100 years, I don’t know. Maybe AI could create art, but while I live, I don’t think I’ll see it. I’m not interested in it.” 

Kojima further suggested that society might eventually find “a good way, a good path to use the technology,” but emphasized that it would fall to the younger generation to figure that out. The Washington Post reported that Kojima sees AI as “a janitor for creative chores,” while humans must “stay in the room where art gets made.”

Kojima’s previous comments about AI were more ambiguous and conveyed far greater enthusiasm for the technology. However, this recent interview offers a more measured and grounded view of his thoughts on generative AI. In an earlier interview, he said that AI would be particularly useful for non-visual purposes and noted:

“Rather than having AI create visuals or anything like that, I’m more interested in using AI in the control systems.”

Given Kojima’s evolving views and public statements about the technology, it now seems unlikely that he will incorporate generative AI-generated artwork or designs in his upcoming titles, such as the Xbox-exclusive horror game OD and the PlayStation-exclusive Physint, which is not expected to be released until 2030.

Ultimately, the human element remains paramount for Kojima, and generative AI is, in his view, nothing more than a utilitarian tool.

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