Metal Gear and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima says that using AI in development may improve efficiency, but it removes the fun from creation.
Speaking to Game*Spark (translated by Automaton), Kojima discusses how technological advancements have affected game development over the past 40 years, noting the rise of Photoshop and word processors and their impact on efficiency. Kojima likens these tools to the rise of AI, which he notes "has made things even more efficient, allowing us to meet deadlines even faster."
Kojima has previously spoken about his views on AI, saying that he thinks "of AI as more of a friend," to handle the tedious parts in development to help with cost and time usage. "Getting a finished picture is not what’s fun about drawing; it's the process," Kojima notes, saying that simply prompting a computer to create an image multiple times until you have what you want is "not a form of creation that I find particularly interesting," while bringing up the likes of model kits and Lego where the process of building is the fun of the experience rather than the finished product.
"When it comes to this kind of enjoyment that comes with the process of creating something, I'm worried about where things are headed," Kojima notes, adding, "While I think things will be fine for the next five to ten years, if AI remains unrestricted, there might come a day when it starts playing a key role even in the creative field." Although he does say he "won't be around anymore" when that happens, so he'd "like to pass the torch" to younger generations.
While he agrees that efficiency is beneficial if someone is wholly focused on making a "product," he says that "enjoying the process of creation" is what makes a creator. He notes, "The trial-and-error process in between is what gets my adrenaline pumping and makes the experience engaging. I don’t want a future where that aspect is lost."
