Legendary game creator Shigeru Miyamoto was honored with Japan’s Order of Culture award yesterday, and during his acceptance speech, he gave some comments regarding the adoption of AI across the games’ industry. While not entirely dismissive of the technology, Miyamoto gave a hell of a quote that is sure to spread water on the fires of AI enthusiasts.
“Even if AI were to eventually handle everything, there will always be a role left for us to play.”
When asked to give his thoughts on how generative AI may change game development, Miyamoto took a more measured stance to the technology than most. Arguing that individual thought is more important than the tools used to make something, he recalls how his generation grew up through a period of rapid computer advancement that changed the way they needed to think every few years. “As computers and technology advanced, a designer’s true individual capabilities, such as their innate sense of layout, finally came to the fore,” Miyamoto said. “I believe generative AI represents a similar shift.”
Explaining the process for making something, Miyamoto admits that the labor part is what can become enjoyable to many. “While the act of creation is inherently satisfying, there’s a danger: one might find satisfaction in the labor itself and mistakenly believe that a high-quality piece of work has been created,” he states. To him, this means that as AI replaces more menial tasks, the more it provides an opportunity “to reflect on what’s really important, which I think is a positive thing.”
Noting how games, even in the past, were created by copying what was popular, Miyamoto says, “such work rarely stands the test of time: it lacks the individual’s particular design intention.” To him, this means that individuality and personal interest will always remain valuable even as AI continues to develop. “I believe that even as technology continues to evolve,” he says, “and even if AI were to eventually handle everything, there will always be a role left for us to play.”
I’m not too surprised Miyamoto would be somewhat wishy-washy on decrying AI, but he’s absolutely correct that individuality is what makes pieces of art engaging. If every game was designed by a machine, we’d wind up with an industry chasing trends and repeating the same template rather than pushing for innovation.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
