Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai says he isn’t using generative AI, including for brainstorming. Still, he worries that rejecting it outright could leave developers behind as making games becomes more demanding.
Previously, Sakurai said using AI in creative projects would put genuine effort and creativity at the forefront of game development as more games rely on this new technology. Now, he’s opening up about the risks of completely ignoring AI’s rise.
Sakurai Says Generative AI Must Not Exploit Others
In a new interview with Famitsu, Sakurai admits making games has become too demanding, but remains cautious about generative AI and warns against using it to exploit others.
He says he hasn’t even begun using it for brainstorming, but he is taking a slow-paced approach to understanding the technology.
Looking at the game industry as a whole, he said that “making games these days is extremely difficult,” and with some titles “selling millions of copies but still operating at a loss,” he feels that sticking solely to the stance of “not using AI-generated graphics” might cause them to fall further and further behind.
While acknowledging that “doing nothing would be bad,” he said that “where and how to use it” is complex and he can’t make any definitive statements at this time, and that Sakurai himself is “taking a slow-paced approach” to it.
Another legendary Nintendo developer, Shigeru Miyamoto, has also recently commented on AI technology. He also agrees that, as AI eventually handles menial tasks, it will put human creativity at the forefront and make it more creative, as players will look for new games with fresh ideas that aren’t clones of one another. Read his full comments here.
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I'm Robert DeFelice. I spent years covering pro-wrestling industry for outlets such as Fightful. After years in wrestling journalism, I’ve transitioned to video games, another passion of mine.
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