Hideo Kojima Says AI Can Make Game Development Faster, But It May Also Make It Boring
Hideo Kojima, the legendary creator behind Metal Gear and Death Stranding, has shared a thoughtful view on artificial intelligence in game development. While he sees AI as a useful tool for speeding up production, he is far less convinced that it should become a replacement for the messy, unpredictable, and deeply human process of creating something new.
Speaking during a media preview for Beyond the Strand, an exhibition celebrating the 10th anniversary of Kojima Productions, Kojima explained that AI can be helpful when it comes to efficiency. The exhibition is being held at Azabudai Hills Gallery in Tokyo from October 31 to December 20 and looks back on the studio’s first decade.
However, Kojima made it clear that his comments reflect his personal creative philosophy rather than an official statement about how his studio works. He did not confirm whether Kojima Productions is using AI tools in the development of its upcoming projects, including the horror game OD: Knock and the espionage action title PHYSINT.
Kojima compared AI to earlier digital tools that changed the way artists and developers work. He noted that his career began around 40 years ago, when video games were still limited to 2D visuals, simple graphics, and characters that could not speak. Since then, the industry has moved through major technological shifts, from limited-color visuals to 3D environments, motion capture, cinematic performances, and advanced sound design.
For Kojima, AI belongs to that same long history of new tools. Like Photoshop, word processors, and other production software, AI can make certain tasks easier and faster. It can reduce development time, improve workflow, and help creators manage large-scale projects more efficiently.
But his concern is not about whether AI can help. His concern is about what might be lost if creators rely on it too heavily.
Kojima explained that the most enjoyable part of making something is not simply having a finished result. The real joy, he said, is in the middle of the process. It is the trial and error, the unexpected discoveries, the frustration, the revisions, and the personal effort that make creation meaningful.
Using drawing as an example, Kojima said that finishing the picture is not the fun part. The act of making it is where the excitement lives. If a creator simply tells a computer what to generate, checks the result, and asks it to redo the work until it looks right, the process may be efficient, but it becomes less interesting.
He compared this to building plastic model kits, solving jigsaw puzzles, or assembling LEGO sets. The final product may look the same no matter who builds it, but the satisfaction comes from putting it together piece by piece. For Kojima, that hands-on process is a major part of creativity.
Kojima also drew a line between creative work and commercial products. If the goal is simply to produce something, then using AI to save time and reduce costs makes sense. In that context, AI can be a powerful business tool. But he believes that being a creator is different. A true creator enjoys the act of making something while it is still unfinished.
He expressed this idea clearly by saying that “creative” and “product” are separate things. A product can be completed efficiently, but creativity is often found in the uncertain and emotional journey that leads to completion.
Music was another example he used to explain his point. Ordering a song and approving the final version is not what excites him. The exciting part is the back-and-forth process: testing ideas, making changes, discovering what works, and feeling the energy of collaboration. Kojima worries that if AI removes too much of that process, creators may lose one of the most rewarding parts of their work.
At the same time, Kojima is not anti-AI. He acknowledged that artificial intelligence can make production easier and more efficient. If used wisely, he believes it could contribute to a better future for entertainment and game development. His concern is more about balance: AI should support creators, not replace the creative experience itself.
Kojima, now 63, said he is especially interested in what happens over the next five to ten years. He believes things will likely remain manageable in the near future, but if AI continues to grow without limits or thoughtful control, it may eventually take on a much larger role in creative fields.
He joked that by the time AI fully dominates the creative side of entertainment, he may no longer be around to see it. He added that younger generations will ultimately decide how to use the technology and that he wants to pass the baton to them.
This is not the first time Kojima has spoken about artificial intelligence. In previous discussions, he has described AI as something that could handle repetitive or tedious tasks, helping developers lower costs and shorten production schedules. His latest comments, however, place more emphasis on the emotional cost of automation. Instead of focusing only on what AI can save, he is now asking what it might take away.
Meanwhile, Kojima Productions is entering a major new phase. OD: Knock is being described as a horror game with systems unlike anything seen before. PHYSINT, on the other hand, is planned as a new espionage action game that aims to blur the line between cinema and video games.
Kojima has also spoken about augmented reality projects connected to what he calls the studio’s “Third Phase.” His vision is for entertainment to move beyond traditional screens and become more closely connected to everyday life.
Kojima’s message is not that AI has no place in game development. Instead, he is warning that speed and convenience should not become the only goals. For him, the heart of creation is not just the final game, image, song, or story. It is the human struggle of making it.
In an industry increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, Kojima’s view stands out: let AI handle the boring work, but keep the joy, uncertainty, and imagination in human hands.
