By The integration of artificial intelligence in daily life appears to be increasingly frequent, and Nier: Automata director Yoko Taro expresses worry that it might lead to job losses among developers.
As noted, translated by Automaton, Taro participated in a recent interview with Famitsu, together with Danganronpa creator Kazutaka Kodaka, Zero Escape director Kotaro Uchikoshi, and Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors producer Jiro Ishii. During the dialogue, Uchikoshi highlighted the “rapid pace” of AI advancements, stating: “I worry that AI-generated adventure games might become the norm.”
This sentiment resonates with Yoko Taro, who notes: “I also believe that game developers may lose their positions due to AI. In 50 years, we might find creators regarded like bards.”
Though these two developers seem assured that AI could generate narratives like theirs, Kodaka offers a slightly different perspective, observing that technology cannot genuinely create, even if it can replicate others’ artistry.
This is a valid observation—AI, at its core, cannot operate autonomously or think independently (and let’s hope it remains that way). It requires previous works to generate output—any unique concepts it presents will ultimately be combinations of existing ideas, lacking the true originality an individual can offer.
While Taro proposes that AI might tailor in-game scenarios to player preferences in the future, Kodaka counters that this trend could lead to a “phenomenon” where major global hits vanish, as shared experiences in gaming would diminish.
Experiencing a game with varying story versions compared to others would be quite odd—you wouldn’t be able to share a meaningful discussion, and you may find yourself playing an inferior version, which would be unfortunate. Let’s hope we continue to see talented developers like Taro and Kodaka for the foreseeable future.