Danny Weber
In an interview, Hideo Kojima shares his nuanced view on AI in art: He sees it as a tool, not a substitute, and insists a human must be present for creation.
Hideo Kojima has weighed in on the role of artificial intelligence in creative work, following the controversial Prada Satellites II exhibition. The Italian brand showcased a short film featuring a digitally generated likeness of Kojima, sparking backlash from some of his fans.
In an interview, Kojima said that art is inseparable from life. He doesn't know what the world will look like in 50 or 100 years, and he concedes that AI might one day be capable of creating art. But he doubts he'll live to see it, and he isn't particularly interested in that possibility.
Kojima's stance on generative AI is nuanced. On one hand, he acknowledges the importance of technology and has expressed a desire to "stay one step ahead" by building the future alongside AI. In an interview with Wired Japan, he even referred to AI as a "friend," stressing that these tools should enhance creativity, not replace it.
On the other hand, Kojima draws a sharp distinction between AI as a support tool and the actual act of creation. Speaking to The Washington Post, he compared AI to a janitor—a handy assistant that can handle mundane tasks. But he insists that a human must still be present in the room where art is made.
That perspective highlights a core tension in today's creative industries. AI is already being used for images, videos, script outlines, and production work, yet questions of authorship, soul, and human experience remain unresolved. For Kojima, whose games are rooted in personal themes, cinematic storytelling, and auteur control, AI may serve as a tool—but never a substitute for the artist.
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