Hideo Kojima: “AI will not create art in its lifetime”

Hideo Kojima After appearing in an AI-generated teaser for Prada, which was met with intense fan backlash, the legendary developer has now gone on record with his real thoughts on AI and art. Simply put, he doesn’t think AI will produce real art in his lifetime, and he’s okay with that.

Late last month, Kojima appeared with Danish film director nicolas winding refn In a 90-second teaser for Prada Mode taking over New York’s Chelsea Hotel. The premise involves two people arriving in a spaceship, crash-landing on a planet, and fleeing from aliens. It’s definitely surreal. But the backlash wasn’t about the concept. The above is about the manufacturing method.

Fan reactions that sparked conversation

Kojima fans made their feelings clear the moment the Prada teaser was released. Comments calling this an “AI blunder” quickly spread across social media. “It broke my heart to see such a great artist rely on generative AI,” one fan wrote. Another said directly to Kojima: “You’re better than this.” The phrase “AI slop” appeared repeatedly throughout the responses, and the complaint wasn’t just a reflex, it was real.

The problem is that Kojima didn’t actually create the video. He starred in it. Produced by Prada. But for many fans, the differences mattered little.

What Mr. Kojima actually said about AI and art

Kojima, now 62, mentioned AI extensively in comments published before and after the Chelsea Hotel event. His position is more layered than the backlash suggests.

“Art is life. But I don’t know what will happen 50 or 100 years from now. Maybe AI will create art, but I don’t think I’ll see it in my lifetime. I’m not interested,” he said. He also believed that AI would be best suited as a “manager of creative chores,” keeping humans at the center of where art is actually created.

That’s a pretty clear stance. But his past comments tell a more complicated story.

Last December, Kojima told CNN that he was more interested in AI that powers control systems than in generating visuals. “With AI, enemy behavior could change based on the player’s experience, actions, and patterns. Such dynamic responses would enable deeper gameplay.” This is a practical, gameplay-first application, not a philosophical endorsement of generated content.

He told Wired Japan last year that he sees a “future where we create together with AI and stay one step ahead,” even calling AI a “friend” in the context of improving efficiency.

Now OD and Physint remain

Mr. Kojima has two major projects in development. One is the horror game “OD” made on Xbox, and the other is “Physint” on PlayStation. The question now is whether generative AI will eventually touch either of them, and what role it will play.

His comments suggest it’s possible, just not in the way that caused the Prada backlash. Adversary dynamic behavior, adaptive systems, and production pipeline efficiency tools are all being considered based on what he has said publicly. Use AI to generate the visual or narrative content that defines his game? That sounds like an entirely different question.

To see how studios are addressing these same questions, we track how AI-related features appear across major releases in our game guides and game reviews.

Kojima also said last October that remakes and sequels would eventually be made by AI, framing it as a reason for the original creators to keep pushing forward into new territory rather than retreating into familiar territory. This is consistent with his broader worldview, and a sharper view than most executives are willing to put on record.

The Prada situation is a reminder that context quickly disintegrates online. Mr. Kojima did not create the AI ​​video. He appeared in works for fashion brands. Whether that difference matters to fans is another discussion, but his actual views on AI in game development are worth reading carefully before drawing any conclusions. His upcoming projects will be a real test of where these principles end up in practice.