Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, has offered a measured view of generative artificial intelligence. At 73, Miyamoto has experienced several technological changes and does not believe AI will completely replace people when genuine talent and creativity are involved.
Miyamoto discussed the subject after receiving Japan’s Order of Culture, a distinction recognizing contributions to art, science and technology. Reflecting on the transition from typewriters to word processors, he said his generation had witnessed a period in which digital tools developed rapidly. In his view, those tools placed greater emphasis on creative ability rather than mastery of a particular technique.
He considers generative AI to be a comparable transformation. Miyamoto also warned that spending a long time working on a design does not necessarily mean the result is of high quality. The act of creating can be satisfying in itself, he explained, but that satisfaction may lead people to mistake effort for genuine achievement.
For Miyamoto, AI could provide an opportunity to focus more closely on what matters in a creative work as it takes over certain tasks. He argued that the creator’s intention remains fundamental and suggested that designs assembled through copying and pasting rarely stand the test of time. His conclusion was that even if AI were to handle everything, there would still be a role for humans.
His comments reflect the broader debate over whether work produced with AI can be considered art, and whether someone using these tools should be regarded as an artist. While some see AI as a shortcut that undermines creativity, others compare it with tools such as graphics tablets or cameras. Miyamoto’s position is that AI is unlikely to end art or creativity, although it could expose work lacking distinctive ideas or talent.
Artificial intelligence is already being used in video game development, including tasks such as writing code, generating dialogue and creating levels. The distinction, however, is between using AI as a tool and allowing it to take over the entire creative process. Miyamoto’s view places the value of a game not only in how it is produced, but also in the ideas and creative purpose that make it worth playing.
Sources: Xataka.