Hideo Kojima has pushed back against the idea that he embraces generative AI as a creative tool, despite appearing in an AI-generated promotional video for Prada that drew sharp criticism from fans online.
The legendary game developer starred alongside filmmaker Nicholas Winding Refn in a 90-second teaser for Prada Mode, a luxury brand takeover at the Chelsea Hotel in New York. The video showed the pair arriving by spaceship and encountering aliens on an alien planet. The spot ignited backlash across social media, with fans calling it "AI slop" and expressing disappointment that someone of Kojima's caliber would participate in such work.
Speaking to The Washington Post about the Prada event, the 62-year-old developer made his stance clear. "Art is life. But in 50 years, 100 years, I don't know. Maybe AI could create art, but while I live, I don't think I'll see it. I'm not interested in it," he said. He framed AI's best use case narrowly: as a tool for handling "creative chores" like a "janitor," while insisting humans must remain present in the actual artistic process.
The comments, however, create a puzzle when measured against Kojima's other recent remarks about the technology. In December, he told CNN he saw potential in using AI to power dynamic enemy behavior in games, allowing artificial opponents to adapt to players' actions and patterns. "That kind of dynamic response would make much deeper gameplay possible," he explained at the time.
Later that year, Kojima told Wired Japan he imagined "a future where I stay one step ahead, creating together with AI," even calling the technology a "friend" that could improve workflow efficiency. In October, he suggested that AI would eventually handle the remake and sequel market, which he had criticized as creatively "dangerous" for the industry.
So Kojima appears genuinely interested in AI for specific applications, particularly in game systems and mechanics. His resistance seems targeted at using generative AI to produce creative content, especially visual art. That distinction may explain how he could participate in an AI video while simultaneously dismissing the technology's artistic merit.
The question now is whether Kojima will apply these principles to his upcoming projects. Two games are in development: OD for Xbox and Physint for PlayStation. How, or whether, he incorporates AI into either project will reveal how seriously he takes his own reservations about the technology's creative applications.
Author Emily Chen: "Kojima wants the upside of AI without the optics problem, but his own track record suggests he hasn't fully made up his mind."
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