Nintendo Refuses to Use Generative AI in Their Games

While the gaming industry explores the potential of generative AI, Nintendo remains wary due to concerns over IP rights and the company's preference for its unique approach to game development.

Nintendo President Says It Won't Incorporate AI in Nintendo GamesExpressed Concerns Over IP Rights and Copyright Infringement

image (c) Nintendo

Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed that the company currently has no plans to incorporate generative AI in its games, primarily due to concerns over intellectual property (IP) rights. This statement came during a recent Q&A session with investors, where Furukawa discussed the correlation between AI and game development.

Furukawa acknowledged that AI has always played a significant role in game development, particularly in controlling non-playable characters' (NPC) behavior. The term artificial intelligence, "AI," is now more commonly associated with generative AI which can create and regenerate customized and tailor-made content such as text, images, videos, or other data through pattern-learning.

Generative AI has gained significant prominence in different industries in recent years. "In the game industry, AI-like technologies have long been used to control enemy character movements, so game development and AI have gone hand-in-hand even before," Furukawa explained.

Despite recognizing the considerable potential of generative AI, Furukawa noted the challenges it poses, particularly regarding IP rights. "It is possible to produce more innovative outputs using generative AI, but we are also aware that problems can arise with intellectual property rights," he said. This concern may stem from the fact that generative AI tools can be used to infringe on existing works and copyright.

Believes in That Unique Nintendo Flair

Furukawa underscored that Nintendo's methodology to game development stems from extensive experience and a dedication to providing distinctive gaming experiences. "We possess decades of expertise in crafting optimal game experiences for our clientele.," he affirmed during the Q&A. "While we retain flexibility in adapting to technological advancements, our aspiration remains to deliver value that is exclusive to us and cannot be replicated solely through technology,"

Nintendo's position differs from that of other gaming titans. Earlier this year, Ubisoft introduced Project Neural Nexus NEO NPCs, which employs innovative AI to simulate in-game conversations and interactions with NPCs. Project supervisor Xavier Manzanares emphasized that generative AI is simply a resource. "Something we bear in mind is every novel tech that's on our agenda cannot create games on its own," said Manzanares. "GenAI is a tool, it is tech. It doesn't create games, it must be integrated with design and it must be connected to a team that genuinely desires to advance something with that tech."

Similarly, Square Enix President Takashi Kiryu perceives generative AI as a commercial opportunity to produce fresh content using cutting-edge technologies. Electronic Arts (EA) has also embraced generative AI, with Chief Executive Officer Andrew Wilson predicting that over half of EA's development processes will profit from advancements in generative AI.