As we enter the second half of 2024, it’s clearer than ever that generative AI is much more than a passing fad. Every major technology company is implementing generative AI into its products and services, from Google and Apple to Microsoft and Meta. But at least one huge company is not interested in jumping on the bandwagon quite yet: Nintendo.
In a recent Q&A session with shareholders, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa was asked about the company’s efforts to utilize AI. Anyone who was concerned about Nintendo potentially replacing artists and designers with ChatGPT should be pleased with his response (translated by Google Translate, so forgive any awkward syntax).
First, Furukawa pointed out that game development and artificial intelligence have always been closely linked. As gamers undoubtedly already know, “AI-like technology has long been used to control enemy character movements.”
Of course, Furukawa also knows that’s not what people mean when referring to AI now. When it comes to generative AI, Furukawa accepts that it “can be more creative,” but he also recognizes the technology’s “issues with intellectual property rights.”
“Our company has the know-how to create optimal gaming experiences for our customers for decades,” Furukawa explained to the shareholders. “While we will continue to respond flexibly to technological developments, we hope to continue to deliver value that is unique to our company and cannot be created simply through technology alone.”
Quite a contrast to OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, who recently said that “some creative jobs maybe will go away, but maybe they shouldn’t have been there in the first place.” Nintendo believes that actual people are going to build the best Switch 2 games in the coming years, not computers. It’s depressing that this is even a somewhat controversial or brave take.
In the same Q&A, Furukawa discussed Nintendo’s plan to combat Switch 2 scalpers. It’s pretty simple: Make enough Switch 2 consoles for everyone. He noted that the global chip shortage of 2020 is no longer a problem, so producing enough units to meet demand shouldn’t be nearly as challenging as it was near the beginning of the Switch life cycle.
