Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind titles like Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, has shared his reservations about artificial intelligence, particularly concerning technologies like NVIDIA's DLSS 5. While previously acknowledging AI's potential to boost efficiency in game development and even likening its importance to the leap from 2D to 3D graphics, Kojima's stance appears to have evolved.
In a recent episode of his podcast, KOJI10, Kojima discussed the buzz surrounding DLSS 5, a technology capable of making computer-generated characters appear more realistic. He noted that an experimental build of DLSS 5, which became public in late August, generated a divisive reaction when applied to characters in Death Stranding 2, with some viewers finding the results "odd."
Kojima elaborated on his "mixed feelings" regarding AI upscaling. He expressed concern that AI's inability to grasp the nuanced "intentions" of original creators could lead to problematic alterations in digital media. He specifically cited the potential for AI to remaster old films or classic albums, suggesting that such processes might inadvertently override the deliberate artistic choices made by the original creators. As an example, he pointed to the manual restoration of old films in 4K, emphasizing that if AI were to perform similar tasks, he would not want his own work to be altered without understanding the original creative reasoning.
"As a creator, I have mixed feelings about this technology," Kojima stated. "I think we might stop doing remakes one day. People still restore old films in 4K by hand, for instance. AI could do that easily. But as the person who made the original, I wouldn’t want someone changing it too much. There was a reason I chose a particular lighting setup. It would be different if AI understood those intentions... I wouldn’t like that. Unless I was controlling the AI in my own work, that may be different. I don’t know, though. This will probably become standard... But I don’t much like that idea."
Kojima's comments suggest a growing caution regarding AI's role in creative fields, particularly when it involves modifying or enhancing existing works without explicit creator control. This sentiment contrasts with some of his earlier, more optimistic views on AI's capabilities in game development.