Nippon Ichi Software, the company behind the Disgaea series and publisher of titles like Trails and Ys, is actively exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into its development processes. However, company CEO and NIS America president Kenzo Saruhashi expressed personal skepticism regarding AI's ability to expedite game creation, instead highlighting its potential to improve overall product quality.
Saruhashi, who also recently assumed the presidency of NIS America with the goal of unifying the company's branches and increasing worldwide game releases, discussed the company's stance on AI during an interview at PAX West. He noted that while many companies are openly discussing AI-generated content, Nippon Ichi is taking a more cautious approach. The company is currently in a research phase to determine the feasibility and impact of using AI, particularly in areas like localization.
"We are not specifically at the moment. But we are researching it, because we know that there are a lot of companies right now that are utilizing AI, and it’s not necessarily that we would just allow AI to completely take over the responsibility for localization or anything of that nature, but more in order to ensure the quality," Saruhashi stated. "We want to make sure that we can ensure the quality is there at the same time if we were to use it. So right now we’re in a researching phase to see whether that’s something that’s possible. Personally, I don’t think that it’s necessarily just that utilizing AI will necessarily make things faster."
This philosophy extends beyond localization, with Saruhashi observing a broader industry-wide pressure concerning AI. He emphasized that the ultimate objective for Nippon Ichi remains the creation of high-quality games for fans. While acknowledging the need to research AI as a potential tool, the focus is on how it can elevate the final product rather than solely on efficiency gains.
"What I’m hearing a lot as I discussed this matter with other developers and hearing what they’re saying is really that for us, the end goal is really just to make a quality game for the fans. And in the midst of that, we can’t simply ignore AI entirely," he explained. "And so we do at least have to research it as a possibility moving forward, and I agree with that sentiment. I think if you were to apply AI, the best way to do so would be in a way that actually improves the quality of the game, so we’re not just looking at it specifically from an efficiency standpoint. I don’t think that’s really the way to look at it. You should look at it as, 'does it improve the quality of the end product?'"
While the notion of "researching" AI can often precede full adoption, as seen with other Japanese game studios, Nippon Ichi's current stated approach prioritizes quality assurance over speed. This cautious exploration comes amidst growing discussions about AI's role in game development, with Saruhashi advocating for its use only if it demonstrably enhances the player experience.