Celebrated gaming auteur Hideo Kojima is making waves once again with statements about artificial intelligence. This time, sporting a bit of a new look in a recent interview, Kojima has said he sees AI as a boon that can help cut out what he describes as \u201ctedious\u201d tasks, helping developers to lower costs and produce games faster.<\/p>\n
In an interview with Wired Japan<\/a> (h\/t Dexerto<\/a>), Kojima described \u201ca future where [he stays] one step ahead; creating together with AI,\u201d referring to the tech as \u201ca friend.\u201d Kojima presents an optimistic perspective on how the tech can be used, not necessarily to lead the creative projects, but rather to assist with mundane tasks to \u201cboost efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not the first time Kojima has opined on AI in the industry. Previously he described AI<\/a> as potentially as significant a development for games as the shift from 2D to 3D. He also recently suggested that AI will likely be used to generate remakes and sequels<\/a>. Though the most recent statements on the potential friendliness of AI are rather optimistic, Kojima\u2019s own creative output might have something to say about that. AI and advanced technology has often been a focal point of Kojima\u2019s creative works, though they\u2019ve typically played an antagonistic role in his fictional worlds.<\/p>\n Kojima\u2019s previous games were far from optimistic about AI <\/p>\n Kojima\u2019s statements are disappointing for those of us concerned about the thorny issues of copyright<\/a> in the context of artificial intelligence systems, the desire to replace human labor <\/a>wholesale, and the inexcusable energy consumption that\u2019s literally setting us back in our efforts to lessen the impact of climate change<\/a>. But they also ring dissonantly with the game developer\u2019s own artistic output, namely Metal Gear Solid 2 and 4, which speculate not just on the dangers of artificial intelligence, but how the messiness of human history, hierarchies, and internet behavior could use (and lose control of) such highly advanced tech.<\/p>\n Unravelling MGS2 and other MGS games is messy business; like Kojima\u2019s recent works, they\u2019re long, dense games. But the modern embrace of AI, which is already being used to efficiently produce propaganda<\/a> and which folks who do not have humanity\u2019s best interests in mind<\/a> are strongly encouraging, sounds a hell of a lot like what we were being warned about while the digital Colonel Campbell lost his artificial mind in MGS2.<\/p>\n