In an industry where the conversation about artificial intelligence and art seems endless, the executive producer of Blue Archive has just made his position clearer than most. Yong-Ha Kim stated in a recent interview that using generative AI to create characters and illustrations goes directly against the game’s central philosophy, and that this isn’t just an aesthetic preference: it’s one of the team’s core values.

Kim’s argument isn’t based on technological ignorance. The producer has personal training in artificial intelligence and actively follows the field’s advancements, giving him a unique perspective on where the tool’s utility ends and where the problem begins. His stance is that AI can be valuable for technical tasks like programming and automating certain development processes, but applying it to the visible creative elements of the game would undermine one of its main strengths.

The reason he gives is concrete: Blue Archive players perceive the careful, handmade work of human artists behind the characters and illustrations, and that perception is part of what draws them to the game. Removing that human origin in favor of algorithmically generated content, even if visually acceptable, would break something Kim describes as hard to quantify but easy to notice. He has previously used the term “superficial” to describe certain AI-assisted content, noting that it prioritizes appearance over substance.

This position contrasts directly with that of the CEO of Nexon, Junghun Lee, who has spoken positively about the growing role of generative AI in the industry and suggested that most major companies are already integrating it into their workflows. Kim doesn’t deny this trend, but makes it clear that Blue Archive will follow a different path, at least regarding character design and art.

The principle Kim describes isn’t just a public statement; it serves as an internal guide for the team. The focus is on preserving and maximizing human involvement in areas where people still have a clear advantage over current AI systems, rather than seeking ways to replace artists.

Blue Archive is a mobile RPG developed by NAT Games and published by Nexon. It stands out in the character-driven gaming market for its polished visual style, storytelling ranging from light comedy to deep drama, and a tactical combat system. Since its launch in South Korea in 2021 and its global expansion, it has built a significant player base that particularly values its character design and illustration quality, making Kim’s stance on AI particularly relevant for those following the game closely.

Do you think players can really notice the difference between human-made art and AI-generated art, or is the discussion more philosophical than practical at this point?