Akihiro Hino, the CEO and president behind the Ni no Kuni and Professor Layton series at Level-5, has recently addressed the increasing role of generative AI in game development, noting that approximately 80 to 90% of code is now written with AI assistance.
According to Famitsu, new members of the Top Game Creators Academy (TGCA), a program established by Japan’s CESA (Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association) in partnership with government-affiliated groups to nurture young developers, were greeted by Hino, who also serves as TGCA’s principal. In his remarks, he emphasized that as generative AI becomes more prevalent in game development, a strong “sense of aesthetics” will be crucial for young developers aiming to succeed on the global stage.
“Through this program, I hope many of you will rise to prominence as game developers. As I continue my own development work, I’ve recently observed that AI technology is increasingly influencing the creative field.
Currently, about 80~90% of code is generated by AI, with human programmers refining and finalizing it. This implies that roughly 80~90% of games are now created with AI assistance.
Moreover, AI’s impact extends beyond programming into art, music, and game design on a large scale. It has already become standard practice in the creative industry to leverage AI for enhancing work efficiency.
That’s why I believe “aesthetic sense” is an essential skill for game developers.”
Hino highlights that whether content is human-made or AI-generated, the ability to discern quality and select the best elements for implementation is vital. He also notes that aspiring game developers must master AI tools and apply their aesthetic judgment to enhance their work to excel in the industry.
This isn’t the first instance of Level-5 disclosing its use of AI – the studio has utilized Stable Diffusion for creating 2D and 3D in-game assets, ChatGPT for character brainstorming, and the VOICEVOX text-to-speech software for temporary voice lines. However, as Hino clarified, all AI-generated elements are meticulously reviewed and polished by human developers before integration.