Mario Creator Shigeru Miyamoto Talks AI, Says Nintendo Wants To “Go In A Different Direction”

Nintendo visionary Shigeru Miyamoto has commented on the company’s stance regarding artificial intelligence, saying the Mario maker aims to “go in a different direction.”

Speaking to The New York Times, Miyamoto said Nintendo is often perceived as a company that bucks trends and does its own thing only for the sake of it. But that isn’t true. It’s an intentional effort to be different, Miyamoto said. And the same thinking applies for AI–whereas plenty of companies are adopting and embracing it, Nintendo may not.

Miyamoto said Nintendo’s ambition is “trying to find what makes Nintendo special.” He added: “There is a lot of talk about AI, for example. When that happens, everyone starts to go in the same direction, but that is where Nintendo would rather go in a different direction.”

Earlier this year, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa explained that AI could be used “in creative ways” but there were also “issues with intellectual property rights” to deal with.

“Generative AI, which is becoming a big topic recently, can be used in creative ways, but we recognize that it may also raise issues with intellectual property rights,” Furukawa said. While Nintendo is open to “utilizing technological developments,” it is currently relying on its experienced employees to develop unique games.

“We have decades of know-how in creating the best gaming experiences for our players. While we are open to utilizing technological developments, we will work to continue delivering value that is unique to Nintendo and cannot be created by technology alone,” Furukawa said.

Nintendo’s stance on AI is indeed different from some of the video game industry’s other major players. Electronic Arts boss Andrew Wilson believes AI could be used to develop games more quickly. Microsoft, meanwhile, is heavily invested in AI and has said AI will be featured in every product it makes going forward, including Xbox, and Ubisoft plans to create AI NPCs that players can have conversations with.

AI technology, of course, has been used in game development for decades–but what’s new and different in recent years is what’s referred to as generative artificial intelligence. Many remain concerned that growth of the generative AI market could lead to job losses, and companies like EA and others have admitted this is a legitimate concern in the short term. In the longer-term, people like Wilson of EA and others believe generative AI will be similar to previous labor revolutions that had short-term job losses and long-term growth.

The video game industry has faced brutal layoffs in 2023 and 2024, though what role advances to artificial intelligence technologies has had on these cuts is unknown.

Nintendo is gearing up to announce its next console, presumably the Switch 2, and a reveal is expected soon or perhaps near Nintendo’s next earnings briefing in November as some have speculated.