Hideo Kojima dismisses AI art after starring in controversial Prada promotion video

"Maybe AI could create art, but while I live, I don't think I'll see it" - weeks after starring in a Prada art promotion created with AI tools, Hideo Kojima seems to dismiss the controversial tech's creative abilities

Cast your minds back to last month, and you will recall a rather bizarre video featuring Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima travelling through space and crashing on a hostile planet. This wasn't a promotion for a new game, rather it was a collaboration with filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn and fashion house Prada for an art installation. Oh, the short film - known as Satellites II - was made with the help of AI tools, which you won't be surprised to hear ruffled more than a few feathers. Following this reveal, Kojima has now spoken more about the use of AI, and in what to me feels slightly like backpeddling, told the Washington Post "art is life", before suggesting the controversial tech won't be able to create art during his lifetime. "But in 50 years, 100 years, I don't know. Maybe AI could create art," Kojima said during a profile of the art exhibit (thanks, Kotaku), "but while I live, I don't think I'll see it. I'm not interested in it." Continuing, Kojima said we will eventually find "a good way" and "a good path" for how we use AI, but really that will be "up to young people" to decide. As Kotaku notes, it is a little difficult to fully work out where Kojima's stance on AI actually lands. An email sent from Valve's Gabe Newell to Elon Musk in 2018, reads: "Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear series, a real visionary in our field) was here at Valve talking about his new game [Death Stranding], and he mentioned the importance he places on future work in AI ... He was talking about how much he wants to go into space, and I offered to introduce him to you." Then, in a 2025 interview with Wired Japan, Kojima said he plans to "[create] together with AI", and the technology could "boost efficiency". The recent Washington Post article reiterated this, stating "Kojima says AI works best as a janitor for creative chores, and that humans need to stay in the room where art gets made", so he is clearly more on board with the technology than other game developers who are keen to shun it. But how Kojima chooses to use AI in his future games - the Xbox horror OD and Metal Gear spiritual successor Physint - remains to be seen. There is currently a debate as to whether or not studios should disclose when AI has been used during the development of a game. In November of last year, Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney said it made "no sense" for developers to disclose AI use any more, and we may as well ask them what kind of shampoo they use. Others are less convinced, and disagree that AI will become so commonplace that disclosing its use will become a moot point. Meanwhile, the likes of Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, the game director of The Witcher 3 and co-director of Cyberpunk 2077, believes games made with AI will have no soul, but also that there can be good uses of AI during development. Aloy actress Ashly Burch similarly appreciates AI may have its uses, but it should never replace human creativity.

Hideo Kojima calls AI a 'janitor for creative chores' after backlash over his appearance in an AI-generated promo

Hideo Kojima, creator behind genre-defining titles like Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, has been vocal about his stance on AI on numerous occasions. The boiled-down summary is that he believes AI belongs in the room as a tool, not at the table as a creator. But that position came under scrutiny recently when an AI-generated promotional film featuring Hideo Kojima sparked a wave of reactions online. The film was created for the Satellites II exhibition, a collaboration between Kojima and Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, presented as part of Prada Mode New York. The six-minute short depicts the pair as space travelers crash-landing on an alien planet, and Refn confirmed it was made using AI. For many fans, seeing Kojima appear in AI-generated content felt at odds with the themes running through his games, particularly the Metal Gear Solid series, which has long warned against over-reliance on technology and AI-driven systems of control. In response to the online discussion about the ad, Kojima reiterated his views on AI. Speaking with The Washington Post (via Kotaku) for a profile tied to the Satellites II exhibition at New York's Hotel Chelsea, he stated he does not believe AI will create meaningful art within his lifetime. "Art is life," Kojima said. "But in 50 years, 100 years, I don't know. Maybe AI could create art, but while I live, I don't think I'll see it. I'm not interested in it." His Washington Post comments do not entirely resolve that tension, but they do make it clear that Kojima does not appear to be rejecting AI outright. Instead, he sees AI working best as a "janitor for creative chores," handling repetitive and time-consuming tasks while humans remain responsible for the ideas and decisions that shape the final work. That framing is consistent with his previous comments, in which he has described a future of creating alongside AI and suggested that the technology could boost efficiency rather than replace creativity. Where Kojima draws the line is at AI as a creative force in its own right.

Despite going to space in an AI short film created by a Death Stranding 2 partner, Hideo Kojima says he's actually "not interested" in AI art

Metal Gear and Death Stranding mastermind Hideo Kojima has stated that he's "not interested" in AI-generated art, despite his recent appearance in an AI-generated short film created by Pusher and Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn (who also did the motion capture for Heartman in Death Stranding and its sequel). Late last month, many Kojima fans weren't exactly pleased to see the game director - or rather, an AI-generated version of him - show up in an AI-generated video promoting Satellites 2, a new Prada Mode art exhibition that's been open to the public in New York over the last few days. The video sent Kojima's AI lookalike on a journey through space alongside AI Refn, before landing on Earth and seemingly checking into the Hotel Chelsea, where the exhibition was being held. Now, though, at the exhibition itself, Kojima has expressed disinterest in the technology. Speaking to The Washington Post, he explains that he thinks real people need to be present when art is created. "Art is life," he begins. "But in 50 years, 100 years, I don't know. Maybe AI could create art, but while I live, I don't think I'll see it. I'm not interested in it." Kojima continues: "We'll find a good way, a good path to how we use technology, and it's really up to young people on how we use it." The Metal Gear creator has shared his take on AI numerous times over the last year or so - he previously said that instead of using AI to come up with ideas, he would personally "lead the creative part and use AI to boost efficiency" and "handle the tedious tasks." He also once spoke about the "trend" of AI "coming into game creation" and likened it to an evolution like games becoming 3D and using online connectivity. I can't help but wonder if Kojima's now clearly stated disinterest in AI art could partially come in response to the negativity that followed his appearance in the Satellites 2 video. To be clear, he didn't personally create it, but his association with it didn't go down very well, to put it lightly. Even so, he doesn't acknowledge this backlash at all when speaking to The Washington Post, so it remains somewhat unclear exactly where he stands on that specific video.

After Starring in an AI-Generated Video for Prada, Hideo Kojima Says 'Maybe AI Could Create Art, but While I Live, I Don't Think I'll See It'

Hideo Kojima has issued a comment on the use of AI after some had criticized his appearance in an AI-generated video for Prada. Late last month, the legendary developer of the Metal Gear and Death Stranding video game franchises appeared alongside Danish filmmaker Nicholas Winding Refn in a 90-second teaser for Prada Mode, which took over Chelsea Hotel in New York last week. In the video, Kojima and Refn arrive by spaceship at Chelsea Hotel having crash landed on a planet and escaping the clutches of an alien. The teaser was met with a significant amount of backlash on social media from Kojima fans, some of whom expressed confusion at his appearance in what they called "AI slop." "Heartbreaking to see such great artists resort to generative AI slop," one person said. "Really disappointed to see @HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN involved with this bulls**t," another said. "Hey @HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN I'm a huge fan, love everything you've ever done, except for this. Please never involve yourself with AI slop ever again. You're better than this," another commented. While Kojima has yet to address the backlash directly, he spoke generally about AI in an article published on The Washington Post about the Prada takeover of Chelsea Hotel. The 62-year-old said he was "not interested" in AI, insisting he didn't think he'd see AI create art in his lifetime. "Art is life. But in 50 years, 100 years, I don't know. Maybe AI could create art, but while I live, I don't think I'll see it. I'm not interested in it," he said. "We'll find a good way, a good path to how we use technology, and it's really up to young people on how we use it." The Washington Post reports that Kojima also said AI works best as a 'janitor for creative chores, and that humans need to stay in the room where art gets made.' But his latest comments have prompted an appraisal of Kojima's past on-the-record thoughts about generative AI. "Rather than having AI create visuals or anything like that, I'm more interested in using AI in the control systems," Kojima told CNN in December last year. "By using AI, enemy behavior could change based on the player's experience, actions and patterns. That kind of dynamic response would make much deeper gameplay possible." Also last year, Kojima told Wired Japan that he sees "a future where [he stays] one step ahead; creating together with AI." He even referred to AI as a "friend," suggesting it could be used to boost efficiency. In October, Kojima cautioned against the industry's preoccupation with remaking or expanding existing franchises, telling Rolling Stone it was creatively "dangerous" not to explore new things. He suggested that "in the future, remakes and sequels will be made by AI." Ultimately, it sounds like Kojima is indeed interested in AI, but for certain use cases. Using AI for creating art, though, he doesn't sound particularly interested in that. It will be interesting to see if Kojima uses generative AI for the development of upcoming Xbox game, OD, or upcoming PlayStation game, Physint, and, if so, in which ways. Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].