Final Fantasy Composer Explained Why He Won’t Use Generative AI in Music

In an interview, Nobuo Uematsu made clear: “I have never used AI and most likely never will.” He believes the true heart of music lies in human life and emotion, not in the calculations of a program.

Reflecting on the evolution of video game music, Uematsu recalled that during the NES era composers worked with very limited audio channels — essentially melody, harmony and bass. As technology progressed, samples and live-instrument recordings became possible. Today, game music has reached a new level of maturity:

“We achieved a final form once we began using studio recordings. The next frontier, like binaural audio, we already experimented with in Final Fantasy X.”

Asked about a future shaped by AI, he said the technology can be useful for tasks like mixing sounds, but creative authorship should remain human:

“Creating by hand is harder but far more rewarding. When you listen to music, you feel the life of the person who made it. AI lacks that.”

He also highlighted the singular nature of live performance:

“Human music is unstable — everyone interprets it differently. Its beauty is in those fluctuations and imperfections.”

Although Uematsu has stepped back from composing game soundtracks, he continues to write new pieces and perform concerts, describing this as “the most fulfilling period of his life.”

Source: iXBT.games