Super Smash Bros. Creator Explains Why Developers Should Take a Closer Look at AI

Kirby and Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai does not use generative AI in game development, but he worries that developers who ignore the technology could fall behind.

At an event marking the release of his book Masahiro Sakurai’s Thoughts on Games: Final, Sakurai said he does not use generative AI even to find ideas. He explained that well-crafted prompts alone are not enough to solve production challenges, which also require consideration of deadlines, team capabilities, and budgets. The technology has not yet reached a level where he can trust it with that work. AI was not used in the development of Kirby Air Riders, either.

Discussing the use of neural networks for graphics, Sakurai said developers cannot yet trust them and that the technology should not become a tool for exploitation. In many cases, he said, it is faster for specialists to do the work themselves.

Sakurai also acknowledged that making games is becoming more difficult. He estimated that Kirby Air Riders required ten times as much effort to produce as Kirby Air Ride. Some games now sell millions of copies but still fail to make a profit for their creators, he said.