President of Konami Digital Entertainment: Generative AI Helps with Games, but Human Creativity Remains Paramount
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ASTON OTONITY – He shared this view in the Digital Entertainment Business section of Konami’s integrated annual report for the fiscal year ending in March 2026.
Hideki Hayakawa, President of Konami Digital Entertainment, believes that generative AI has the potential to streamline game development, but that the human element and developers’ creativity remain the most important factors.
He shared this view in the Digital Entertainment Business section of Konami’s integrated annual report for the fiscal year ending in March 2026.
Hayakawa acknowledged that generative AI can lower the barriers for anyone who wants to create their own games. However, he believes this development will not significantly alter market conditions.
His reasoning is that increasingly accessible game engines and the proliferation of user-generated content (UGC) have already opened up opportunities for more people to create. Thus, AI is not the only factor making game development more accessible.
He also emphasized that increased production efficiency thanks to AI does not automatically replace the role of creators. Game development generally involves teams with diverse backgrounds and expertise who exchange ideas with one another.
According to Hayakawa, the fusion of ideas can give rise to new gameplay approaches that would be difficult to create if everyone worked in isolation. He describes the interaction among creators as a kind of chemical reaction that technology cannot easily replace, even though AI can assist with some parts of the production process.
On the other hand, Hayakawa views technological advancements as an opportunity to deliver gaming experiences that were previously impossible. Konami, he said, provides structured support so that creators can learn new technologies, assess their risks, and safely implement them in game development.
With this approach, Konami appears open to innovation—including generative AI—while continuing to place creators at the center of the development process.
The report also discusses business strategies and developments across Konami’s various entertainment divisions.
In general, the primary benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are improved efficiency, productivity, and accuracy in various aspects of human life.
AI is designed to help humans complete tasks more quickly and process large amounts of data instantly.
