宫本茂就AI以及生产力与创造力的区别发表看法

In an interview published by Nintendo Dream Web on 23 October 2026, Nintendo executive fellow and representative director, Shigeru Miyamoto shared his thoughts on generative AI, creativity and the evolving role of technology in game design.

Speaking during a press conference at Nintendo’s headquarters in Kyoto, Miyamoto argued that AI could help people better understand what it truly means to create something. Miyamoto began by comparing AI to previous technological shifts.

“In our era computers appeared. Before that we typed on typewriters, then word processors came, and tools kept evolving.”

He explained that design once depended heavily on technical skills, such as lettering and arranging typography. As computers automated these tasks, however, individual creative abilities became more important.

“When those technical/technique parts evolve, that is when a person’s layout sense and individual design ability finally come to the surface.”

His point is that when technology makes execution easier, creativity becomes less about mastering tools and more about having the taste, judgment and vision to use them effectively. Miyamoto draws a distinction between having an idea and carrying out the work needed to realise it.

“We always separate ‘creating something’ from ‘doing the work.’”

He describes creation as establishing an overall structure and deciding what you want to achieve. The work follows: filling gaps, refining details and polishing the result.

“The troublesome thing is that the work itself is enjoyable. You get a strong sense of satisfaction that you’re really creating something.”

What he means is that satisfaction can be deceptive. Spending hours refining something can make us feel productive, even when the underlying idea lacks originality or substance.

“What’s scary is when you become satisfied with just the work and end up mistakenly thinking ‘I’ve made something pretty good.’”

AI could expose this problem by making execution faster and easier, forcing creators to focus more closely on the quality of their ideas. Rather than viewing this development negatively, Miyamoto sees an opportunity for people to reconsider what creativity involves.

“The more AI comes to handle various kinds of work for us, the more it becomes an opportunity for everyone to seriously and sincerely think about what ‘really creating’ actually means.”

He also warns that technical polish alone does not guarantee lasting value. Work assembled through copying and pasting may look convincing, but meaningful design requires an individual intention behind it.

“The computer is assisting with the work. That is the structure.”

Ultimately, Miyamoto acknowledges that AI might eventually play a role in almost every aspect of production. Nevertheless, he believes human creativity will continue to be the most important thing.

“AI may evolve to the point where it does everything, but I still feel there is plenty left for us to do.”

His central message is that as AI becomes better at executing ideas, the ability to decide what is worth creating becomes increasingly important. Essentially, curation will likely always require a human touch.

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