Mario Creator Says "Nintendo Would Rather Go in a Different Direction" When it Comes to AI

Nintendo has no interest in chasing the same trends and fads everyone else is.

By Marc Deschamps

Over the last two years, AI has become a hot topic of discussion, as companies rush to embrace the technology. While companies like Microsoft, Google, and Square Enix are all jumping on the bandwagon, it seems Nintendo has no such interest. During an interview with The New York Times, Nintendo creative fellow Shigeru Miyamoto briefly touched on the topic of AI. The Mario and Zelda creator reinforced the fact that Nintendo has a tendency to avoid big trends in technology, opting instead to do its own thing. As such, fans probably shouldn't expect to see AI integrated into its business. 

"It might seem like we are just going the opposite direction for the sake of going in the opposite direction, but it really is trying to find what makes Nintendo special," Miyamoto told The New York Times. "There is a lot of talk about A.I., for example. When that happens, everyone starts to go in the same direction, but that is where Nintendo would rather go in a different direction."

Nintendo's hesitance to embrace AI isn't all that surprising. The company has often made tech choices that were laughed off or ignored by other tech companies. Innovations like controller rumble and dual screen handheld systems seemed destined to fail, but rumble is now a standard feature in gaming controllers, and the Nintendo DS far outsold Sony's PSP handheld. Nintendo's greatest strength comes from the fact that it has avoided following trends, opting instead to find its own path. Prior to the release of Switch, many tech experts insisted the system was doomed to fail, thanks to the rise of mobile gaming. Had Nintendo listened, it would have missed one of its greatest success stories. 

Companies are quick to push the idea that AI is "inevitable," but the reality is that public backlash against the tech has been widespread, with users frustrated by lazy AI artwork, as well as AI searches that come up with inaccurate responses. It also brings to mind the NFT fad, which was similarly embraced by companies, only for the bubble to quickly burst. It remains to be seen what impact AI will have on the world of technology, but it's easy to see why Nintendo might want to avoid it altogether. 

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Are you surprised Nintendo is avoiding AI? Do you think it's just another tech bubble waiting to burst? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

[H/T: Nintendo Everything]

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