‘Super Mario’ Creator Breaks Down The Problem With AI Perfectly

Shigeru Miyamoto, the Nintendo creator behind Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, discussed artificial intelligence and creativity at a press conference after receiving Japan’s 2026 Order of Culture. He said new tools can make creating more accessible, but warned that the satisfaction of producing something quickly can lead people to mistake the process for strong creative work.

Miyamoto compared AI with earlier changes in design, when computers and word processors took over technical tasks such as neat lettering and copying images. He said those tools brought individual design judgement to the fore, while work based mainly on copying may not endure. He is unsure what AI will bring, but remains hopeful that human intention will stay central to creativity.