Shigeru Miyamoto’s 2024 comments were not a declaration that Nintendo has banned artificial intelligence. In a September 2024 New York Times interview, the longtime Nintendo designer said the company would rather go in “a different direction” from the prevailing AI trend, a remark reported at the time as skepticism toward generative AI. Nintendo’s later shareholder statements draw a useful distinction: AI-like systems have long helped control game characters, while generative AI raises separate concerns about rights and intellectual property.
What did Miyamoto say about AI?
Miyamoto’s comments originated in a September 2024 New York Times interview. Contemporary reports quoted or paraphrased his view that Nintendo would prefer to go in “a different direction” from the current AI trend. The remark expressed a preference about Nintendo’s approach; it was not announced as a formal company-wide policy.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.83 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2) | $79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Super Mario Galaxy™ + Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time | Buy on Amazon |
Ars Technica’s report and GameSpot’s coverage identify the interview as the source. The distinction matters: a statement about not following a fast-moving trend is not the same as a ban on every technology described as AI.
What does “AI in gaming” mean?
The term covers several different things. Traditional game AI usually means systems that govern behavior inside a game, such as how an opponent moves, chooses a target, or responds to the player. Generative AI refers to models that produce content such as text, images, audio, or code. AI-assisted development describes tools that people may use for tasks such as coding, testing, or localization. Procedural generation uses rules and algorithms to create content and is not automatically generative AI.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →#1 Best Overall
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Nintendo itself made the traditional-versus-generative distinction in its 2024 annual-meeting Q&A, saying technologies similar to AI have long been used in games, including to control opposing characters. Enemy behavior or pathfinding therefore does not show that a game was made with generative AI.
What is Nintendo’s official position?
Nintendo’s public comments do not establish a blanket prohibition on AI. Its 2024 shareholder Q&A acknowledged long-standing AI-like game systems. In its 2026 annual-meeting Q&A, Nintendo discussed generative AI alongside AI-related laws, unauthorized training on rights holders’ material, and the risk of intellectual-property infringement.
Rank #2
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
Together, these statements show that Nintendo recognizes conventional AI-like technology while treating generative AI’s legal and creative questions as distinct. They do not disclose a complete policy covering every tool, team, contractor, or stage of development.
Why might Nintendo choose a different direction?
The following are reasonable interpretations of the public comments, not reasons Miyamoto explicitly listed in the reported remark.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRank #3
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
- Explore courses at your own pace and wander the world to discover fun surprises in Free Roam
Creative identity and control
Nintendo’s games are closely associated with distinctive characters, presentation, and gameplay. Generative tools may speed up the production of variations, but a human-led process can give a studio tighter control over how those elements look, sound, and feel. Miyamoto’s remark is consistent with a company choosing technology for the experience it enables rather than adopting it simply because it is prominent.
Intellectual-property risk
Nintendo’s 2026 shareholder discussion specifically raised unauthorized training and infringement concerns. For a company with valuable characters and fictional worlds, questions about training material, imitation, and ownership of generated output are commercially and creatively significant. The public statement raises those concerns; it does not amount to a blanket legal opposition to generative AI.
Rank #4
- Journey through space in two Super Mario adventures, now improved for the Nintendo Switch system!
- Travel the stars with enhanced resolution, improved UI, and additional content
- Learn more about the Lumas from additional Storybook chapters, groove to a bit of additional music
- Get additional Health and fall recovery in Assist Mode
- Join Rosalina and the Lumas to restore the Comet Observatory and rescue Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
Human involvement
Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser later described AI as one possible development method while emphasizing the continuing need for human involvement and a human touch. His comments add context, but they are not identical to Miyamoto’s 2024 remark and do not set out a detailed company-wide policy. Nintendo Life reported Bowser’s comments in 2025.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can players conclude about Nintendo games?
Players can conclude that Nintendo has acknowledged conventional AI-like systems in games and that Miyamoto expressed a preference not to follow the current AI trend automatically. They cannot conclude from these statements that every Nintendo game uses AI, that Nintendo has adopted generative AI for released content, or that it has prohibited every internal AI-assisted tool.
Recommended Free Tools
Best Value
- Become the Hero of Time and save Hyrule from darkness
- Venture into dungeons, solve puzzles, and travel across time in two different eras to restore balance to the land
- A classic tale, reborn for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, featuring voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, symphonic orchestral music, visuals built from the ground up for Nintendo Switch 2, and more
- Play Link’s in-game ocarina by humming or singing into the Nintendo Switch 2 system microphone
Nintendo has not publicly provided a title-by-title account of AI use or a comprehensive disclosure of its internal development workflows. A game’s enemy behavior, procedural elements, or automated testing would not by itself establish use of a generative model. Nor should Miyamoto’s comments be extended automatically to independent contractors, licensees, or partner studios.
How to read the headlines
Headlines framing Miyamoto’s remark as “Nintendo rejects AI” flatten two different claims. The clearer reading is that he was skeptical of following the generative-AI trend for its own sake, while Nintendo’s corporate statements recognize long-established AI-like systems and raise distinct concerns about generative AI, rights, and infringement. The public record supports selective skepticism—not a claim that Nintendo games contain no AI or that the company has banned it.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
