"We Will Take This As A Lesson" - Level-5 CEO Doubles Down On GenAI Despite Backlash

Key Points:

• Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino addressed fan concerns after the recent Vision 2026 II Showcase featured extensive AI-generated content, clarifying that the use of generative AI was primarily to enhance the presentation's visual impact.
• Hino emphasized that core creative elements like scenarios, character designs, and settings are created by humans, and AI is mainly used to digitize and streamline creative workflows, such as converting artwork into polygons.
• The company plans to continue leveraging generative AI to shorten game development cycles from five years to two, aiming to allow creators more time to focus on essential creative work.
• The heavy use of AI in the presentation drew criticism from industry figures and fans, with concerns about ethical issues surrounding AI training data and potential disrespect toward human artists and development teams.
• Despite the backlash, Level-5 views the experience as a learning opportunity and intends to refine its use of AI in future presentations while maintaining its commitment to human-driven game content.