Nippon Ichi Executive Shares Thoughts on AI Research, Doubts It Will Speed Up Game Development

As game developers become increasingly open about incorporating AI into their projects, some, like Nippon Ichi Software, are taking a more cautious approach. Known for titles like Disgaea and the publisher of series such as Trails and Ys, Nippon Ichi is navigating this landscape carefully.

I had a chance to chat with Kenzo Saruhashi, the CEO of Nippon Ichi and president of NIS America, at PAX West recently. Our conversation touched on AI, particularly in the context of translating and localizing their games. Saruhashi, who has recently taken on the dual role of leading both Nippon Ichi and NIS America, aims to unify the two branches and increase the number of games released simultaneously in the West, rather than delaying Western launches for months after their Japanese counterparts. Achieving this goal hinges on enhancing their localization capabilities.

In light of the current trends, it might be easy to jump on the generative AI bandwagon for localization tasks. While other companies are making bold claims about AI, its application in anime has often been met with backlash due to poor execution. I asked Saruhashi if Nippon Ichi was currently using AI for localization, and he responded:

“We are not specifically at the moment. But we are researching it, because we know that there are a lot of companies right now that are utilizing AI. It’s not that we would let AI completely take over localization, but we want to ensure quality. We’re in a research phase to see if it’s feasible. Personally, I don’t think that using AI will necessarily speed things up.”

I followed up by asking if this philosophy extends to all areas of his business, and it seems it does:

“There’s definitely a sense of pressure in the creative industry from AI. What I hear from other developers is that our ultimate goal is to create quality games for our fans. We can’t ignore AI entirely, so we need to explore it as a potential tool moving forward. I believe that if we apply AI, it should enhance the quality of the game, not just focus on efficiency. The key question should be, ‘Does it improve the quality of the end product?'”

While “researching” has often been the first step toward full AI integration for many companies, especially in Japan, it’s wise to approach this with a bit of skepticism. For now, though, I can dive into Village in the Shade without any concerns.