In the midst of
the heated debate about the use of Artificial Intelligence in
video game development, one of the most respected voices in the medium has come
out to defend the value of human creativity. Yongha Kim, the
producer behind the hit Blue Archive, recently addressed gamers'
concerns about what he calls the "AI Slop" problem.
The metaphor
of snacks and air
In a New Year's
interview with GameMeca, Kim was brutally honest about why
consumers react negatively to AI-generated assets. "First, we have the
problem of the 'AI slop,' when the reckless use of generative AI reduces the
quality of the result," he explained.
To illustrate
this, he used a perfect analogy: "To use snacks as an example, even if the
packaging looks attractive, if the actual number of snacks inside was reduced
and the bag was filled with air, of course consumers will react
negatively."
Kim delved into
the psychology of the fan of subcultures (otakus and niche gamers), noting that
they have higher expectations of "creative authenticity." According
to the producer, the current models are "mere simulators" with no
intention or personality.
"If we rely
completely on them to produce results with a mere 'click,' I think the question
arises: Can you really incorporate the authenticity of the creator into
that?" he questioned.
Nexon and
responsible use
Despite its
criticism, Nexon Games is no stranger to technology. Kim
clarified that the division behind Blue Archive actively uses
AI, but as a support tool, not a replacement. They focus on speech recognition
and synthesis technologies, as well as minimizing repetitive work so that
humans can focus on being creative.
When asked if AI
will replace humans soon, his answer was a resounding no: "The
central problem is that, currently, AI cannot yet fully generate the level of
output required in development environments."
