Following the "Vision 2026 II Dream" presentation held on Thursday, Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino issued a formal statement addressing the company's use of artificial intelligence during the event. Hino acknowledged that the studio utilized AI as an experimental tool to enhance the presentation's visual impact, while offering an apology to those who found the implementation offensive.
In his statement, Hino clarified the studio's stance on creative labor, asserting that all foundational elements of their titles—including scenarios, character designs, and world-building—are crafted entirely by human staff. He explained that Level-5’s current AI strategy is focused on technical efficiency, specifically using the technology to convert human-created assets into digital polygon models. This process is part of a broader initiative to shorten the studio's development cycle for major titles from five years down to two.
The hour-long showcase provided updates on several long-running franchises, including Yōkai Watch 2: Haunted Domain, Inazuma Eleven: Cross, and Professor Layton and the Curious Village. The event also offered a glimpse into the company's upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2026 booth.
While the studio maintains that the time saved through AI integration is redirected into other creative processes, Hino noted that the company is still in a testing and refinement phase. With the presentation now available on the official Level-5 YouTube channel, the studio intends to use the feedback from this event to inform their future promotional efforts.
