Key Takeaways
1. Nobuo Uematsu, composer of Final Fantasy, is not interested in using generative AI in his music-making process, valuing personal investment and creative challenges instead.
2. Uematsu believes that the joy of music comes from the effort and struggle involved in creation, which he feels AI cannot replicate.
3. He emphasizes the importance of the human touch in music, stating that listeners connect more deeply with compositions that have personal stories and emotional richness.
4. Uematsu notes that while video game graphics have improved significantly, audio enhancements have largely plateaued, with potential for future advancements in spatial audio.
5. Other game developers, like Hideo Kojima, share Uematsu’s view on AI, seeing it as a collaborative tool while maintaining control over the creative aspects of their work.
In a recent chat with the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers magazine, Nobuo Uematsu, the iconic composer behind Final Fantasy, expressed his clear lack of interest in incorporating generative AI into his music-making process, emphasizing that true joy in composition comes from personal investment and the challenges faced.
Uematsu’s Musical Legacy
At 65, Uematsu has crafted music for the first nine main Final Fantasy titles from 1987 to 2000. He made a comeback in 2020 to recreate the key themes for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. During the interview, he remarked that he has “never used it, and probably never will,” in regard to AI tools.
The Human Touch in Music
Uematsu delved into the idea that the joy found in music arises from tackling creative challenges, remarking, “I think there’s more satisfaction in something you’ve created yourself after some effort and struggle.” He also pointed out how listeners relate to the human aspect behind the music, connecting with the composer—something he feels AI lacks, as it generates work devoid of personal stories or emotional richness.
He also said that the “unstable and unique” variations created by humans when playing existing music enhance the listening experience, a quality that AI cannot mimic.
The Future of Game Music
When talking about the progress of music in video games, Uematsu shared that while each gaming generation sees significant improvements in graphics, the enhancement of audio was mostly achieved by the time developers started integrating studio-recorded sounds directly into games. He explained, “Beyond that, it’s probably spatial audio. Final Fantasy X already implemented the idea of spatial audio itself, but the question is how much users will demand it going forward. Another aspect is how smoothly the music that’s being played can be transitioned. That’s an era where AI might handle things well in the future.”
Recently, Hideo Kojima, the mastermind behind Metal Gear Solid and director at Kojima Productions, also shared his perspective on AI being a collaborative “friend” in game development. However, he made it clear that he would take charge of the creative aspects, echoing Uematsu’s sentiments on music composition.
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