​Summary

​This event explores how AI is transforming game development across design, engineering, and production, bringing together perspectives from leading studios, indie developers, and AI researchers. Our speakers will examine the evolution of game AI, from classical rule-based systems to modern machine learning and AI agents. They'll explain how these technologies are enabling new gameplay experiences, workflows, and studio structures.

​Topics include AI-driven indie game design, AI-native gameplay mechanics, practical AI agent development workflows, historical lessons from decades of commercial game AI, and engineering realities of deploying AI at scale. Designed for game developers, AI engineers, researchers, and industry leaders, the session emphasizes concrete insights, architectural thinking, and future-facing trends shaping interactive entertainment.

​This event is part of the AI x Entertainment Series, culminating in an AI filmmaking hackathon in April, where selected teams will present their work at the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles during a 3-day Global Hollywood Film Festival.

​​Agenda

• ​​18:00 - 18:15: Doors open

• ​​18:15 - 18:20: Even Introduction

• ​​18:20 - 18:40: How AI Enables New Kinds of Indie Games (Jerry Chi, Supercell)

• ​​18:40 - 19:00: The Evolution of Game AI (Youichiro Miyake, Square Enix)

• ​​19:00 - 19:20: AI Agent Development Workflow - The 7 Pillars of AI-Driven Development (Masayuki Yamagishi, NextNinja)

• ​​19:20 - 19:40: Building AI-Native Games as an Indie Studio: Tactics and Global Trends (Jun Misaki, Pit-Step)

• ​19:40 - 20:00: Games Development from an AI Engineering Perspective (Gautier Boeda, Square Enix)

• ​​20:00 - 21:00: Networking

• ​​21:00: Doors close

​​Speakers

​​Talk 1 - How AI Enables New Kinds of Indie Games

​​Speaker: Jerry Chi

​​Abstract: Jerry will present on how AI enables new kinds of indie games. We have a lot more AI models and tools powered by those models available for game developers now. LLMs, generation of images/video/3D objects, and world models... how are they actually used for game development, and how are new kinds of experiences emerging that involve AI model inference during gameplay? Jerry will provide some concrete examples of games as well as an overview of promising trends and ideas.

​​Bio: Jerry is the Head of Supercell's Tokyo AI Innovation Lab, where he will incubate teams building AI-powered games and entertainment, reflecting his passion for creative applications of machine learning. A quadrilingual Stanford and UPenn alum, he has diverse experience in analytics and machine learning roles at Google, SmartNews, Indeed, and PixAI, and served as country manager for Stability AI. Also, Jerry enjoys supporting the AI startup ecosystem as an ex-entrepreneur and angel investor.

​Talk 2 - The Evolution of Game AI

​​Speaker: Youichiro Miyake

​​Abstract: This talk offers a concise overview of the evolution of game AI, tracing key shifts from rule-based and utility-driven systems to modern machine learning approaches used in commercial game development. Drawing on decades of industry experience, the session highlights major architectural and design inflection points that have shaped how AI is built and deployed in games. The focus is on core principles and lessons learned, providing historical context to inform the future of AI-driven interactive systems.

​Youichiro Miyake is a Lead AI Researcher at SQUARE ENIX and a Project Professor at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo. With over 20 years of experience in game AI, he has served as an AI technical director and researcher across both industry and academia. His work includes AI system design for major titles such as CHROME HOUNDS, Demon’s Souls, Armored Core V, FINAL FANTASY XIV, FINAL FANTASY XV, and Kingdom Hearts III. He is a board member of DiGRA Japan and a former chair of SIG-AI at IGDA Japan. His current research explores the integration of game AI, smart cities, and the metaverse, and he has authored over 10 books on game AI, with work presented at leading conferences including SIGGRAPH, GDC, and CEDEC.

​​Bio: TBC

​Talk 3 - AI Agent Development Workflow - The 7 Pillars of AI-Driven Development

​​Speaker: Masayuki Yamagishi

​​Abstract: Masayuki will introduce the specific development workflows they use in AI game development.

​​Bio: Founded NextNinja while attending Waseda University in 2003. Currently serves as a game producer and CEO of NextNinja.
Also serves as producer for the globally popular RPG "Grand Summoners", as well as "Touhou Lost Word", both distributed in 80 countries. Grand Summoners achieved the top spot among Japanese titles in North America's RPG sales rankings (March 2025, Google Play and App Store).

​Talk 4 - Building AI-Native Games as an Indie Studio: Tactics and Global Trends

​​Speaker: Jun Misaki

​​Abstract: Generative AI is rapidly transforming the game industry, and indie game studios are exploring new ways to create AI-native game experiences. In this talk, Jun, founder of the Tokyo-based indie game studio Pit-Step, shares lessons from planning and developing the AI-driven game NINJA CATS: Tactics. The game allows players to interact with and raise NINJA CATS through natural voice conversations, integrating AI directly into its core mechanics rather than using it only for production efficiency. Drawing from hands-on development experience, the talk explores practical approaches to AI-driven game design and highlights global trends shaping the future of AI-powered games.

​​Bio: While at university, he worked on a VR baseball simulator and was selected for Japan’s MEXT EDGE program, through which he visited Silicon Valley. After joining Accenture, he focused on service UX design and new business initiatives using advanced technologies such as AI, and in 2021, he left the firm to found Pit-Step, Inc. to build products and games at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and creativity.

​Talk 5 - Games Development from an AI Engineering Perspective

​​Speaker: Gautier Boeda

​​Abstract: Since 2017, Gautier Boeda has been working as an AI Engineer at SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. Over these years, the field of AI has evolved rapidly, prompting significant structural changes within the company. What began as a small AI team has grown into a fully established division and more. In this talk, Gautier will reflect on this journey—highlighting the various AI domains explored, the shifting responsibilities that accompanied technological progress, and how these developments have shaped the organization’s approach to AI. The session will also offer a glimpse into the future direction of AI at SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.

​​Bio: Gautier Boeda has spent nearly a decade at SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. working as an AI Engineer. He has contributed to a wide range of R&D initiatives focused on character interaction, including planning systems, decision‑making frameworks, utility‑based AI, and emotional AI. Many of these technologies have been showcased at conferences such as GDC, CEDEC, and SIGGRAPH Asia. As the AI landscape has evolved, his work has expanded to include reinforcement learning, among others, and generative AI. Outside of the office, he enjoys participating in game jams and spending time cycling.

​AI x Entertainment Series Schedule

• ​​Fri, Jan 16: AI x Anime (done)

• ​​Fri, Feb 13: AI x Games (this)

• ​​Fri, Mar 13: AI x Movies (next)

• ​​April (day TBD): AI Filmmaking Hackathon

​​​Organizers

• ​​​​​​​Ilya Kulyatin: Fintech and AI entrepreneur with work and academic experience in the US, Netherlands, Singapore, UK, and Japan, with an MSc in Machine Learning from UCL.

• ​Jerry Chi: Jerry heads Supercell’s Tokyo AI Innovation Lab, fostering AI-driven games and entertainment. He is a quadrilingual Stanford and UPenn graduate with ML and analytics experience at Google, SmartNews, Indeed, PixAI, and as Stability AI’s country manager, and is also an ex-entrepreneur and angel investor in AI startups.

​​Supporters

​​​​Tokyo AI (​​​TAI) is the biggest AI community in Japan, with 3,000+ members mainly based in Tokyo (engineers, researchers, investors, product managers, and corporate innovation managers).

​​Value Create is a management advisory and corporate value design firm offering services such as business consulting, education, corporate communications, and investment support to help companies and individuals unlock their full potential and drive sustainable growth.

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