Hideo Kojima reportedly questions DLSS 5’s effect on creative intent

Hideo Kojima reportedly said in a KOJI10 episode released October 5, 2026, that he has mixed feelings about NVIDIA’s DLSS 5. He worried that AI image enhancement could change creative decisions without understanding why they were made, while allowing that using AI under his own control might be different.

Why creative intent matters to Kojima

Kojima’s concern is about authorship: an image can be changed without preserving the reasons behind the original choices. He used AI restoration of older films in 4K as an example, noting that a filmmaker may have chosen a particular lighting setup for a reason. He also invoked audio remastering as a related case.

His qualification matters. Kojima did not reject every use of AI; he said his view could differ when he was the one directing its use in his own work.

The Death Stranding 2 example

In the reported discussion, Kojima referred to reactions to images of DLSS 5 applied to Death Stranding 2, with some people saying the result looked odd. As of October 5, 2026, official DLSS 5 support for the game had not been announced.

NVIDIA’s announced DLSS 5 context

NVIDIA describes DLSS 5 as “3D-Guided Neural Rendering.” Its account says the technology uses a game engine’s rendered frame as the basis for adding lighting and material detail. NVIDIA also says developers can choose models and adjust intensity and masking controls to direct the effect.

In its September 1, 2026 announcement, NVIDIA named NBA 2K27 as the DLSS 5 launch title for GeForce RTX 50 Series desktop GPUs and laptops, and also listed GeForce NOW. For a separate look at early power measurements, see NeoTeo’s earlier coverage of DLSS 5 power draw.

Earlier comments in context

In 2025, Kojima reportedly compared AI’s significance with the shift from 2D to 3D games and described AI as a potential aid to efficiency. In June 2026, he was reported as saying he was not interested in AI. His October remarks addressed a more specific concern: who controls changes to creative work and whether those changes respect the creator’s intent.