Animation Conference 2026
AI as Portrayed in Animation
The Future of AI, Anime, and Game
Overview
AI is significantly transforming the anime production process. Furthermore, an increasing number of anime works are featuring AI as a central theme. As such, we are now in a situation where it is inevitable to continue production while engaging with AI—both as a technology and as content.
Amid these pressing changes, this session will outline the future prospects of AI technology for the anime industry and discuss how the stories told in anime should evolve to address the changing society and audience shaped by AI.
We will also discuss the future of both animation and video games—which are closely related—by comparing the two.
Speakers
Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Professor
Youichiro Miyake
Professor in the Department of Game and Interactive Art, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts. Visiting Professor at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo. Specially Appointed Professor at the Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence and Science, Rikkyo University. He studied mathematics at Kyoto University; earned a master’s degree in physics from Osaka University and a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Tokyo. Director of DiGRA JAPAN, Senior Editorial Board Member of the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence and Chair of the Digital Game AI Research Group. He is the author of numerous books, including “How to Create Artificial Intelligence”, “Introduction to Game AI Technology”, and “Does AI Dream of Newtypes?”. Co-authored works include “Philosophy School for Artificial Intelligence: Future Society Edition”,”Understanding Artificial Intelligence Through Illustrations” among many others.
CEO, Founder
NAO HIRASAWA
Formed Arch Inc. after working for a number of years at Bandai Visual (Known as Bandai Namco Filmworks now), Production I.G, and Ultra Super Pictures. Having worked such positions as a head of legal affairs and a producer, he has knowledge about not only the management of domestic rights of intellectual properties, he also knows much about contracts relating to the development of properties overseas.
Some works he has produced include “The Journey”, “Promare”, “Neko ga Kureta Marui Shiawase”, “ID-0”, “BBK/BRNK”, “the Monster Strike anime”, “She and Her Cat -Everything Flows-”, “Ultra Super Anime Time”, “Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet”, and “Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne”.
2019.04.01 he became Managing Director of Graphinica. Inc., 2019.12.07 Managing Director of Yamatoworks, Inc., 2020.07.01 Managing Director of YUMETA CO.,LTD.
Related Program
As AI becomes increasingly widespread, more works are exploring it as a theme. Director Seiji Mizushima, known for "RAKUEN TSUIHO -Impelled by 10th Anniversary-", and AI developer Yoichiro Miyake will discuss how AI is portrayed in storytelling.
For program details, please visit Programs > Animation Conference > AI as Portrayed in Animation > "How Has Anime Portrayed AI?"