Mojang Rejects Generative AI, Emphasizes Creativity in Minecraft

In the ever-evolving world of game development, the integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more prevalent. From Activision's use of AI-generated art in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to Microsoft's development of Muse, an AI designed to generate game ideas, the impact of AI is undeniable. However, Mojang, the developer behind the blockbuster game Minecraft, has firmly stated its intention to steer clear of incorporating generative AI into its game development process.

Minecraft, celebrated for its creativity and as the best-selling game of all time with 300 million copies sold, continues to emphasize the human element in its development. During a recent event attended by IGN, Agnes Larsson, the game director of Minecraft Vanilla, emphasized the importance of human creativity: “Here for us, just like Minecraft is about creativity and creating. I think it's important that it makes us feel happy to create as humans. That's a purpose, [it] makes life look beautiful. So for us, we really want it to be our teams that make our games.”

Echoing this sentiment, Ingela Garneij, executive producer of Minecraft Vanilla, highlighted the unique human touch that defines Minecraft: “For me, it's the thinking outside of the box part. This specific touch of: what is Minecraft? How does it look? That extra quality is really tricky to create through AI. We even try to have remote teams sometimes and guide them in building things for us, which has never worked, because you have to be here working together face-to-face. I mean creativity is... you need to meet like this as a person, as a human to really truly understand the values and principles and the ecosystem, the lore, everything. It's so massive Minecraft, it's a planet, it's massive.”

Mojang's commitment to human-driven creativity is evident in their ongoing projects. The recently announced graphics update, Vibrant Visuals, is set to enhance the visual experience of the game in the near future. Additionally, Mojang remains steadfast in its decision not to transition Minecraft to a free-to-play model and has no plans for a “Minecraft 2.” Despite being 16 years old, Minecraft shows no signs of slowing down, and Mojang's dedication to maintaining its human-centric approach ensures that generative AI will not find its way into the game's development, including the Nether.

For more details on upcoming features and updates, be sure to check out everything announced at Minecraft Live 2025.