“The studios that thrive will not be those that resist AI. They will be those that learn how to use it effectively"

• Hugo Obi argued that AI should be viewed as a tool that amplifies creativity rather than a threat to creative jobs.
• The Maliyo Games founder said studios that learn to use AI effectively will be better positioned than those that resist the technology.
• Obi urged African developers to combine AI adoption with authentic local perspectives, arguing the global market wants original African voices rather than imitations.

Speaking during the 'Finding the Promise Land As An Industry' session at Lagos Games Week 2026, Maliyo Games CEO and founder Hugo Obi placed the games industry at the centre of the wider AI conversation.

He argued the technology is already reshaping how games are designed, how art is created, how stories are generated and how production pipelines operate. While some in the games industry treat artificial intelligence as a threat to creative work, it may rather be the case that those studios that learn to use it will come out ahead of those that resist it.

Obi was direct about where he stands on the fear that AI replaces creative roles: "AI will not replace creativity. It will amplify it."

He added: “The studios that thrive will not be those that resist AI. They will be those that learn how to use it effectively. Those that understand that tools evolve, but imagination remains essential."

"The future will not wait for us"

Obi framed the real challenge not as the arrival of AI but as whether the industry builds the capability to use it well. 

“The challenge before us is not whether AI is coming. It is already here," he said. "The challenge is whether we will develop the skills and understanding necessary to use it responsibly and competitively."

He tied the point to pace, warning that technology, markets and consumer expectations are all moving fast and that the response from African studios has to match. "The future will not wait for us," he said. "Our response must be equally ambitious."

During the wider discussion, Obi also urged developers to lean into their own identity rather than imitate others, arguing the global market wants an African perspective rather than a copy.

"The world does not need another copy. The world needs our perspective," he said.