Square Enix veteran and game localization pioneer Richard Honeywood has spoken candidly about the current artificial intelligence (AI) boom, drawing striking comparisons with another tech trend from decades past: fuzzy logic.
Honeywood, renowned for building Square's in-house localization department in the late 1990s and lending his expertise to major developers such as Blizzard and Level-5, spoke with Time Extension to reflect on recurring patterns in technological innovation and hype. Honeywood's career, which began after his academic tenure at Japan's Hosei University, spans a diverse portfolio including work with iconic companies like Seibu Kaihatsu and Square Enix.
Speaking about Japan’s economic bubble in the 1990s, Honeywood highlighted how the meteoric rise of fuzzy logic paralleled today's surge in AI integration—both in terms of widespread adoption and marketing fervor. He recalled that during Japan's bubble economy, there was a rush to embed fuzzy logic into everyday devices from rice cookers to microwave ovens, driven by the belief it was going to revolutionize technology worldwide.
"Japan was surging ahead economically, and fuzzy logic was being touted as the next big thing.
It ended up being incorporated everywhere—from washing machines to rice cookers—with manufacturers saying it would change everything," Honeywood recalled in the interview. As a student, Honeywood delved into classes covering artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, and optical character recognition (OCR) for interpreting handwritten Japanese text.
However, his hands-on experience led him to realize the limitations of these technologies at the time.
"After studying it, I found that a lot of what was presented as innovative was really just marketing.
The substance did not always live up to the hype," Honeywood explained.
"That's why I'm currently very skeptical about AI—I've seen similar cycles before, where expectations outpaced reality." Honeywood’s insights come at a crucial time as AI finds its way into much of the modern gaming landscape, impacting everything from Nintendo Switch game development and localization workflows to eShop recommendation algorithms.
Major technology companies including Google, Meta, and Microsoft have invested significantly in AI-driven solutions, underscoring a trend reminiscent of previous technology bubbles. Despite massive venture capital influx, industry adoption, and consumer curiosity, Honeywood’s perspective serves as a reminder that not all revolutionary technologies live up to initial expectations.
Reflecting on his decades in gaming—anchored by accomplishment at Square Enix and work on beloved franchises—he suggests the industry approach the current AI wave with clear-eyed scrutiny, just as lessons were learned from the peak and decline of fuzzy logic. For established developers, publishers, and platform holders such as Nintendo, careful consideration will remain key as the industry decides just how much faith to place in each new technology—AI included.
As history has shown, innovation and skepticism must walk hand in hand to inform sustainable progress in gaming and beyond.
Honeywood, renowned for building Square's in-house localization department in the late 1990s and lending his expertise to major developers such as Blizzard and Level-5, spoke with Time Extension to reflect on recurring patterns in technological innovation and hype. Honeywood's career, which began after his academic tenure at Japan's Hosei University, spans a diverse portfolio including work with iconic companies like Seibu Kaihatsu and Square Enix.
Speaking about Japan’s economic bubble in the 1990s, Honeywood highlighted how the meteoric rise of fuzzy logic paralleled today's surge in AI integration—both in terms of widespread adoption and marketing fervor. He recalled that during Japan's bubble economy, there was a rush to embed fuzzy logic into everyday devices from rice cookers to microwave ovens, driven by the belief it was going to revolutionize technology worldwide.
"Japan was surging ahead economically, and fuzzy logic was being touted as the next big thing.
It ended up being incorporated everywhere—from washing machines to rice cookers—with manufacturers saying it would change everything," Honeywood recalled in the interview. As a student, Honeywood delved into classes covering artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, and optical character recognition (OCR) for interpreting handwritten Japanese text.
However, his hands-on experience led him to realize the limitations of these technologies at the time.
"After studying it, I found that a lot of what was presented as innovative was really just marketing.
The substance did not always live up to the hype," Honeywood explained.
"That's why I'm currently very skeptical about AI—I've seen similar cycles before, where expectations outpaced reality." Honeywood’s insights come at a crucial time as AI finds its way into much of the modern gaming landscape, impacting everything from Nintendo Switch game development and localization workflows to eShop recommendation algorithms.
Major technology companies including Google, Meta, and Microsoft have invested significantly in AI-driven solutions, underscoring a trend reminiscent of previous technology bubbles. Despite massive venture capital influx, industry adoption, and consumer curiosity, Honeywood’s perspective serves as a reminder that not all revolutionary technologies live up to initial expectations.
Reflecting on his decades in gaming—anchored by accomplishment at Square Enix and work on beloved franchises—he suggests the industry approach the current AI wave with clear-eyed scrutiny, just as lessons were learned from the peak and decline of fuzzy logic. For established developers, publishers, and platform holders such as Nintendo, careful consideration will remain key as the industry decides just how much faith to place in each new technology—AI included.
As history has shown, innovation and skepticism must walk hand in hand to inform sustainable progress in gaming and beyond.
