The incident has drawn attention due to Wizards of the Coast's history of using AI art and distancing itself from the technology. The company, a significant employer of artists and illustrators, has been criticized before for using AI-generated art. After AI art was found in a Dungeons & Dragons sourcebook in 2023, the company revised its artist guidelines to prohibit the use of AI art generation. The recent incident has led to frustration among artists working for the publisher, with one artist publicly ending his association with the company.
Key takeaways:
- Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of _Magic: The Gathering_, admitted to publishing a marketing image that contained elements created by AI, despite initially denying it and having a ban on the use of AI artwork since 2023.
- The image, which was posted on X (formerly Twitter), was criticized by fans who pointed out elements that appeared to be generated by AI. The company initially denied these claims but later acknowledged the mistake.
- The company stated that while the art came from a vendor, it is their responsibility to ensure that they uphold their promise to support human creativity and ingenuity. They are now evaluating how they work with vendors on creative beyond their products.
- The incident has drawn attention due to Wizards of the Coast's history of using generative AI art in its materials and distancing itself from the technology. The company has been called out before for using AI art, leading to a definitive ban on AI art in December.