WotC Hasbro CEO optimistic about AI in D&D and MTG’s future

[Yaarel]

Ah. Science denialism. That’s great. Tschüss.

If you are familiar with history, there is currently a mood of hysteria that reminds me of the antimasturbation campaigns of the 1800s.


I care about science. Caring about science includes focusing on objective facts − and acknowledging the difference between evidence and various speculative interpretations about the evidence − and stepping aside from preconceived ideological agendas, at least for a moment.


Climate change is a fact.

What remains uncertain is causality.

 

[I'm A Banana]

If you are familiar with history, there is currently a mood of hysteria that reminds me of the antimasturbation campaigns of the 1800s.

The modern hysteria that reminds me of these campaigns is not the scientifically robust data that shows human influence on the climate.

It's the book burnings and paranoia about drag queens and trans people that often go hand in hand with doubting the above robust scientific data. Just raw evidence-free moral panic.

To return to the topic, I think AI has its share of the doom-and-gloom brigade, but let's not forget that the Luddites had a point, and that at the end of the day, people need to eat and pay rent and afford their medical bills.

 

[Yaarel]

The modern hysteria that reminds me of these campaigns is not the scientifically robust data that shows human influence on the climate.

It's the book burnings and paranoia about drag queens and trans people that often go hand in hand with doubting the above robust scientific data. Just raw evidence-free moral panic.

I agree the current hysteria is all around, showing up in different ways of panicked, fanatical, intolerance and polemics.

To return to the topic, I think AI has its share of the doom-and-gloom brigade, but let's not forget that the Luddites had a point, and that at the end of the day, people need to eat and pay rent and afford their medical bills.

Hopefully, AI can contribute to the logistics of housing and feeding and freeing the human population of every nation around the planet.

 

[Mistwell]

I'm looking forward to a future Paranoia adventuer when friend Computer GM requires you to play a Bard in the latest RPG. You're happy to play a Bard, aren't you? Happiness is mandatory. Failure to be happy is treason.

Oh oh! How cool would it be if they revived the Paranoia game on DNDBeyond, but allowed you to have AI as the GM. Playing the role of the computer, of course.

 

[Mistwell]

If you follow the link to the VentureBeat interview, he says "D&D has 50 years of content that we can mine. Literally thousands of adventures that we’ve created, probably tens of millions of words we own and can leverage."

It's possible that he wants to use that information to come up with prompts. And I'd consider that to be an acceptable use of AI, no different than an artist using a model to base their work on. But there's also the real risk he wants to use it to come up with entire adventures that have only cursory human oversight.

He also mentions mining 20 year's worth of Peppa Pig, which I really hope is not connected to writing more D&D content.

If I can just type in plain English language "Who is the god of Shadows in the Greyhawk setting?" and have AI respond with "Xan Yae is the Baklunish goddess of Twilight, Shadows, Stealth, and Mental Power. Her symbol is a black lotus blossom. Would you like to hear more details about tXan Yaw, or get details on some other deities that might govern shadows in the Greyhawk setting?" I'd be happy with that tool.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Hopefully, AI can contribute to the logistics of housing and feeding and freeing the human population of every nation around the planet.

1) Generative AI ain't doing any of that.

2) No one with the money to develop an actual AI to do that is going to do that because they're busy funding generative AI to pretend to be some dude's girlfriend, draw anime boobies, and tell people that their private parts are in their profile when they're not building a ridiculous underground bunker with secret entrances that will avail them not when their chickens come home to roost.

 

[Mistwell]

Look forward to the day that you hear what we've heard for about a decade now in Southern California, that wildfire season is now year-round. (Which isn't 100% true in SoCal -- it's more like 9/12 months now.)

I have zero interest in stepping into the global warming debate, but this is just false even as an exaggeration. For the first time in many many years California, and SoCal in general, is 100% out of drought and will be that way for at least 2 years. In fact, a lake appeared in death valley (you can even Kayak it). We've also have a very light fire issue the past season. Last year was light too, relative to the 5 year averages. You can see updates here.

 

[Yaarel]

1) Generative AI ain't doing any of that.

Heh, and at the moment, I wouldnt trust the result if anyone tried to make popculture AI do that.

But AI generally can and will do stuff like figure out the most efficient way to do something.

For example, even using earlier machine learning a decade or so ago, can custom create a keyboard so the letters are in places where one personally is most comfortable and quickest. (The main trick is minimizing the use of the same finger for two letters in a row, and switch back and forth between right hand and left hand for each letter. But rolling in from pinky to index, or out, or reaching farther keys or closer is more personal taste.)

In any case, future AI will demonstrate the most efficient use of planetary resources.

2) No one with the money to develop an actual AI to do that is going to do that because they're busy funding generative AI to pretend to be some dude's girlfriend, draw anime boobies, and tell people that their private parts are in their profile when they're not building a ridiculous underground bunker with secret entrances that will avail them not when their chickens come home to roost.

Corporations cannot be trusted to care about the wellbeing of a population at large.

But governments that want to avoid sudden violent revolutions have a self-interest to ensure citizens are reasonably happy.

Human sexuality is biological and healthy. I expect technological applications relating to this.

 

[Zardnaar]

Look forward to the day that you hear what we've heard for about a decade now in Southern California, that wildfire season is now year-round. (Which isn't 100% true in SoCal -- it's more like 9/12 months now.)

The hard frost Winters as a kid are gone. Snow 1-3 days a yeah often light mild frosts if that.

The glaciers here are melting fast.

Last cold winter was 20 odd years ago.

 

[Charlaquin]

Regarding climate change. It is reality. In Norway, we see it happening with our own eyes.

However, I dont believe humans are causing it, global cooling and global warming happen with or without humans.

I’m sorry, but this is just blatant science denial. The evidence is absolutely overwhelming and there is no longer any serious disagreement on this point in the scientific community. You might as well say you believe fossils are real but were all created < 6,000 years ago.