D&D General Allegations of AI Usage Cause unnecessary Controversy

[This Effin’ GM]

In what seems to be a never ending stream of controversies about Hasbro and WotC,
Claims are now surfacing of Artificial Intelligence generated art being used to promote One D&D.

Indestructoboy on Twitter and YouTube has shared his suspicions that the picture of the Dwarf fighter used in promotions for the upcoming rules launch is generated using AI.

Twitter (Update: This has been removed. ) https://x.com/indestructoboy/status/1736740332769771977?s=46

YouTube (update: the video has been removed)

Others are joining the conversation with accusations of their own.

Twitter (Update: This has been removed. )

https://x.com/thehypegoblin/status/1736747219418579163?s=46

Wotc faced a fair amount of criticism earlier this year with the discovery of AI modified art in their book, Glory of the Giants

https://www.enworld.org/threads/glory-of-the-giants-ai-enhanced-art.699127/

Personal opinion: I’m not sure about the veracity of these statements. I am not a huge fan of witch hunts and I am not an expert in seeing the signs of AI art. I am always a bit hesitant to make this sort of claim considering that if this turns out to not be AI generated, this opens up the artist to being ridiculed for their particular style by a large amount of people which I would find devastating. If this is AI art, it’s incredibly disappointing considering the work claimed to be done to stop this.

WotC statement in AI Twitter https://x.com/dndbeyond/status/1687969469170094083?s=46

Update:

Christian Hoffer of Comicbook.com has reached out to the artist, Nestor Ossandon, who has denied the allegations.

Twitter

https://x.com/choffercbus/status/1736807876294062518?s=46

Nestor has worked as an artist for MTG. His art can be found here

Magic the Gathering Art by Nestor Ossandon Leal - Art of Magic: the Gathering

MtG Artist: Nestor Ossandon Leal - Art for Magic: the Gathering (MTG)

www.artofmtg.com

Update: the original accuser has released an apology.


Update: Wizards officially states they have verified with the artist and stands by their work.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

I don’t know really what the discussion is here, though I am not wanting to drum up our own witch hunt. Just thought it’s unfortunate that this may all get started up again.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Hard to say if this claim is true, but if WotC gets accused of using AI art regardless of whether or not they are, they might just decide there's no longer any reason not to use AI art.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

Hard to say if this claim is true, but if WotC gets accused of using AI art regardless of whether or not they are, they might just decide there's no longer any reason not to use AI art.

That’s a possibility. If they are going to get the bad press regardless, then why not

 

[Demetrios1453]

Personal opinion: I’m not sure about the veracity of these statements. I am not a huge fan of witch hunts and I am not an expert in seeing the signs of AI art. I am always a bit hesitant to make this sort of claim considering that if this turns out to not be AI generated, this opens up the artist to being ridiculed for their particular style by a large amount of people which I would find devastating.

Then why do it? Or at least hold off until there's more than vague claims? It would seem you're just stoking the fires you're stating you don't want to stoke.

 

[MGibster]

Hard to say if this claim is true, but if WotC gets accused of using AI art regardless of whether or not they are, they might just decide there's no longer any reason not to use AI art.

I used the same logic when I was a child. When my sister and I quarreled as children, she would turn on the waterworks and I would get in trouble because my parents thought I smacked her. Since I was going to get in trouble anyway, when she started the waterworks I went ahead and gave her a good smack. If you're going to get into hot water no matter what, there's no incentive to follow the rules.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

Then why do it? Or at least hold off until there's more than vague claims? It would seem you're just stoking the fires you're stating you don't want to stoke.

I don’t have a really good reason other than “this conversation is happening again, so I wanted the news site I read that’s better at research than i am to look into this if they think it’s necessary and I think there are larger questions to consider as a community”

There isn’t a way to discuss the current conversation I feel without it turning into a risk of fanning the flames. But maybe if people read what I said about it, they approach the conversation with the care/concern that I mentioned in my personal opinion. Or maybe not.

I don’t know. I’m not a journalist, I’m not particularly up to date on the proper ethics of bringing it up.

 

[Waller]

These clickbait drama llamas on YouTube are starting to get really annoying. They're everywhere now. You can always tell them by the hyperbolic headlines and video thumbnails with arrows and big accusatory text on them.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

These clickbait drama llamas on YouTube are starting to get really annoying. They're everywhere now. You can always tell them by the hyperbolic headlines and video thumbnails with arrows and big accusatory text on them.

As I am working in building my own channel, the urge to follow suit is strong. I’ve told me wife if I start doing that to divorce me asap.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

These clickbait drama llamas on YouTube are starting to get really annoying. They're everywhere now. You can always tell them by the hyperbolic headlines and video thumbnails with arrows and big accusatory text on them.

Youtube has, IMO, two great uses-

1. Looking up how to do something. For whatever reason, a lot of people will post great (and short) videos on how to fix common issues with anything from a router to a washing machine to espresso makers, tailored to individual models. Absolutely invaluable.

2. Video essays. There are a vanishing few great video essayists on youtube that I watch that make information-rich content that are genuinely amazing. Unfortunately, the algorithm doesn't favor them. I just saw that one of the very few that I watch has announced that he is leaving youtube for now because he doesn't want to compromise his quality any further for the algorithm.

There's still some great stuff out there; the problem is that it's increasingly being marginalized by waves and waves and waves of utter crud.