Hasbro CEO Reiterates That AI Isn't Used to Make D&D Because of the Game's Audience and Creators

While Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks is a big fan of AI, he reiterated in a recent interview that the technology is not used to make Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Recently, Cocks sat down with the Verge to discuss Hasbro's business and in particular how the company uses AI. While Cocks gave several examples of how AI is integrated within the company (it has a Peppa Pig AI provide feedback on Peppa Pig toys, for instance), he stated that not every facet of the company currently uses AI. "From a creative context, I think you have to think about it very carefully," Cocks said. "There are some brands that the audience, the creators, just don’t want it, so we don’t even have it in our pipelines for our video games or for Magic: The Gathering, or D&D. For things like toys where we’re basing it on existing IP, or like a long legacy of ideas, we are able to use it and use it pretty effectively."

The Dungeons & Dragons brand has strongly come out against AI, specifically when it comes to creative work. The brand currently bans the use of AI-generated artwork in its games and has repeatedly talked about how the game is made for people by people. However, Cocks has talked about his personal use of AI in his home D&D games and has strongly suggested integrating that technology into Dungeons & Dragons somehow.

Cocks previously bragged about how AI has been integrated into Hasbro's workflow, and the Verge interview talks about how AI has supplemented the business, mentioning that AI has been used to ideate toy ideas and simulate focus groups and play test labs. While Cocks sees AI as a way to "level up" the work of creatives as opposed to replacing them, he also admits that he's been wrong about technology disrupting the toy business before, specifically mentioning NFTs as an area that he got wrong in the past.

The interview also briefly mentioned the upcoming video game Dungeons & Dragons: Warlock, with Cocks noting that that game will be released in the "later part" of 2027.

 

[Scribe]

I don’t think it’s fair or accurate to label one particular generation for falling prey to social media’s ills. I’ve heard and have seen more than a few boomers and Gen Xers go down that rabbit hole hard.

Oh absolutely! The best and brightest minds were paid well and put to the task of addicting, agitating, and dividing everyone regardless of age.

Gen Z however, were raised on it, and the results are out, its a disaster. A generation raised on AI? Thats not going to end any better.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Not today, what a 16 year old raised online thinks is likely tragic, and completely irrelevant lol.

A wildly off base and misinformed statement.

In 5 years? Sure.

LOL you think 21 year olds are wildly more insightful than 16 year olds? How long since you know anyone of either age?

You know what Gen Z loved? What Gen Z was raised on? Social Media.

Look how that's turned out.

Um...might wanna look into the effect of social media on boomers before making statements like this.

 

[Scribe]

LOL you think 21 year olds are wildly more insightful than 16 year olds? How long since you know anyone of either age?

LOL no, but one has buying (kinda) and voting power.

A 16 year old? No more insight, less real experience, no buying power, and no vote.

So yeah, I'll be nodding and smiling and disregarding.

I have a 21 year old, so...

 

[doctorbadwolf]

LOL no, but one has buying (kinda) and voting power.

A 16 year old? No more insight, less real experience, no buying power, and no vote.

Wait wait, the buying and voting power of a person determines how seriously you take their opinion? You know that is strictly irrational, right?

So yeah, I'll be nodding and smiling and disregarding.

I have a 21 year old, so...

Oof.

 

[Scribe]

Wait wait, the buying and voting power of a person determines how seriously you take their opinion?

Depending on the topic?? Absolutely without question.

Now, if I wanted to know what children were interested in, perhaps I would ask a 16 year old what is trendy, but since I'm not...

 

[Artamo]

Oh absolutely! The best and brightest minds were paid well and put to the task of addicting, agitating, and dividing everyone regardless of age.

Gen Z however, were raised on it, and the results are out, its a disaster. A generation raised on AI? Thats not going to end any better.

Yet, interestingly enough, that generation appears to be pulling back on their usage of social media. But when something like 3/4 of America uses social media, calling out one generation versus another kinda seems like blaming the world’s problems on avocado toast.

 

[Scribe]

Yet, interestingly enough, that generation appears to be pulling back on their usage of social media. But when something like 3/4 of America uses social media, calling out one generation versus another kinda seems like blaming the world’s problems on avocado toast.

So, just to bring this back on track here. This sidetrack was started because of a claim that Gen Alpha, is all on AI, and loves it. So to, was Gen Z all in and loving, Social Media.

The oldest Gen Alpha, is 16.

My comment, initial, was to state, I do not care what a 16 year olds opinion of AI is. There are a number of reasons for this, and sorry not sorry, if people think that 16 year olds have a nuanced understanding of anything...well thats fine but I'll pass.

Gen Z (and a growing portion of the rest of us) are coming around now to the fact that some of us called out years ago. Social Media is a blight. That does not change the fact (yes fact) that Gen Z 'grew up' on Social Media, have been influnced heavily by it, have increased mental illness because of it, and are now distancing from it.

The comparison to Gen Alpha and AI, is...well sure they may love it now. When its an absolute clown show in a few short years and they see they are going to graduate high school into a disastrously unstable economy, I wonder how much they will love AI then?

I still dont care that they love AI, if they even do, because they do not have to pay their own bills, do not have to depend on the economy (market) to retire, and...frankly are likely cared for and catered to every single day, as children often are.

 

[Artamo]

So, just to bring this back on track here. This sidetrack was started because of a claim that Gen Alpha, is all on AI, and loves it. So to, was Gen Z all in and loving, Social Media.

The oldest Gen Alpha, is 16.

My comment, initial, was to state, I do not care what a 16 year olds opinion of AI is. There are a number of reasons for this, and sorry not sorry, if people think that 16 year olds have a nuanced understanding of anything...well thats fine but I'll pass.

Gen Z (and a growing portion of the rest of us) are coming around now to the fact that some of us called out years ago. Social Media is a blight. That does not change the fact (yes fact) that Gen Z 'grew up' on Social Media, have been influnced heavily by it, have increased mental illness because of it, and are now distancing from it.

The comparison to Gen Alpha and AI, is...well sure they may love it now. When its an absolute clown show in a few short years and they see they are going to graduate high school into a disastrously unstable economy, I wonder how much they will love AI then?

I still dont care that they love AI, if they even do, because they do not have to pay their own bills, do not have to depend on the economy (market) to retire, and...frankly are likely cared for and catered to every single day, as children often are.

I can certainly understand that perspective as well.

It’s like someone in their 20s being “all in” on the stock market in a bear market knowing they’ve got another 40 to 50 years to make up any losses, while someone in their 50s or 60s looks at the instability and has to calculate the real impacts for them.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I suppose we can agree here consumers would rather to pay for art by human artists.

AI can be a useful tool for people who they have very creative minds but are too clumsy to put the ideas in their minds into practice. Also AI can suggest new ideas in the brainstorming phase. But not everything should be done only by AI.
We should supposes Hasbro CEO meant about using AI to expedite accounting procedures and things like that.

 

[CleverNickName]

It was said that my generation (Gen X) was "the generation that was raised on television." That wasn't to imply we were the only ones who watched television, or that we watched it the most, or that we invented it...the implication was that we were the first generation to watch television from a very early age.

Of course nobody says that anymore, since every generation since has also watched television from an early age.