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.

 

[Benji]

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.

Interesting thought though. You say 16 years old don't have the buying power, but then say they are constantly catered to. If someone is constantly catering to them, buying them what they need...wouldn't that mean those tastes have an affect on the economy and financial realms becuase someone is still spending on their behalf? Like any documentary about 80s toy sales suggests that there's a lot of money I catering to the needs to children. I can't imagine that has changed.

I'm not against the points you make but I think understanding what younger generations have to say on a thing is important. It's my lived experience that all the kids and gen alpha I know (I have kids who I am primary caregiver for and therefore meet a lot) have little to no love or loyalty to AI, with some of them actively not liking it. However, some of my 30-50 something gamer friends love it and ha e already used it to create backstories rather than engage their whole brain. So I think generalising about generations here is a bit to much of a zoomed out view.

 

[Scribe]

If someone is constantly catering to them, buying them what they need...wouldn't that mean those tastes have an affect on the economy and financial realms becuase someone is still spending on their behalf?

No, especially not in today's economy.

 

[Clint_L]

You’re right that teenagers are complicated.

Amongst the primarily 16-18 year olds that I teach, AI use is basically 100%. It is, by far, the biggest issue in education right now. But that doesn’t mean they love AI. In fact, when I ran a recent class on the ethics of AI art, many students expressed some degree of hostility towards it. That was in my Theory of Knowledge class.

On the other hand, I just had my students do a creative interpretation of a text for my Language and Literature class. About half of them used AI to the extent that assessing the product became functionally meaningless. (This was obviously a flaw in my planning, but it was not an important assessment, so live and learn).

My takeaway is that, despite any reservations, teens, just like adults, will use AI the instant they perceive it as making their lives easier in the moment.

 

[Alzrius]

Amongst the primarily 16-18 year olds that I teach, AI use is basically 100%. It is, by far, the biggest issue in education right now. But that doesn’t mean they love AI. In fact, when I ran a recent class on the ethics of AI art, many students expressed some degree of hostility towards it. That was in my Theory of Knowledge class.

Is that genuine hostility, though? Or is it a case of teenagers trying to showcase their own independent identity by hating on something that's perceived to be widespread/popular?

 

[Benji]

No, especially not in today's economy.

Then what you're saying is rhe fact they are catered to doesn't have any place in this conversation. So why raise it?

 

[Scribe]

Then what you're saying is rhe fact they are catered to doesn't have any place in this conversation. So why raise it?

You can review my other posts if you like, I'm over this thread.