Wizards of the Coast is hiring a senior AI engineer for customer-facing features

Hot off the heels of Hasbro announcing a new AI studio, WotC--the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons--is advertising a vacancy on LinkedIn for a senior AI engineer.

The advertisement talks about customer facing features, AI tech in products, and systems for player assistance, tutorials, and NPC behaviours.

Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks has talked frequently about the use of AI in Hasbro's workflows as a whole, lauding AI integration as a "clear success", and describing himself as an "AI Bull". WotC has always maintained that its two main products, Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: the Gathering, would not use the technology, and has previously removed artwork from products when it has transpired that they were created with AI tools. The publisher's most recent statement on AI said "For 50 years, D&D has been built on the innovation, ingenuity, and hard work of talented people who sculpt a beautiful, creative game. That isn't changing. Our internal guidelines remain the same with regards to artificial intelligence tools: We require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the D&D TTRPG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final D&D products. We work with some of the most talented artists and creatives in the world, and we believe those people are what makes D&D great." Chris Cocks himself said earlier this year that 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."

However, this job advertisement is clearly posted by WotC specifically, and talks about customer facing features and NPC behaviours. While that doesn't necessarily point to AI-created D&D books or artwork, it does strongly imply that AI-powered tools might be appearing in customer-facing locations such as D&D Beyond, rather than just behind-the-scenes project management and workflow processes.

Emphasis highlights by Faith Elisabeth Lilley
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[abazaba]

But proper criticism or analysis (of anything, really) takes into account history, methods, movements, and traditions, even if you, the artist, are not thinking of those things. Criticism is not just of the piece, but of the piece in that larger context.

Respectfully, I disagree.

For example, the self proclaimed 'art critics' have always stated that JRR Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" was really/actually/instead about the First World War. Something Tolkien himself has always denied. But apparently, the 'art critics' knew better than the author himself. I do not mean this personally (so please do not perceive it as such), but arguments like these always make me so angry. I need to cool down now.

 

[Incenjucar]

Respectfully, I disagree.

For example, the self proclaimed 'art critics' have always stated that JRR Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" was really/actually/instead about the First World War. Something Tolkien himself has always denied. But apparently, the 'art critics' knew better than the author himself. I do not mean this personally (so please do not perceive it as such), but arguments like these always make me so angry. I need to cool down now.

Critical discourse utilizes different lenses and perspectives, and methods, including "death of the author" and "psychoanalysis". These may even contradict each other. Art and communication are not only intent but also reception. No expression between two people is perfect, and so instead of denying these flaws we study, explore, and celebrate them.

 

[ART!]

Critical discourse utilizes different lenses and perspectives, and methods, including "death of the author" and "psychoanalysis". These may even contradict each other. Art and communication are not only intent but also reception. No expression between two people is perfect, and so instead of denying these flaws we study, explore, and celebrate them.

Yeah - once an artist completes a work that baby is grown up and out in the world, and the artist's intent is only one way to experience or think about the work. I get the frustration that can come from some approaches, though.

 

[Zaukrie]

I do not want that and will be pushing back on such things. I like my poorly tuned encounters, touching stories, and stupid jokes

No one is taking those away. Sigh

I have a strong hate for most AI.... But there is inevitably going to be AI available for games for those that want it. They have a lot of their own IP to draw on ..

 

[Stormonu]

Respectfully, I disagree.

For example, the self proclaimed 'art critics' have always stated that JRR Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" was really/actually/instead about the First World War. Something Tolkien himself has always denied. But apparently, the 'art critics' knew better than the author himself. I do not mean this personally (so please do not perceive it as such), but arguments like these always make me so angry. I need to cool down now.

Art being defined by the Artist instead of the Beholder?

 

[abazaba]

What I object to, is when the self proclaimed critics think they know better than the actual creator of the work. Even when the creator has expressed that the critics are misrepresenting the work. And whom is it exactly, that decides how a work should be interpreted, or if a work is to be considered to be 'art' at all or not ? For example why is it exactly - and who decided that - 'Lord of the Rings' is supposed to be literature, but 'The Hobbit' is not ?

 

[KYRON45]

Is now a bad time to point out that i'm not a fan of Tolkien?

Too soon?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

I don't desire any AI things overall. Whatever this ends up being, my hope is unobtrusive and in it's own silo I can ignore, or better yet it never manifests.

 

[The Firebird]

Getting an ai to generate an image that's exactly the way you want it to be - as I understand it, that's not art, artists don't works like that, and don't want that.

I think there is some disagreement here. Your post brought this to mind, from Martin Scorcese:

Cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it can evolve...I utilized 3D with ‘Hugo’ and de-aging technology for ‘The Irishman.’ Now, with this tool, I can share what I’m visualizing more clearly and efficiently to my creative team — the production designer, art designer, and cinematographer — for them to build on to enrich cinematic intelligence.”

I am intrigued by the rest of your post. I believe in the Death of the Author, but that seems to me to permit analysis without reference to history, medium, movements, and so forth. Allowing the art to stand on its own terms, as it were.

 

[abazaba]

Is now a bad time to point out that i'm not a fan of Tolkien?

Too soon?

Nope, not too soon. But I assume (and you know what happens when we assUme) that you do not consider it to be 'about World War I', in the same way that Tolkien did not.