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The use of AI in video game development has become a hot-button issue in recent months, especially at the very top of the industry. Now, a wide-ranging report claims that Call of Duty publisher Activision sold cosmetics that were partially made with AI.
The piece, which comes via Wired, describes a climate of fear and anxiety surrounding the use of AI in the gaming industry, especially for 2D artists. It opens with a quote from an alleged email from former Activision chief technology officer Michael Vance, stating that artificial intelligence was “top of mind” for the publisher, and that the systems “hold a ton of promise.”
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An internal memo cited later in the piece apparently approved the use of generative AI tools like GPT-3.5 to create concept art and marketing materials. A cosmetic created by AI was then reportedly released Modern Warfare 3 through the in-game store. The Wired report links to the Yokai’s Wrath bundle, which includes a skin, loading screen, sticker, and more, though it’s unclear exactly what was generated by AI.
“I think we all didn’t talk about it much for fear of losing our jobs,” a pseudonymous Activision artist identified as “Noah” said. He further claims that “a lot of 2D artists were laid off” in early 2024 when Microsoft cut 1,900 jobs, and that the remaining concept artists are being “forced to use AI to aid in their work.”
We’ve reached out to Activision for comment on this, and we’ll update this piece accordingly if we hear back. The Wired report presents the AI issue as one endemic to games, with many top studios and publishers like Riot, EA, and Activision struggling to determine the proper use of the technology. The report also suggests that the AI boom has triggered further interest in organizing activity within the industry, which may help explain how large studios like Bethesda have become fully unionized in recent weeks.
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