Magic: The Gathering artist quits: "You can't say you're against AI then blatantly use it"
UPDATE: "We are rethinking our process."
UPDATE 9/1/24: Magic: The Gathering maker Wizards of the Coast has issued a statement saying it will work with external vendors to ensure AI-generated artwork is kept out of promotional material for the game.
The statement follows the recent departure of an artist at the company, who said he had quit in protest at the promotional material.
"Thanks to our diligent community who pointed out a series of recent marketing images may have included elements of generative AI, we are rethinking our process of how we work with vendors for our marketing creative," Wizards of the Coast wrote in a new statement.
"We already made clear that we require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the Magic TCG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final Magic products. What's now apparent is that we need to update the way we work with vendors on creative beyond our products - like marketing images we use on social media - to make sure that we're supporting the amazing human ingenuity that is so important to Magic.
"Along with so many others, we also want to get better at understanding whether and how AI is used in the creative process. We believe everyone benefits from more transparency and better disclosure. We can't promise to be perfect in such a fast-evolving space, especially with generative AI becoming standard in tools such as Photoshop, but our aim is to always come down on the side of human made art and artists."
ORIGINAL STORY 8/1/24: Artist Dave Rapoza has quit working for Wizards of the Coast following claims recent promotional material used for Magic: The Gathering was generated using AI tools.
Although Wizards of the Coast refuted accusations that a recent image was generated via AI, fans and artists alike were quick to point out inconsistencies with the image.
The charge is particularly emotive given Wizards of the Coast confirmed last month that it "require[s] artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the Magic TCG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final Magic products".
"We understand confusion by fans given the style being different than card art, but we stand by our previous statement," the company tweeted on Friday, before adding: "This art was created by humans and not AI."
Noted artist Dave Rapoza was not convinced, however.
"Don't play stupid, if you can't admit this is obviously AI, then I'm definitely done working with you all - don't insult our intelligence," they said.
"And just like that, poof, I'm done working for Wizards of the Coast," Rapoza tweeted over the weekend. "You can't say you stand against this then blatantly use AI to promote your products, emails sent, goodbye you all!
"If you're gonna stand for something, you better make sure you're actually paying attention, don't be lazy, don't lie.
"Don't be hard on other artists if they don't quit," Rapoza added later. "I can and can afford to because I work for many other game studios and whatnot - some people only have [Wizards of the Coast] and cannot afford to quit having families and others to take care of - don't follow my lead if you can't, no pressure."
Rapoza later said that "there's still money to be made in art, even at wotc", but said their issue was that WotC took the "high road" and advertised that it expected its artists to refrain from using AI tools, "to gain favour from artists".
"I work for other companies that use AI and use my work as well, but at least they're honest," Rapoza said.
When challenged if it was "too soon" to levy these charges against WotC, Rapoza replied: "I mean, if all you did was look at the Edison bulbs, you'd know it's not real, but you can wait and see if you like."