WotC Issues Yet Another Updated Statement on AI Art
Over the weekend, Wizards of the Coast issued yet another updated statement about generative AI and the artwork they make.
Artwork is one of the most important cornerstones of WotC’s empire. Perhaps it will be less so now that they’re moving into the digital realm. But a big part of what made Magic: the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons stand out so much was their dedication to the visuals of their products. To the point where “being a Magic artist” is a thing you can go out and just do.
And it’s not just cards. Art sells D&D books as well. WotC knows this even now, as the D&D Beyond Marketplace was recently overhauled to show off more of the art inside whatever you’re buying. Sure, the ability to purchase things à la carte was removed as well, but there’s no denying the power of art.
Which is why the specter of AI art keeps rearing up its head. This past Friday, WotC issued a statement recognizing the need for transparency in response to recent AI art controversies.
Wizards issues another AI Art Statement
In a statement on Twitter, D&D released an updated FAQ with the goal being to establish transparency, which in their words is, “critical in the face of evolving issues that affect the games we make, the people who create them, and the community that plays them.”
The FAQ itself again highlights WotC’s requirements for their Magic & D&D creators:
The core of our policy is this: Magic and D&D have been built on the innovation, ingenuity, and hard work of talented people who sculpt these beautiful, creative games. As such, we require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the Magic TCG and the D&D TTRPG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final Magic or D&D products.
But at the core of this FAQ seems to be transparency. WotC revealed that the investigation process is the same whether the initial reports of generative AI comes from their own internal tools or from public reporting. And that they may make a statement if “public discourse” is where the “credible violation” of policy was discovered.
Although a comment may not always be forthcoming:
We try to be as transparent as possible—but not at the cost of people’s privacy, or livelihoods. Our artists put themselves and their names out there with every piece they produce, and our priority is going to be protecting their privacy whenever possible. That means that not all public discourse on generative AI art use is going to result in a public statement by us.
Advertisement
As Generative AI evolves, it’ll be interesting to see how WotC handles it. But it’s something the entire industry has to grapple with, and with their size, WotC helps lead the charge.
What do you think of WotC’s statement? Good? Not far enough?
