Magic: The Gathering fans are abuzz with excitement over the latest promotional image conjured up by Wizards of the Coast! The artwork showcases a new range of cards in a retro frame, but some eagle-eyed observers have zoomed in on parts of the artwork to reveal what could be evidence of AI-generated content. This goes against the company’s public statement that they wouldn’t use AI for Magic: The Gathering content – prompting a flurry of debate and accusations.
Wizards of the Coast has firmly denied the accusations and reassured fans, in an X post, that “we understand confusion by fans given the style being different than card art, but we stand by our previous statement. This art was created by humans and not AI.”
Despite the statement, critics aren’t convinced. TaylorGreen (@GreenSkyDragon) posted on Twitter: “created by humans” Right… Have you looked at the pressure meter? The window? The wall next to it? AI was definitely involved here.” Calls have been made for Wizards of the Coast to credit the human artists involved to prove the absence of AI in the artwork’s creation.
The controversy has been further heightened by the heated debate surrounding the Xbox ID@Xbox program. They faced backlash for using AI-generated artwork in a promotional post, prompting observers and indie game developers to express their disappointment about the underappreciation of human artists.
Additionally, Midjourney has been lambasted after a spreadsheet containing 16,000 artists’ names was leaked, indicating their willingness to subvert people’s intellectual property in training their models and selling their products.
This issue reflects a growing unease about the role of AI in artistic creation, particularly in areas traditionally reliant on human talent. It’s a debate that will surely continue, and only time will tell how AI and human creativity will intersect in the creative industry. Whether it’s Magic: The Gathering or Xbox ID@Xbox, it’s clear that people are passionate about protecting the unique contributions of human artists – and that’s something we can all get behind!
