It’s a bad time to get caught up in some art-related controversy. Ask the folks at Bungie how that’s going for them.
This time around, it’s Blizzard in the crosshairs of fans. Blizzard added some sprays for its new characters, and a couple of them have people raising their eyebrows.
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Overwatch accused of having AI assets
Spotted by Kotaku, a user on social media posted a pretty direct accusation towards Blizzard, saying, “Overwatch is ABSOLUTELY using AI, LOOK AT THE EYES.” Another post references another spray, this time with some real internet forensics attached with circles on spots they believe are AI giveaways
Kotaku received a response from a Blizzard spokesperson, who stated plainly, “The sprays referenced are artist-made.”
Welp. Does that solve it? I mean, for those two, sure. There could be some AI use somewhere that we aren’t yet aware of. But the larger issue is that, honestly, we’re cooked.
The fact that we’re even at the point where we have to question every single piece of art we see is a problem. I’m about as anti-AI as it gets, and I’m tired of having to question everything. And I know my artist friends are tired of being asked.
One in particular, RenderGoddess, does incredible 3D art, and she’s had to fight off more than a few people who accuse her of producing art with AI. We are in a bad place when people need to be this hyper-vigilant about this stuff.
AI isn’t making things better. It’s sloppy, it’s theft, and more to the point, it’s just flat-out crap. No one wants it, no one needs it. To the companies: Pay artists, pay writers, pay creatives. And stop looking to a machine for everything.
You have a brain and people. Try to use them.
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