Company CEO Kevin Rountree said the £6bn business was strongly committed to protecting its IP and respecting its human creators.
AI art's ongoing spread into the board game industry over the last two years has been met by dismay, anger and fear by artists and illustrators working in the space. Many are concerned not only that the technology is built on artwork that has been stolen from them, but that their very livelihoods are at stake if publishers choose to make use of fast and cheap AI-generated images instead of hiring human artists.
BoardGameWire approached a host of tabletop game artists for their views on the technology in the wake of Wise Wizard Games becoming the latest well-known board game publisher to begin using AI generated images in its projects. One of the most powerful and heartfelt replies came from Kyle Ferrin, whose singular work across games such as Root, Arcs and Oath has become one of the most recognisable styles in board game art.
Star Realms maker Wise Wizard Games has become the latest well-known board game publisher to begin using AI generated images in its projects, despite widespread criticism from artists that the technology is built upon stolen work.
Spiel Essen, the world's biggest board game fair, has stopped using AI generated images to market the event, citing criticism from industry professionals and consumers about last year's campaign and ongoing uncertainties about the legality of the technology.
Wonders of the First, a contentious collectible card game project which has raised more than $1.4m since launching on Kickstarter last week, has been told by the crowdfunding platform to pull the campaign for its inclusion of cards which can be redeemed for NFTs.
Wingspan and Scythe publisher Stonemaier Games has come out strongly against using AI in creative work, with co-founder Jamey Stegmaier telling BoardGameWire his company wants "nothing to do with it".
Awaken Realms has taken down AI-generated promotional images for its newly-announced Puerto Rico 1897 Special Edition crowdfunding campaign after being contacted by the game's licensor Ravensburger.
A newly-announced deluxe edition of classic economic strategy game Puerto Rico has come under fire after promotional images for the campaign appeared to show tell-tale signs of using AI to create the artwork.
