Activision Confirms Generative AI Use in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Activision, the maker of Call of Duty, has finally acknowledged the use of generative AI in the development of Black Ops 6. This admission comes nearly three months after fans voiced concerns about the quality of certain in-game assets, particularly a "Zombie Santa" loading screen that sparked controversy due to apparent anomalies.
In December 2023, following the Season 1 Reloaded update, players noticed irregularities in several Black Ops 6 loading screens, calling cards, and artwork related to Zombies community events. A key point of contention was the Zombie Santa ("Necroclaus") loading screen, where the character appeared to have six fingers. This is a common issue with generative AI, which often struggles with accurately rendering hands.
Further scrutiny revealed a similarly flawed image depicting a gloved hand in a Zombies community event announcement, also seemingly displaying extra digits.
These observations prompted a wider examination of Black Ops 6's artwork, with Reddit user Shaun_LaDee highlighting further inconsistencies in paid bundles that suggested AI involvement. Following pressure from fans and the introduction of new AI disclosure rules on Steam, Activision added a general disclosure to the game's Steam page: "Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets."
This revelation follows a July report by Wired, which revealed that Activision had previously sold an AI-generated cosmetic item in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 without disclosing its AI origins. This cosmetic was part of the Yokai's Wrath bundle (December 2023), priced at 1,500 COD Points (approximately $15).
The use of generative AI in game development, particularly amidst recent industry layoffs, has raised ethical and practical concerns. Keywords Studios' failed experiment in creating an entirely AI-generated game underscores the limitations of current AI technology in replacing human creative talent. The debate continues regarding the ethical implications, copyright issues, and overall quality of AI-generated content in the gaming industry.
