Wizards of the Coast has reiterated its stance against AI art in response to a controversy involving artwork mistakenly identified as AI-generated in a recent Dungeons and Dragons release.

The use of AI art has been a hot topic as the tools for creating it have become more widely available. Wizards of the Coast previously faced a similar issue when AI-generated art was discovered in Bigby Presents: Glory of Giants. Following this, Dungeons and Dragons replaced the artwork with human-made pieces and amended its future contracts to prevent the use of AI art.

Now, Wizards of the Coast has issued statements through both Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, denouncing the use of AI for art and writing in products from both franchises. These statements echo each other, asserting that the games are based on the creativity and hard work of talented individuals. They emphasize that all creative contributors are prohibited from using AI tools, and these guidelines will remain unchanged.

The controversy surrounding one of its recent pieces of artwork, used to announce the upcoming Dungeons and Dragons revisions in 2024, prompted Wizards of the Coast to release these statements. Many fans and critics believed the art was AI-generated, but artist Nestor Ossandon confirmed, with the support of Wizards of the Coast and independent journalists, that it was hand-drawn, even providing work-in-progress sketches to substantiate this.

While most fans of Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering applaud Wizards of the Coast's commitment, there is still hesitancy. Some fans have pointed out that the company's statement implies that AI tools could potentially be used for concept art or earlier stages, leading to lingering mistrust due to past controversies. This skepticism is rooted in Wizards of the Coast's actions during the D&D OGL controversy and the MTG Pinkerton incident, which have left a stain on the company's reputation. It's clear that Wizards of the Coast has a lot of work to do to regain the trust of its fans.