Activision Confirms Generative AI Use in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Activision, the creator of the Call of Duty franchise, 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, which sparked accusations of using AI-generated "slop."
Following the Season 1 Reloaded update in December, players noticed irregularities in several Black Ops 6 loading screens, calling cards, and artwork related to Zombies community events. The most prominent example was the Zombie Santa ("Necroclaus") loading screen, where the character appeared to have six fingers – a common issue with generative AI, which often struggles with accurately rendering hands.
Following fan pressure and the implementation of new AI disclosure rules on Steam, Activision added a vague statement on the Black Ops 6 Steam page: "Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets."
This revelation follows a previous report by Wired, which revealed that Activision sold an AI-generated cosmetic for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in 2023, without disclosing the AI's involvement at the time. This cosmetic, part of the Yokai's Wrath bundle, cost 1,500 COD Points (approximately $15).
The use of AI in game development, particularly in light of recent layoffs in the industry, has raised ethical and rights concerns among players and creators alike. Keywords Studios' failed experiment in creating an entirely AI-generated game serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the limitations of AI in replacing human talent. The debate continues regarding the ethical implications and the quality of AI-generated content in the gaming industry.
