Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 AI Art Controversy Sparks Congressional Call for Regulation
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AI Use in 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 7' Draws Fire From US Lawmaker
The use of AI in the latest Call of Duty has prompted a US lawmaker to call for regulations to prevent artificial intelligence from taking jobs away from human workers. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who represents a large swathe of Silicon Valley, took aim at Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 after buyers
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 appears to feature AI-generated art assets
By all appearances, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 features a not insignificant amount of AI-generated art, Kotaku reports. The game's over 680 Calling Cards -- collectible backgrounds earned through in-game achievements or purchases -- appear to be the main offenders, featuring art that imitates the
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US Congressman calls for regulations to 'prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs to extract greater profit' following Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's calling card fiasco
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 came under intense fire last week, with players and developers alike criticising Activision Blizzard's use of generative AI to produce many of the game's calling cards. Now, US Congressman Ro Khanna has weighed in on the furore, calling for proper regulations on AI use in
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Even members of the US Congress are pushing back against Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's AI use
US Congressman Ro Khanna has responded to Activision Blizzard's AI use in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, highlighting the need for AI regulations in the United States of America. Taking to social media and responding to a viral post about the AI calling cards in the recent AAA FPS, Khanna wrote: "We
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 under fire for using what sure looks like AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style calling card art
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is out today, and if you thought we were going to make it through the day without an AI-generated art scandal, I am here to tell you, hoo boy, you're living in the wrong year. I can't say with 100% certainty that there is generative AI art in Black Ops 7, but an awful lot
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 players call out "awful" apparent use of generative AI for in-game calling cards
With the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, eager fans have criticised Activision for its in-game calling cards seemingly created using generative AI. The calling cards in question belong to the 'Jack of All Trades' campaign challenges, as well as two specific calling cards in the 'Embrace the
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Call Of Duty Leads US Congressman To Call For AI Regulation
The discovery of AI art in Black Ops 7 is forcing a broader discussion of the issues, and some very dumb responses As we reported earlier, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 may be getting decent reviews from critics, it's being absolutely slammed by players over its use of AI. The scale of the reaction to
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Black Ops 7 Faces Backlash Over Alleged GenAI Use for In-Game Artwork
Black Ops 7 reached 100,000 peak concurrent players on Steam after launch Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 released across PC, PlayStation and Xbox platforms last week, and the game's launch has been less than ideal. Concurrent player numbers for the game on Steam have been modest, especially compared to
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 follows GTA 6 in controversies reaching government officials: amid gen AI backlash, US Congress rep argues real artists should "have a say"
The time has come, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is finally here - but it's safe to say that its release hasn't exactly gone over smoothly with the shooter community after the likes of Arc Raiders and Battlefield 6... and the use of generative AI certainly doesn't help. Eagle-eyed fans recently
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Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 Gets A Kicking From Players Over AI
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is proving pretty popular with critics. The latest entry in the infinitely-running series is sitting on a Metascore of 83, with no reviews so far marked as "negative." The same, however, can not be said of user reviews. At a desultory Metascore of 1.9, it's the
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Black Ops 7 under fire for use of alleged AI artwork
This probably won't come as a surprise. The latest Call of Duty game appears to contain AI-generated graphics that also don't look particularly good, and people aren't happy about it. And just a few hours after the game's release, players began sharing screenshots of graphics in the game that they
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Black Ops 7 Faces Backlash After Player Reports AI Calling Cards and Gets Refunded
Players disappointed by the use of AI are claiming refunds on Steam. Call of Duty Black Ops 7 hasn't had the smoothest of launches. Upon arrival, its co-op campaign caught instant flak from the community, and the game is now embroiled in controversy over allegations of AI-generated assets. Images
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Is Out, And It's Immediately Being Called Out For Being Filled With AI Slop
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is officially out on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. If you pre-loaded the game, you can jump in right now and start your journey with the latest release in the annual shooter mega-franchise, seeing everything this year's entry has to offer. Which, players have immediately
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Activision Confirms COD: Black Ops 7 Contains AI Generated Slop
Stop me if you've heard this one before: The latest Call of Duty game seems to contain AI-generated art that doesn't look very good, and people aren't happy about it. This time, it's the newly released Black Ops 7. On November 14, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launched across consoles and PC. And
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Who actually benefits from Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's AI art controversy?
I've lived through many Call of Duty controversies, from MW2's No Russian mission to loot box overload. Still, few have arrived as swiftly, or as on zeitgeist, as the discovery that Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's calling cards appear to include generative AI artwork. What began as a handful of
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U.S. Congressman Blasts Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Alleged AI Images: 'We Need Regulations That Prevent Companies from using AI to Eliminate Jobs' - IGN
"Innovation and technological advance is patriotic and good for humanity provided it serves people." A member of U.S. Congress has now called out Activision Blizzard's use of generative AI in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and demanded tighter regulation to "prevent companies from using AI to
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Activision Responds to Complaints of AI-Generated Assets in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 - IGN
"Like so many around the world, we use a variety of digital tools, including AI tools." Activision has issued a statement in response to player outcry regarding the seeming use of generative AI art assets in a number of areas of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Players have been taking to social media
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Activision's use of AI-generated art in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has drawn criticism from players and prompted US Congressman Ro Khanna to call for regulations preventing companies from using AI to eliminate jobs and extract profits.
Congressional Response to Gaming Industry AI Use
US Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) has called for federal regulations on artificial intelligence following controversy over AI-generated content in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The Silicon Valley representative took to social media Friday, stating: "We need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs to extract greater profits."
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Source: PC Magazine
Khanna's intervention comes as the latest Call of Duty installment faces intense criticism from players who discovered what appears to be extensive use of AI-generated art assets throughout the game. The congressman emphasized that "artists at these companies need to have a say in how AI is deployed" and proposed that workers "should share in the profits" while advocating for "a tax on mass displacement."
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AI-Generated Art Assets Spark Player Outrage
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 features over 680 calling cards—collectible backgrounds earned through gameplay or purchases—many of which appear to utilize AI-generated artwork. Players have particularly criticized the Studio Ghibli-inspired illustrations, describing them as "AI slop" and noting their unpolished appearance for a $70 premium game.
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Source: GameReactor
Activision has confirmed on the Black Ops 7 Steam page that the development team used "generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets." In response to inquiries, the company stated it uses "a variety of digital tools, including AI tools, to empower and support our teams to create the best gaming experiences possible for our players," while maintaining that the "creative process continues to be led by the talented individuals in our studios."
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Industry-Wide AI Adoption Concerns
The controversy reflects broader trends in the gaming industry's embrace of artificial intelligence. Square Enix recently announced plans to replace 70 percent of its quality assurance work with generative AI, while surveys at Tokyo Game Show revealed that over half of Japanese developers are incorporating AI tools in some capacity. Western companies including Embracer and Microsoft have also publicly committed to leveraging AI technologies in their development processes.
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Source: Eurogamer
The use of Studio Ghibli-style imagery has drawn particular criticism, as AI-generated content mimicking the renowned animation studio's distinctive aesthetic has become increasingly common. This trend gained prominence when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman adopted a Ghibli-style AI-generated profile picture, despite Japan's largest manga publisher accusing OpenAI of "trampling on the dignity of artists" with its Sora 2 video application.
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Economic and Policy Implications
The debate has sparked broader discussions about AI's economic impact. David Friedberg, co-host of the All-In business podcast, argued that AI could create "new, higher-paying jobs" and warned that government intervention might limit technology's ability to create value for workers. However, Congressman Khanna responded that while AI may benefit entrepreneurs and medicine, "we cannot allow it to further the income divide and regional divide that is tearing this country apart."
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This controversy aligns with recent legislative efforts to address AI's employment impact. Earlier this month, two US senators introduced legislation requiring companies to report AI-related job losses to the federal government, demonstrating growing political attention to artificial intelligence's workforce implications.
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Player Reception and Market Impact
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has received overwhelmingly negative user reviews on Metacritic, marking the lowest user score for any Call of Duty game to date. The Steam rating currently sits at 42% positive, with players criticizing not only the AI-generated art but also the game's campaign design and repetitive gameplay modes. The game holds the distinction of being the first Call of Duty title to launch on Xbox Game Pass, representing Microsoft's strategy to justify recent subscription price increases.
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