11 Bit Studios Faces Backlash Over Undisclosed AI Use in The Alters
8 Sources
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11 Bit Studios clarifies its AI use in The Alters after player outcry
The developer said instances of AI text in the game were accidental or planned to be replaced. 11 Bit Studios has drawn the ire of players for the undisclosed use of artificial intelligence in its recent release, The Alters. The new project from the team behind Frostpunk and This War of Mine is a
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Fans slam The Alters after discovering evidence of undisclosed gen AI in images, text, and translation
Players have hit out at The Alters developer 11 Bit Studios after AI prompts were discovered in both subtitles and flavour text in the game, intimating routine use of large language models (LLMs) without disclosure. Since January 2024, Valve has required games that use pre- or live-generated AI to
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'Spitting in the face of your international audience': The Alters caught using generative AI for background text and translations, despite not disclosing such on Steam
The Alters has been enjoying a solid reception from fans and critics alike -- we even gave it a sterling 90% in our The Alters review -- unfortunately, that shine's been tarnished by some recent player discoveries: The Alters almost definitely used AI to generate its background text and
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The Alters studio responds to generative AI criticism saying use was "temporary" or "very limited"
11 Bit Studios has responded to recent criticism of its sci-fi survival game The Alters, insisting controversial AI-generated elements found in-game were either "temporary" assets "never intended to be part of the final release" or used in a "very limited manner." 11 Bit, which has also developed
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Studio Behind The Alters Responds To Generative AI Allegations: 'This Was Never Intended To Be Part Of The Final Release'
The Alters is a narrative-driven sci-fi survival management sim about a research facility populated by clones. It released in June to positive reviews, with critics praising it for wedding interesting character interactions to the usual management sim churn. Now it's getting flamed for
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The Alters Developer Confirms It Used AI for Text, Translations in the Game
11 Bit Studios said it would update the game to remove AI content 11 Bit Studios is facing accusations of including artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content in its survival game The Alters, which was released last month. Last week, a player claimed to have spotted AI-generated text in the
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The Alters Dev Admits It Used GenAI With Some Assets "Mistakenly" Left In The Game, While Other Uses Were Intentional
The Alters developer, 11 bit Studios, has addressed allegations that generative AI technology was used in the game's development, admitting that it did use GenAI tech when making the game, though in some cases it was never meant to be in the final version. While other instances were intentional
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The Alters Developer Confirms It Used Generative AI Text and Translations, Promises Updates - IGN
The Alters developer 11 Bit Studios has responded to fan accusations it used generative AI text and translation in the game, and has promised an update to both to replace the AI-generated content with handcrafted assets. Last week, players of The Alters spotted what appeared to be text generated
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11 Bit Studios, developer of The Alters, responds to criticism after players discover AI-generated content in the game, sparking debates about transparency and the use of AI in game development.
AI Controversy Surrounds The Alters
11 Bit Studios, the developer behind the critically acclaimed sci-fi survival game The Alters, has found itself embroiled in controversy following the discovery of AI-generated content within the game. Players and industry professionals have expressed outrage over the studio's failure to disclose the use of artificial intelligence, as required by Steam's policies
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.Uncovering AI-Generated Content
The controversy began when players noticed peculiar text in the game's background assets and translations. A widely circulated screenshot showed an in-game display featuring a "Captain's Log" that began with the phrase "Sure, here's a revised version focusing purely on scientific and astronomical data," a telltale sign of AI-generated content
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Source: Eurogamer
Additionally, instances of poor AI-generated translations were discovered in the game's localization, particularly in Portuguese and Korean versions
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.11 Bit Studios' Response
In response to the growing criticism, 11 Bit Studios issued a statement addressing the allegations. The studio claimed that the AI-generated assets were used "strictly as temporary [work-in-progress] elements during the development process and in a very limited manner"
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. They explained that the controversial background text was a placeholder that was mistakenly left in the final release due to an internal oversight4
.Regarding the AI-generated translations, the studio stated that these were limited to "a few licensed movies that the alters can watch in the social area of the base," accounting for only 0.3 percent of the game's total text
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. They attributed this to time constraints and expressed their intention to replace these translations with professionally authored versions post-launch4
.Industry and Player Reactions
The incident has sparked intense debate within the gaming community and industry. Lucile Danilov, a game localization specialist, criticized the use of AI in translations as "spitting in the face of your international audience"
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. Handong Ryu, who worked on the Korean translation, expressed disappointment over the AI-generated content that was added without their knowledge2
.Many players have expressed frustration over the lack of transparency, with some calling for proper disclosure of AI use on the game's Steam page
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. The controversy has raised questions about the ethical implications of using AI in game development and the potential impact on the work of human translators and artists5
.Related Stories
Broader Implications for the Gaming Industry
Source: Kotaku
This incident highlights the growing tension surrounding the use of AI in game development. As AI tools become more prevalent, developers and publishers are grappling with questions of transparency, ethics, and the potential impact on creative processes
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. The situation with The Alters may serve as a cautionary tale for other studios considering the use of AI-generated content without proper disclosure3
.Moving Forward
11 Bit Studios has committed to updating the controversial assets and improving their internal processes to address the challenges presented by evolving AI tools
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. However, the incident has already sparked a broader conversation about the role of AI in game development and the need for clear guidelines and transparency in its use5
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Source: Engadget
As the gaming industry continues to explore the potential of AI, it's clear that balancing technological advancements with ethical considerations and player expectations will be crucial for maintaining trust and integrity in game development
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