Magic: The Gathering has officially banned the use of generative AI in “final” products, following an earlier controversy involving Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), another game from Wizards of the Coast, the parent company of Magic: The Gathering. An artist working on a D&D sourcebook admitted to using AI to finish several pieces of art for the book, prompting Wizards of the Coast to publicly ban the use of AI tools in the art creation process for D&D. The company has now extended this ban to its popular card game, Magic: The Gathering.
In a statement, Wizards of the Coast said, “Our internal guidelines remain the same with regard to artificial intelligence tools: We require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the Magic TCG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final Magic products.” While the wording in the statement is slightly different from the one addressing D&D, a spokesperson confirmed that the guidelines around generative AI are the same for both games, and that the use of this technology is restricted at any stage of the creative process.
The decision to ban generative AI in Magic: The Gathering comes after recent layoffs at parent company Hasbro, where 1,100 staff members are being let go. The layoffs have affected creatives working on both D&D and Magic, and have caused controversy regarding a digital artist job posting at Wizards of the Coast. Critics have suggested that this posting, which involves retouching and modifying artwork, implies the use of generative AI in the art creation process.
This ban on generative AI in “final” products for Magic: The Gathering signifies the publisher’s commitment to the innovation and talent of human artists and creatives. Wizards of the Coast believes that these individuals are what makes the game great, and it aims to preserve their role in crafting the game’s artwork.