Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launched to a pretty lukewarm reception. After Black Ops 6 was a real return to form for this long-running series, the immediate follow-up has sparked some concerns, namely with the campaign. But another issue has also risen up. Activision was accused of using generative AI in their last game, and now, they’ve acknowledged some use of it in Black Ops 7, prompting a US Congressman to call the game out.
Ro Khanna Rips Black Ops 7 for AI Use
According to IGN, Activision has officially admitted that they used “a variety of digital tools, including AI tools,” in the creation of this game “to empower and support our teams to create the best gaming experiences possible for our players. Our creative process continues to be led by the talented individuals in our studios.” They also admitted to using AI to generate a loading screen for Black Ops 6 last year, much to the chagrin of fans.
Clearly, that backlash didn’t stop them, as generative AI is allegedly at play in Black Ops 7, though it’s not totally clear how much and how prevalent it is. Either way, sitting US Congressman Ro Khanna doesn’t think this is a good thing for anyone, and he took to social media to call it out.
He quoted a tweet that showcases some of the AI-generated artwork present in the game, adding, “We need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs to extract greater profits. Artists at these companies need to have a say in how AI is deployed. They should share in the profits. And there should be a tax on mass displacement.”
Khanna followed up with a few things a proposed bill would do to help limit the spread of generative AI in artistic and other endeavors. These include “tax reforms to discourage excessive automation,” “guardrails for worker input before deployment, not a Luddite complete ban,” and more support for unions and workers.
The unfortunate part of this is that most people don’t want this. There are widespread complaints about Black Ops 7‘s AI images. Players aren’t happy, and they weren’t happy when it showed up in Black Ops 6, either. But this is emblematic of the larger problem with AI. It doesn’t matter what people want.
Call of Duty is one of many companies heading down this road. Consumers everywhere decry the rise of AI, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Google searchers don’t like the new AI overview, but it’s not going anywhere. Plenty of people don’t like the rise of ChatGPT and people’s reliance on it, but it continues to be upgraded and pushed. Nearly every business is using AI in some way and advertising as much.
Black Ops 7 isn’t the sole perpetrator here, and it’s not as if they’re generating their entire game or using AI to create settings, missions, or characters for the story or different modes. But using it anywhere is harmful to artists, and it’s upsetting to fans. And yet, Call of Duty didn’t learn that lesson a year ago, which does not bode well for the future.
Conclusion
There are a lot of issues with Black Ops 7 early on, and while generative AI being used to create calling cards is not one that impacts the actual gameplay, it is an issue many gamers have a problem with. It’s unfortunate, disappointing, and it’s gotten the attention of some members of the US government. Will anything change? It’s unlikely, but perhaps with a sitting Congressman on board, the ball can start rolling at last.
