WotC Updates D&D's AI Policy After YouTuber's False Accusations

This awesome art by Nestor Ossandón is not AI​

Following a YouTuber falsely accusing an artist who worked for WotC of using AI based on "something feeling off" in a widely watched (but now deleted) video, Wizards of the Coast has updated its AI policy.

For 50 years, D&D has been built on the innovation, ingenuity, and hard work of talented people who sculpt a beautiful, creative game. That isn't changing. Our internal guidelines remain the same with regards to artificial intelligence tools: We require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the D&D TTRPG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final D&D products. We work with some of the most talented artists and creatives in the world, and we believe those people are what makes D&D great.

The YouTuber in question is Taron Pounds, username 'Indestructoboy', and made his now deleted video because, in his words, 'something felt incredibly off'. He's an ENnie-winning game designer, and has since posted an apology on Twitter:

I contributed to "rage bait" content this year after the OGL situation. That's on me. If I was frustrated by a situation, I felt compelled to say something to the camera. That's just not okay. I bought in hard on the "anti-WotC" train and should have just put my energy elsewhere.

Rage-bait videos are a problematic part of not just the D&D community, but on YouTube in general--as a massive Doctor Who fan, my YouTube feed is full of similar stuff about that show. The D&D stuff I see is overwhelmingly negative about how D&D is dying (it isn't, by the way). Unfortunately, that's what YouTube incentivises, and that's what gets the thousands of clicks: video thumbnails with big text, a controversial statement or question, probably a big shocked face, and a giant question mark or arrow, or maybe a jagged cartoony graph trending downwards. It's important to realise that just because that's what gets the clicks, it doesn't make it true. It is, however, a massive part of what drives the community narrative at the moment.

A shout-out should go to Christian Hoffer, who took the time to actually email the artist in question, who confirmed--with evidence--that the art was completely human generated. The YouTuber did not even make that basic step. You can read his report on Twitter here (and you should follow him if you're still on that site). The artist in question is Nestor Ossandón, who responded to Hoffer as follows.

First of all, I do not use artificial intelligence (NOT AI) for my work and no one but you and my director have asked me. And that image is completely painted. It is one of my favorite recent jobs that I have been able to do. And if you see other old works, you can see that my tendency is very similar when it comes to painting. I always play with warm and cold ones on my face. Thanks to the work together with the art director. They give me the freedom and appropriate time to develop it. This character is completely painted from scratch with a gray and superimposed color technique. Then I paint the cold tones to give atmosphere and light. It took me more than two weeks and my director was very happy with this work.

To be clear, Nestor Ossandón did not use AI to create the above art.

The artist provided proof (not that they should have to) which Hoffer posted on Twitter.

​

There's not much real journalism that goes on in the tiny corner of the world that is the TTRPG industry; it’s still a niche topic, although it’s more popular than it’s ever been. I myself do not consider myself as such--I report on stuff, but I don't investigate stuff, and my contribution is not much more than simple reportage and aggregation (not that I undervalue that--I've been doing it for 24 years now, and folks still read it, and I recognise my own value!) Christian Hoffer (ComicBook.com), Lin Codega (laid off from iO9, but hopefully they will find a new outlet soon), Christopher Helton (retired) and other folks like that are great examples of journalism in this little industry. YouTube... there's a lot of great, informative, fun stuff on there, and there are folks I follow and enjoy, but you should be careful!

(Edit—I had some examples of video thumbnails here but I don’t want to give the impression they are related to this AI art episode.)

 

[MGibster]

I feel badly for Ossandón. Thanks for posting this, @Morrus. I'm glad he was exonerated, and I'm hopeful we don't see these kinds of accusations blossom, but I fear we'll see more.

 

[doctorhook]

I don’t follow any YouTubers, so forgive my ignorance, but what channel(s) are those screenshots at the bottom from?

 

[Retreater]

As someone who falls prey to the negative geek culture algorithms of YouTube (not just tabletop gaming but also video games, films, television, etc.), it's something that I've increasingly wanted to avoid. The content is what's highlighted, and I'm spoonfed this stuff as background noise while I'm painting, driving, etc.
Even people I used to go out of my way to watch (Professor DM, Roll for Combat) are becoming more negative.
I wish I could locate better content.

 

[Divine2021]

IMO, these YouTubers are a blight, but as you pointed out, the real problem lies with Google/youtube that incentivizes such catastrophic thinking.

 

[FoolishFrost]

I have to warn: if you show a face on a series of YouTube video clips in a news item like this, there will be assumptions that the face is related to the accuser.

I'm specifically saying that has not been explicitly said.

 

[Abstruse]

It's incredibly frustrating for me as well. Here's the cycle:

• Something happens involving TTRPGs or Hasbro's business
• YouTubers create clickbait content using the most extreme read on the facts possible (esp. if it makes WotC look bad)
• They then do a lot of "I'm not saying this is the case, but it's possible..." or "I'm just asking questions!" dishonest framing and handwaving of responsibility for what is pure speculation and often heavily biased speculation.
• More mainstream "geek news" or entertainment websites want to report on it but don't have anyone on staff or regular freelancers who cover TTRPGs, so they assigned the closest they have (board games, CCGs, video games, etc.)
• These journalists don't know anything about the story and, since it's not their beat, don't have the background knowledge of the RPG industry to understand the full context of events so takes the clickbait YouTube videos as fact.
• The story that gets out is this overly-sensationalized only-barely-true version of events.
• When it's my turn to cover the story (either here on EN World or just talking with people on Discord, Bluesky, Mastodon, or other sites), I explain the real story without the clickbait/ragebait.
• I then get yelled at for "downplaying the real story" or often straight-up accused of being a shill for Wizards of the Coast with a couple of accusations I'm getting paid off to cover for them (I'm not saying I can't be bought, but it'd cost a hell of a lot more than WotC would be willing to spend)

You might have noticed at least the first part of this last week with the story of the Hasbro layoffs where YouTube channels were saying it was Wizards of the Coast laying people off (it was Hasbro and company-wide), that it was somehow connected to Dungeons & Dragons (it wasn't, it's just standard corporate crap to goose end-of-year profit numbers that Hasbro has done before and that a lot of companies do because it's a cheap trick to make the company look better in annual reports at the expense of being heartless to employees), and that it means that Hasbro is going bankrupt (they're still profitable, they're just not growingly profitable - profits aren't up over last quarter/last year, so they had to make it look like they are by cutting expenses which means layoffs).

"A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth has its boots on." In a landscape that rewards lies that make people more angry at the things they're already angry at, this is becoming far worse.

 

[Birmy]

This makes me glad I pay so little attention to that corner of our hobby.

Glad to hear the good news about Ossandon. I think it's a really striking piece and a good choice for them to use to preview the 2024 edition.

 

[darjr]

If you ever wonder about Wizards commitment to real art here’s why. They license that art. It’s an asset. AI art can’t be.

 

[Cynicide]

I used to watch one of those Youtube channels. I got so sick of the clickbait, the 10 minute videos and the worthless tips I unsubscribed. Sly Flourish, Seth Skorkowsky, Willy Muffin and Mastering Dungeons are all I watch/listen to these days.

I get more value from an amateur youtuber with a bad microphone rambling about how he used something in his campaign for an hour than I do from any of these highly produced "10 Tips to Make You an Awesome GM!" videos.