Congressman Calls for AI Regulation Following Apparent Use in call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Washington D.C. – U.S. representative Ro Khanna is advocating for increased regulation of artificial intelligence following concerns over its use in the recently released Call of duty: Black Ops 7. The controversy centers on the game’s calling cards, which some fans believe were created using AI image generation software.
Khanna expressed his concerns on social media, stating, “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.”
Activision, the game’s publisher, acknowledged using AI tools as part of its progress process in a statement last week. ”Like so many around the world, we use a variety of digital tools, including AI tools, 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,” the company said.
The use of AI in Call of duty: Black Ops 7 has been met with a negative response from some players, who have noted the apparent reliance on AI-generated imagery.
Khanna has been a vocal proponent of AI regulation for some time, pushing for wider controls over the industry as early as January 2024. His calls for regulation come as generative AI becomes increasingly prevalent in the video game industry.Square Enix recently announced plans to replace 70 percent of its QA testing with generative AI by 2027, and a report from the Tokyo Game Show indicated that over half of Japanese game developers are currently utilizing AI in development. embracer and Microsoft have also publicly acknowledged their companies’ embrace of the technology.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s campaign and calling cards have received criticism, with Eurogamer’s review noting the game represents “a shift away from single-player” resulting in “Call of Duty’s most lopsided and homogenous entry in decades.”
