Ubisoft says AI-generated loading screen was "accidentally shipped" in Anno 117: Pax Romana

Ubisoft has confirmed that an AI-generated loading screen image made its way into the final build of Anno 117: Pax Romana, despite the studio's intention to keep the game free of generative AI artwork. The image, which displayed telltale signs of AI generation including deformed body parts, has sparked renewed debate over the use of artificial intelligence in video game development and Ubisoft's oversight during the review process.

The details:

• Last week, fans spotted that supposed AI-generated artwork appeared as a loading screen in Anno 117: Pax Romana. While Ubisoft disclosed on Steam that "AI tools were used to help create some in-game assets," the company maintained that the final product did not include any AI-generated content, unlike Activision's Call of Duty series.
• In a statement, Ubisoft admitted that the image in question was a placeholder asset that "unintentionally slipped through our review process." The publisher emphasized that the placeholder was never meant to remain in the final release and will be replaced by human-created artwork in the upcoming 1.3 patch.
• The incident has reignited concerns among players about AI's role in gaming, particularly among those who were drawn to the Anno series specifically for its hand-crafted, high-quality artwork. Ubisoft clarified that with Anno 117 being the franchise's most ambitious project yet, the studio assembled its largest team of artists and used AI tools primarily for iterations, prototyping, and exploration rather than as a replacement for original creative work.