AI in TTRPG

AI in TTRPG is a hot topic, and many publishers claim they do not use any AI for their products. But what about the smaller publishers, or even in your own game, is AI something you could or should use?

Recently, there was a fiery debate in the Icelandic TTRPG group on Facebook regarding the usage of an AI-generated image by the local gaming club. Some were opposed to any use of AI in the TTRPG space and called for the club to use real artists. The club’s president said that paying artists was something the club’s finances could not handle and that AI is an integral part of today’s landscape, whether people like it or not.

Before I dig deeper into this subject, I want to make it clear that the unethical use of any art for monetary gain is not something I condone. Whether it is for AI or any other project, authors of ideas, art, and texts should be given credit where it’s due.

AI in TTRPG

Ever since the advent of AI, the usage of such technology in the TTRPG space has been mostly frowned upon. Some publishers have taken a hard stance against AI, such as Kobold Press, while others have said they will not use AI-generated content, such as Paizo (see here). Then there are those publishers who openly use AI, such as the Sweden-based publisher Riotminds. The Icelandic VTT Quest Portal uses AI for its Assistant, which is a rules encyclopedia and an all-around GM helper tool.

In August, White Wolf came under fire for a job advert in which they said applicants should be familiar with AI tools. Needless to say, once this was picked up and posted on Reddit, things went south real fast. White Wolf was forced to issue a statement explaining which tools the company was referring to, many of which are likely used by most other publishers as well, such as Grammarly, Asana, and Google Lens.

I would not be surprised to hear that many publishers use AI for fact-checking, editing, color correcting, and so on. The same applies to many other industries and is what lies ahead. Police, health care, and teaching are among the industries affected by AI, and it will continue to have an increasing impact on our society.

Generative AI

As I mentioned above, most publishers refrain from using generative AI, since much of this software is built on unethical practices that do not credit or properly pay artists. ChatGPT, Midjourney, and many other generative AIs train their models on huge data banks that often contain copyrighted art, but many do not pay artists any royalties. OpenAI (the owner of ChatGPT) only recently made a deal with many publishing houses to access their content, but of course, pay for it. However, that money goes to the publishing company, and it’s up to each publisher whether the authors receive any of it.

Few generative AIs approach the issue more ethically, offer opt-in or opt-out clauses, only use art approved by the artist, or ensure that artists are paid for the use of their art, such as Adobe Firefly or Tess AI.

If you see AI-generated content, it is not necessarily created using unethical methods and might be generated by AI models trained more ethically. However, it is hard to know just by looking at an image or reading a text; asking questions before jumping to conclusions can go a long way.

Using Generative AI in your home game

I admit that I use generative AI in my home game. I find it helpful to have a sparring partner for my ideas, to generate images to help players envision locations or NPCs, or to look up rules on the fly. I know that many people do not use AI like that and do not like it; that is the way it is. I am upfront about it, and my players are well aware that I do, and if they do not like it, they are free to either voice their concerns or leave the game.

However, I do not use generative AI for monetary gain or when writing modules or sourcebooks. I use Grammarly for editing (I also use similar AI tools when I write blog posts like this).

If you decide to use generative AI in your home game, make sure you are open about it and let your players know. If you want to ensure that artists get their credit and/or paid, be sure you use any of the generative AI tools that train their models with approved data sets. Such information can usually be found on the software’s FAQ page.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution

It is nigh impossible to halt the ongoing onslaught on AI. Sure, the bubble will burst at one time or another, but like the internet, this isn’t going away. We need to learn to use this technology, live with it, and become empowered by it. Some jobs will go away (just as milkmen, lamp lighteners, or typesetters did before), and some jobs will change. It is inevitable.

However, it is my firm belief and hope that art and artists will endure. Just as computer music did not make other types of music obsolete, art will survive. We, humans, are incredibly good at spotting what is real art and what is not. AI will not replace art; it might imitate it, but never replace it.