Sega's AI Disclosure for Crazy Taxi Sparks Backlash
43sThe controversy around AI in game development is a hot topic, and the direct quote from Sega's disclosure is highly shareable.
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The video discusses the controversy surrounding the use of generative AI in the development of the upcoming game 'Crazy Taxi World Tour' by Sega. It highlights the AI-generated content disclosure on Steam, the developer's explanation of AI as a support tool for concept art, and the negative community reaction.
[00:02]
Context: Last Crazy Taxi game was in 2002
The last Crazy Taxi game was released in 2002, making the upcoming 'World Tour' a long-awaited sequel.
[00:14]
Sega's AI disclosure on Steam
Sega's Steam page includes an AI-generated content disclosure stating they use generative AI as a support tool to help developers focus on creative tasks, and that no AI was used for performers.
[00:27]
Community backlash begins
A top comment on a post about this says 'This is why we're sticking to the PS2 version,' indicating strong negative sentiment from fans.
[00:39]
Creator's explanation: AI for concept art
Original series creator Kenji explained that AI was used as a reference for concept art; artists would look at generated images and draw the final assets, with everything else made by humans.
[01:08]
Criticism of the AI usage
Commenters criticized the use of AI, calling it 'lazy' and a 'plagiarism machine,' and questioned why concept artists couldn't draw their own ideas.
[01:21]
Further mockery of the AI reference
Another user mocked the need to AI-generate a taxi for reference, since the game is about taxi driving, making the AI use seem unnecessary.
The video illustrates the gaming community's strong opposition to AI in game development, even when used as a minor support tool, and highlights the reputational risk for companies like Sega.
Mentioned in this Video
Study Flashcards (3)
What did Sega's AI disclosure on Steam state?
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What did Sega's AI disclosure on Steam state?
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Sega uses generative AI as a support tool for developers to provide better content and allow developers to focus on creative tasks, with no AI used for performers.
00:14
How did the original series creator justify the use of AI?
medium
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How did the original series creator justify the use of AI?
medium
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He said AI was used as a reference for concept art; artists would look at generated images and draw the final assets, with everything else made by humans.
00:39
What was a top comment criticizing the AI use?
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What was a top comment criticizing the AI use?
easy
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'This is why we're sticking to the PS2 version.'
00:27
💡 Key Takeaways
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Sega's AI disclosure
Reveals the official stance and the specific use of AI in game development.
00:14
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Creator's clarification
Provides context that AI was only used for concept art, not final assets.
00:39
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Community backlash
Shows the strong negative reaction from fans, which is a key industry signal.
01:08Full Transcript
[00:02] for context, the last Crazy Taxi game that came out was in like 2002. So, all the way at the bottom of the Steam page is a little tag, AI-generated content disclosure. The developers describe how their game uses AI. And it reads, "At
[00:14] Sega Corporations, we utilize generative AI as a support tool for developers, aiming to provide better content to our users and enable developers to focus more on creative tasks. We have used such generative AI support tools during
[00:27] the development of Crazy Taxi World Tour. No AI was used in reference to the performers in the game." A top comment for a post about this reads, "This is why we're sticking to the PS2 version." And a Kotaku article written by Kenneth
[00:39] Shepherd provided even more context. Where the original series creator, Kenji writing, quote, "We used it as a reference. Quote, so our artists will ideas, and they would look at that generated image, and they would draw the
[00:53] everything from programming to assets, everything is made by an actual human. to look at, and they would actually create the thing that would go into the game. So, I guess used in the concept of concept art." And people in the comments
[01:08] had their things to say. One of the top comments reads, quote, "We were lazy to do the concept art and copy from the plagiarism machine." End quote. "F off. they wanted to generate their ideas, they would draw the effing idea, you
[01:21] know, which is their job as a concept artist." Another user says, "Using implementing them yourself is not meaningfully different from how AI straight up a terrible and lazy answer that made them look even worse. Sorry,
[01:35] this was just funny. Quote, "You need to AI-generate a taxi for a reference?" End quote. Because again, this is a taxi driving game.
