Hasbro CEO Confirms Generative AI To Play Heavy Role In Future Of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’, Says Technology’s Popularity Is “A Clear Signal That We Need To Be Embracing It”
According to Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks, not only is the company all-in on embracing generative AI, but they are also looking to have the technology play a pivotal role in the future development of Dungeons & Dragons.
Cocks provided this insight into the toy manufacturer’s AI plans during a September 12th speaking appearance at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Technology Conference.
Asked for his thoughts on how AI could be used to bring down Hasbro’s production costs, the CEO revealed, “Inside of development, we’ve already been using AI.”
“It’s mostly machine-learning-based AI or proprietary AI as opposed to a ChatGPT approach,” he told attendees, as per a recap provided by Futurism. “We will deploy it significantly and liberally internally as both a knowledge worker aid and as a development aid.”
Turning to which specific aspect of the technology he was most interested in, Cocks asserted, “I’m probably more excited though about the playful elements of AI.”
“I play with probably 30 or 40 people regularly,” he reflected. “There’s not a single person who doesn’t use AI somehow for either campaign development or character development or story ideas. That’s a clear signal that we need to be embracing it.”
Promising that Hasbro would both use the technology “responsibly” and take steps to ensure that they would “paying creators for their work”, the CEO ultimately concluded, “The themes around using AI to enable user-generated content, using AI to streamline new player introduction, using AI for emergent storytelling — I think you’re going to see that not just our hardcore brands like D&D but also multiple of our brands.”
Notably, Cocks’ public embracing of generative AI comes after Hasbro subsidiary Wizards of the Coast found itself embroiled in controversy after it updated its policies to ban the use of the technology in its products, only to turn around and use it to create a Magic: The Gathering ad.
“Magic and D&D have been built on the innovation, ingenuity, and hard work of talented people who sculpt these beautiful, creative games,” currently reads the publisher’s official generative AI art FAQ. “As such, we require artists, writers, and creatives contributing to the Magic TCG and the D&D TTRPG to refrain from using AI generative tools to create final Magic or D&D products.”
To this end, given Cocks’ recent statements, it’s likely a matter of time until the FAQ is updated to reflect his pro-AI stance.
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