Recently, Microsoft’s ID@Xbox Twitter account came under fire for posting an AI-generated promotional image promoting indie games on Xbox. The post was made on December 27 and featured a scene of children sledding down a hill decorated with a giant green Xbox logo.
Upon closer inspection, the Xbox post was clearly artificial intelligence
But closer inspection of the footage showed strange images, such as children driving sleds with cranks that were not connected to anything, a man playing a handheld gaming device with his upper lip replaced with teeth, and a boy jumping in the snow who appeared to have a mustache. This is a clear sign of artificial intelligence.
The ID@Xbox account quoted the post as follows: “A walk through indie wonderland. What were your favorite indie games of the year?” Reactions from fans and developers were swift and critical. Some said the use of artificial intelligence for the promotional image showed a lack of appreciation for indie developers.
Notable figures in the gaming community have voiced their displeasure, emphasizing that Microsoft’s failure to invest in hiring artists for advertising casts doubt on their commitment to supporting indie developers.
Pixel artist TAHK0 commented, “Don’t let Xbox use AI to promote indie developers,” while artist NecroKuma3 said, “Nothing says ‘we don’t care about indie developers’ like using AI.” In response to the backlash, Microsoft quietly deleted the post without commenting or responding to the criticism.
It’s part of a growing trend of companies using AI-generated art for promotional purposes. Similar cases include Amazon’s Fallout TV series, a new Pokémon GO event, and even AI-generated promotional images for Ubisoft accounts that shared AI-generated Assassin’s Creed art following staff layoffs.
While there is a ton of content that can be produced with AI images, using it for advertising without specifying it in any way was the main reaction. If even such big companies prefer to use AI instead of paying an artist for an image, it seems that human employment will be jeopardized in the future…
