Paizo announced a ban on AI-generated art and text content

Paizo announced a ban on AI-generated art and text content in its own official publications and within its third-party marketplaces, specifically for Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite. The publisher behind Pathfinder and Starfinder took this stance to protect the livelihoods of human artists and writers, citing ethical concerns regarding how AI models are trained on existing human-made art without consent.

Key aspects of AI ban policy include:

• No AI in Official Content: Paizo confirmed they will not use AI-generated "creative" work of any kind for the foreseeable future, emphasizing that their products will continue to be produced by human professionals.
• Ban on Marketplaces: AI-generated content is not permitted on the Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite community content marketplaces.
• Contractual Changes: Paizo is adding language to its creative contracts requiring that all submissions must be created by human artists and writers.
• Reasons for the Ban: Beyond ethical issues, Paizo cited the "murky and undefined" legal status of AI content and the belief that customers expect a "human touch" in their games.

Paizo's decision follows similar moves by other tabletop RPG publishers, such as Chaosium (creators of Call of Cthulhu)

On the company’s official Twitter account, Pazio released a statement confirming it won’t accept written or artwork submissions generated with AI programs.

“Since we launched the company in 2002, Paizo has made its reputation with the assistance of countless traditional artists and writers, who are just as integral to the success of our games as our in-house editors, art directors, designers, and developers,” said the company. “The ethical and legal issues surrounding ‘AI art’ and writing prompt programs — and the serious threat they pose to the livelihoods of partners who have helped us get to where we are today as a company — demand that we take a firm position against the use of this technology in Paizo products.”

The studio's clients expect a “human touch” to their releases. The company states that customers can be sure that " human professionals have made the Paizo products.” The company will add new language to its creative contracts stipulating that a human must have created anything submitted. Paizo plans to include confirmation in the FAQs of its Pathfinder and Starfinder Infinite programs – marketplaces featuring homebrew TRPG content – that AI-generated content will not be permitted.

“So long as the ethical and legal circumstances surrounding [AI programs] remains murky and undefined,” Pazio will be “unwilling” to associate with AI technology. The company also stated that they don’t have any plans to feature AI-generated work in the “foreseeable future.” 

RPG’s statement followed a similar press release from the publisher, Chaosium responsible for releasing Call of Cthulhu horror roleplaying game. Late last year, Chaosium stated that the company will not accept any AI-generated artwork to be submitted - they have also updated their art policies and contract templates to include this rule stating “a human artist who can vouch that they created the piece.”

AI tools are gaining popularity, and there is enough incentive to use them - especially considering how little freelance illustrators and writers make in the TTRPG industry! Although Paizo has stated that it wouldn’t use “AI-generated ‘creative’ work of any kind for the foreseeable future,” they have not yet disclosed any plans for how it will prevent AI-generated content from being submitted to its marketplaces. Currently, no application or software is available to confirm or identify AI-generated text or art.