Magic's integrity at stake

“Magic’s greatest asset has always been its commitment to create a new illustration for every new card,” he [Sam] said. He adds that if we sacrifice that commitment for A.I., “you’d get to a point pretty fast where it just disintegrates and becomes the ugliest definition of the word product.”

So far, Magic’s parent company, Wizards of the Coast, has outwardly agreed with Sam, saying in an official statement in 2023 that Magic “has been built on the innovation, ingenuity, and hard work of talented people” and forbidding outside creatives from using A.I. in their work. 

However, a number of recent incidents —from the accidental use of A.I. art in a Magic promotional image to a very intentional LinkedIn post for a “Principal AI Engineer,” one that Wizards had to clarify was for the company’s video game projects —have left many players unsure whether Wizards is potentially evolving their stance, or merely trying to find their footing in an ever-changing A.I. landscape. 

Like most fans, Magic players remain vigilant about the integrity of the game they love, and the continued creep of A.I. into everything from search engines to dating apps has left many on edge.