Call of Duty maker Activision confirms AI usage in games; how this Steam policy may be behind it

Activision has finally confirmed that Call of Duty titles including the newly released Black Ops 6 and Warzone contain AI-generated content. This announcement comes after a new Steam policy that requires studios to disclose their AI usage in games. The confirmation comes after fans noticed visual inconsistencies in some of the game's artwork, leading to accusations that Activision was using AI to cut costs and replace human artists. The updated Steam policy, which allows AI-generated content but mandates disclosure, may have forced Activision's hand in admitting the use of AI in its popular shooter franchise.
“Our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in-game assets,” Activision said in the Steam listing of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

Activision’s confirmation comes after players noticed a loading screen featuring a zombie Santa with six fingers—a trait often linked to AI-generated content during Black Ops 6's Season 1 "Merry Mayhem" event.
Further investigation indicated that other in-game cosmetics—including loading screens, weapon decals and player cards awarded as rewards or offered in-store bundles—were likely created using AI.
At the time, Activision did not confirm the use of generative AI in Call of Duty, even as player feedback increased.
Some Reddit users also complained about receiving what they described as "AI Slop" in a game sold at a standard price that offers various options for purchasing cosmetic content, such as battle passes, event passes and microtransactions.
Apart from in-game assets, Activision has been using AI across the Call of Duty franchise, including in social media content and chat moderation.
The studio has also sought talent with generative AI skills while its parent company launched Xbox's new tool Muse for game preservation to continue pushing AI for gaming.
However, Activision's use of AI-generated content faces hurdles after the US Copyright Office ruled such works, even when human-assisted, lack copyright protection.
In-game assets refined by humans may qualify, but raw AI imagery—like loading screens and weapon stickers—remains unprotected as this ruling may pose serious challenges for the Call of Duty franchise.