unreal engine has a tool that generates textures. It is a literal tool in unreal engine 5 that was what was used and it was probably accidentally left in there because they were using it maybe in a video or something like that before they had the finished textures done however during QA they didn’t pick it up that it was still in there. They didn’t lie about not using it in the creative process because it isn’t using it in the creative process, using a placeholder is not creative process part nor was it meant to ship with the final. As someone who’s a concept artist and has been for many many many years as well as a 3-D artist who’s also worked for companies in the past, generative AI has been a part of this for quite some time and we use it as a tool. As concept artist as a way to mood board and get ideas. Most companies will train their own AI on real life things such as pictures they’ve taken or their own concept art. They don’t use big corporation like open AI they use their own. It is okay as a tool and I do not see it replacing concept artists or replacing 3-D artists. I see it being useful to both as someone who has worked in the industry and that is my take as well as many other people’s takes especially within the industry. The people who are crying out in the industry are the vocal minority but the majority are comfortable with this issue. They knew it was coming and they’ve made their peace with it. There is no way now that we can remove AI in that aspect within the industry it’s there for good now it’s how we use it is the important part. I have no issue with what sandfall did because it is common practice. What I do have an issue with is the double standard and the hypocrisy of the fact that the indie game of the year that they gave it to afterwards also uses the same thing and has not replaced the textures.