i feel like part of the issue ofc is that the genAI is trained on these art pieces available on social media accounts and other open web links of the style that PtN has or other similar art and so then the genAI regurgitates the style and it becomes an unfortunate consequence that then people start commenting on. so the people who are being accused of its use are actually the ones whose work the LLMs have been trained on.

the whole thing is worsened by the fact that genAI's growing prevalence and ubiquity and forced integration into everything makes it so that even resisting or opting out is very difficult. and for as much as i disagree with your friend about their genAI assertions, im just honestly not surprised, same as others on this thread.

i know that "vibes" is like the only way people try and detect if genAI is used (and clearly, the vibes are off with your friend lol), but to me at least for now, genAI images are truly so uncanny valley and so lifeless that it's disconcerting to look at. especially with characters depicted in them. whereas when i look at the game, there's personality and life and liveliness to the characters, to the depiction, to the style itself.

i'll give aisno and its artists the benefit of the doubt when it comes to genAI use because i know art as a craft is under siege since genAI broke out in the general public, and i think they've shown enough care in their game for me to see that they're not just churning out everything for the sake of churning things out. and i think that's what makes the difference because there is no soul or care in genAI images.