Publié : 23 November 2025
Actualisé : 3 hours ago
Fiabilité : ✓ Sources vérifiées
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📋 Table of Contents
🎮 A Small Finger… Ignites a Whole World
Ah, Call of Duty! Every new release is an event, an earthquake in the gaming universe. Millions of players on edge, ready to scrutinize every pixel, every line of code. But this time, it wasn’t a revolutionary gameplay bug or a new game mode that set the internet ablaze. No, this November, the warning shot came from an almost grotesque visual detail, a small oversight that tipped the franchise into a national political debate: a six-fingered hand.
Yes, you read that right. Such a trivial, yet symbolic, error in the latest installment, Black Ops 7, was enough to transform an anticipated launch into a full-blown scandal. How could such a “detail” escape the vigilance of a giant like Activision? That’s the question everyone is asking.
🎨 The “AI Slop” That Ignited the Firestorm
Just hours after launch, the community quickly reacted. Screenshots flooded social media: “calling cards” (those personalized profile cards) displayed a strangely out-of-place “cartoon” style for a war game, with blatant inconsistencies. Impossible perspectives, merged objects, and of course, that six-fingered hand, emblematic of a glaring imperfection on the “Reeled In” card.
Players’ verdict was swift and decisive: Artificial Intelligence. The term “AI slop” quickly emerged to describe these generic, low-quality visuals. It’s an insult to art, a slap in the face to the creative effort one expects from a premium-priced AAA title. Was the “human touch” sacrificed at the altar of productivity?
The consequences were immediate. Black Ops 7 is now among the lowest-rated entries in the franchise’s history, an indelible stain for a giant like Call of Duty. Does AI truly belong in artistic creation in this manner?
Key takeaway: “AI slop” refers to low-quality AI-generated content, often identifiable by blatant visual inconsistencies. Its appearance in an AAA game like Call of Duty caused widespread outrage, raising questions about the value of human creativity and quality control.
📉 Activision, a Defense in Troubled Waters
Faced with the storm, Activision had to explain. Yes, they use AI. A disclaimer was even discreetly added to Steam, acknowledging the use of generative AI tools “for the development of certain game elements.” But their official defense, presenting AI as a mere “tool” to “support” creative teams, rang hollow for many.
Had the video game giant previously promised that everything was “100% reworked by humans”? Why the radio silence on the exact assets involved? This opacity fueled doubts, suggesting that Activision tried to normalize AI at the expense of artistic quality. The platform was even forced to offer refunds to disgruntled players, a rare sight for such a title.
Is money the only driver, at the expense of artistic integrity? The question is legitimate.
| Aspect | Before the Scandal | After the Scandal |
|---|---|---|
| AI Usage | Unmentioned / Denied | Admitted as a “tool” |
| Expected Visual Quality | High-end (AAA) | Perceived as “AI Slop” |
| Activision’s Stance | Evasive / Silent | Offer of refunds |
🏛️ From Pixels to Capitol Hill: AI in Congress
What could have remained a simple gamer debate took an unexpected turn. The Call of Duty pixel scandal reached the US Congress. Ro Khanna, a Democratic Congressman from California and ironically the representative for Silicon Valley, did not mince words in criticizing Activision.
For him, the Black Ops 7 affair is much more than a simple anecdote: it’s a blatant symptom of a deeper problem. AI, far from being a driver of innovation serving humanity, is perceived as a means to eliminate creative jobs to maximize profits. The message is clear: ethics must prevail over profitability at all costs.
We need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs to increase their profits.
Khanna, far from being a technophobe, acknowledges AI’s positive potential. But not just any way. He categorically refuses to let AI become a job-destroying machine for creative workers and proposes concrete solutions to regulate its use.
Important: Ro Khanna’s proposals include increased decision-making power for artists on AI deployment, and an equitable sharing of AI-generated profits with employees. The goal is to ensure innovation serves people, not the other way around.
🔮 Is the Gaming Industry at a Crossroads?
So, what does this six-fingered hand story teach us? That while AI offers fascinating prospects, it also represents an immense ethical and creative challenge. The Call of Duty affair is just a warning shot, a clear alert for the entire entertainment industry and beyond. The public and policymakers are increasingly vigilant.
The balance is delicate: how to integrate AI tools without compromising quality, without dehumanizing creation, without threatening jobs? Should innovation always take precedence over the human value of artistic work? This is the great dilemma of our time.
This debate is only just beginning. And what if the future of creativity, video games, and even our society, depended on how we collectively answer these questions? One thing is certain: the era of “AI slop” may already be ending, thanks to one too many fingers. And that might just be good news.
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is ‘AI slop’ and why did it cause a scandal in Call of Duty?
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