*Please note that this article is a translation from Japanese using a translation tool. We apologize for any awkward expressions.
Are you familiar with the "Pokémon Card Illustration Contest 2024"?
This illustration contest is hosted by the operators of the Pokémon Card game.
However, there has been an outcry from users on Twitter (referred to as X) because numerous illustrations that appear to have been AI-generated have passed the initial screening. This article summarizes the series of events and the ensuing controversy.
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What is the "Pokémon Card Illustration Contest 2024"?
The "Pokémon Card Illustration Contest 2024" is an illustration contest sponsored by the developer of Pokémon cards (Creatures Inc.). Winners will be awarded the following prizes:
Overall Best Work Award
1 person - $5,000 prize + the winning work will be made into a Pokemon card
Best Card Illustration Award/Best ex Card Illustration Award
1 person each - $3,000 prize + the winning work will be made into a Pokemon card
Excellent Work Award 6 people - $1,000 prize
Judges' Award 15 people - $500 prize
https://www.ptcgic-cr.com/2024/
The grand prize is $5,000 plus the ability to have your illustration made into a card, which is quite a generous prize for an illustration contest, making this a contest that has attracted attention from Pokemon and Pokemon card fans.
A large number of AI drawings are submitted to the 2024 Pokémon Card Illustration Contest
Illustrations that pass the first round of judging are actually posted on the official website (link below).
At first glance, they all look like wonderful, adorable Pokémon illustrations. But if you look closely, you'll see that some of them have the distinctive touch of AI illustrations.
Many X-users have pointed out that the Eevee illustration above looks like it was definitely generated by an AI! A total of 300 works passed the first round of judging for the Pokémon Card Illustration Contest, and it seemed to me that about 1/10 of those were illustrations that looked like they were generated by an AI.
ぷい
And above all, Pokemon that have been around for a relatively long time (such as Pikachu and Eevee) may be easier to generate because there is plenty of learning data for the generation AI and their designs are not complicated, but there were many works in the Pikachu and Eevee categories in particular that had a touch that is unique to generated illustrations.
I felt that this was another factor that strengthened the possibility that they were generated illustrations.
When I ran it through an AI generation checker, it was judged to be AI.
Of the illustrations that passed the first round of screening, we ran both hand-drawn illustrations that were not suspected of being AI-based and illustrations that were suspected of being AI-based through the AI checker.
*Due to copyright issues, the illustrations have been blurred. (Red = AI illustration, green = hand-drawn illustration.)
This AI-generated checker is provided by Hive and is known for its high accuracy (link here), and it gave the suspected AI-based illustrations an impressive score of over 90% (highly likely to be AI).
If you think about it, the cute illustration of Eevee submerged in water seems a little odd, as it's not a water Pokémon. In fact, it seems that a very similar illustration (of Vaporeon) has been discovered, which makes you wonder if it could have been the source of the plagiarism.
Why is the AI illustration from the "Pokémon Card Illustration Contest 2024" causing such an uproar?
The Pokémon Card Illustration Contest has caused a lot of controversy, but some people are saying, "If there's no rule banning AI generation, then surely there's no problem?" Certainly, if the contest organizers haven't banned it, then there's no way to blame anyone.
However, a few problems have been pointed out, as follows:
The contest rules don't say anything about "no AI generation allowed"…
Regarding production method, either 2D or 3D is acceptable. Please create according to the following:
https://www.ptcgic-cr.com/2024/guidelines/
Creatures Inc., the organizers of the contest, have not made any specific statement banning the use of generative AI.
Given that generative AI has become increasingly common in recent years, the lack of any mention of it being prohibited could be interpreted as meaning that "it's OK to use generative AI!"
However, some people are saying, "If it's a contest, shouldn't you just draw properly and submit it?"
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In fact, if an illustration created using generative AI were to win the grand prize, you might wonder what the point of holding a contest is, since anyone can use generative AI to generate high-quality illustrations.
Even though each person can only submit up to three illustrations…
This is a big problem in this contest.
Submissions are limited to three (3) submissions per person. Submissions exceeding three (3) submissions may be disqualified.
https://www.ptcgic-cr.com/2024/agreement/
As stated in the official application requirements, each person can only submit three illustrations.
However, if you take a closer look at the actual illustrations submitted, you'll see that there are three or more illustrations submitted that appear to have been drawn by the same person (in an AI-style style), with subtly different names.
It is unclear whether these are the same person, or if they just happened to have similar names, a similar style, and the same Eevee.
Criticism of X-user contest
As a result of this series of incidents, X users have expressed the following concerns:
Were the judges also AI?
Is this a prompt contest?
The management is also wrong to tolerate fraud.
Because of people who cheated, people who applied with honest drawings have lost their spots. If there were no people cheating, people who drew honestly might have been able to pass the first round of screening. It's infuriating to see people who draw honestly get made fun of.
A large number of AI drawings are submitted to the Pokémon Card Illustration Contest: Summary
Personally, I don't think the issue is that "AI generation should not be used," but rather that the sheer number of fraudulent or compositionally incorrect illustrations submitted gives the impression that there is a lack of love for Pokémon and that the contest is only interested in the prize money, and it takes away from the fun that is inherent to the contest.
I also think that it's only natural that distrust would grow if the organizers tolerated this.
Will the Pokémon Card Illustration Contest continue to allow the use of AI generation in the future? In light of this incident, I would like the guidelines to be revised.
ぷい
