In a change of heart, “Magic: The Gathering” and “Dungeons & Dragons” publisher Wizards of the Coast has admitted to using generative AI in a recent promo image — after initially claiming AI wasn’t used. Last week, users on social media noticed some strange incongruities in the image, a steampunk scene showcasing some of the company’s new “Magic” cards. After users pointed out wonky dials, wires that didn’t line up, and lightbulbs that appeared to have far too many filaments, the company initially denied that it or its contractor had used any AI tools. “This art was created by humans and not AI,” Wizards of the Coast wrote in a since-deleted tweet. The claim didn’t sit well with keen onlookers, who kept pressing the company on the telltale details. “Either you are lying to us or your artist is lying to you,” tabletop game creator Tom Cartos tweeted. “This is blatantly AI, it took me less than a minute to find multiple examples of clear AI generation.” Now, in an apparent attempt to save face in light of a massive wave of users flooding the company’s social media accounts, the official “Magic” X account issued a new statement. “Well, we made a mistake earlier when we said that a marketing image we posted was not created using AI,” it reads. “As you, our diligent community pointed out, it looks like some AI components that are now popping up in industry standard tools like Photoshop crept into our marketing creative, even…Wizards of the Coast Denies "Magic: The Gathering" Art Was AI-Generated, Then Admits It Was