Ubisoft admits an AI-generated image “slipped through our review process” in Anno 117: Pax Romana

Ubisoft will remove an AI-generated image from Anno 117: Pax Romana after admitting it “slipped through [its] review process”.

As reported by Kotaku, the image – which can be viewed in full here – came to light after players spotted a number of inconsistencies in the artwork that suggested it had been generated by machine, including strange interpretations of human figures and environmental set design.

In response, Ubisoft shared a cleaned-up version and said Anno 117 boasts the “largest team of artists ever for the franchise” and “to help meet the project’s unique scope, they use AI tools for iterations, prototyping, and exploration”.

“This image was a placeholder asset that unintentionally slipped through our review process. The final image is attached here and will replace the current version of this artwork with the upcoming 1.3 patch,” Ubisoft said.

“With Anno 117: Pax Romana being our most ambitious Anno yet, we’ve assembled the largest team of artists ever for the franchise and to help meet the project’s unique scope, they use AI tools for iterations, prototyping, and exploration. Every element players will experience in the final game reflects the team’s craft, artistry, and creative vision.”

Ubisoft does properly disclose AI was used in the game’s development on its Steam store page, something The Alters failed to do when players similarly discovered AI placeholder images in the final build.

It has yet to respond to claims that its German-language localization has also been generated by AI.