For the sprites it's understandable, BUT FOR THE MUSIC, C'MON THERE'S TONS AND TONS OF MUSIC LIBRARY. If you didn't know, here's an example: opengameart.org
What I don’t understand is the principle you’re arguing. You’re saying that using AI generated music is illegitimate, but using royalty free music from a library is fine. If I grab a track from OpenGameArt, I didn’t compose it. If I generate a track with AI, I also didn’t compose it. In both cases, I’m sourcing music because I’m an Unreal Engine developer, not a musician. That’s normal in game development, and that’s why asset libraries exist in the first place. I used generative tools for the parts I don’t have the skills or budget for. That’s no different from using free sprite packs, royalty free music, or any other external asset.
The AI services I paid for gave me full rights to use the assets they generated, which means the music created for my game is an original track that I legally own. That’s actually more legitimate than royalty free libraries, where I’m only borrowing someone else’s work under their license terms. Using AI simply lets me create custom assets I have full rights to, instead of relying on pre made tracks.
I think Ivandur’s issue is kinda like a ship of Theseus issue - if you replace all the parts of the ship with those generated by AI, in what sense is it Theseus’s ship?
I agree with you on this - as a game dev, you’re sourcing assets and work. Game dev is a team effort, and if that team is entirely AI, I think that there is a distaste for it (“Clankers can’t create” is something I’ve often heard thrown around). I think it’s a slippery slope though. If I’ve directed the AI to create every part of the ship in detail, it is similar to if I’ve directed a team to create every part of the ship. I’m still the director. The end product may be better or worse for it, but especially if I am using AI assets, then I think that I bear more of a creative burden, since I can’t blame anyone else but myself if that ship sinks.