Artificial intelligence / machine learning in HICU-RPG game content - this policy was adopted (as modified below) in 2024.
1: Guiding Principle and Use Regulations
1a. The guiding principle of the policy is that human creativity (and in particular, originality) should not be supplanted by AI/ML statistical models, which lack life experience and artistic/authorial intent, and often produce very “generic” output. As such, if HICU-RPG members wish to make any use of AI/ML for producing HICU-RPG content, the use of the software must be under the careful supervision and direction of the member using it.
1b. Large language models and similar text-generation tools may be used for brainstorming, grammatical refinement, translation, and similar tasks, but their output is not allowed on the wiki or for writing used in the game, unless it has a substantial human contribution and has been carefully reviewed by the author. (An exception would be if there is an overriding in-universe reason for a character to respond like an LLM, e.g. some kind of primitive AI is being manipulated in-universe. Any such use should be declared in advance.)
1c. AI image generation programs, and other AI/ML based tools, can be used as part of a creative workflow , but their unmodified generations may not be posted on the wiki or used directly for game content after the implementation of this policy. AI assisted art must reflect the creative intent of the artist making it (see the Guidance below for suggestions on how to do this) and, while allowing for some incorporation of AI “ideas,” the final image produced must be reasonably consistent with relevant descriptions provided in-game, unless it is explicitly a depiction of a non-trivial “alternate universe” (that is, specifically one relative to the setting it is significantly not consistent with) or other specifically noncanonical situation.
2: Intellectual Property Rights
2a. Notwithstanding the rights to HICU-RPG intellectual property previously adopted, HICU-RPG members agree to not knowingly use HICU-RPG images for AI training without the permission of their respective creators.
2b. Notwithstanding the rights to HICU-RPG intellectual property previously adopted, HICU-RPG members agree not to post or share images created by using HICU-RPG images as inputs to image-to-image models, or as controlnet inputs, without the permission of the HICU-RPG images’ respective creators.
Guidance for 1c, not part of the rule: Methods that exclude a work from the category of “unmodified generations” include significant retouching by hand (with or without subsequent low-noise image-to-image passes), image-to-image on one’s own non-AI artwork, selective inpainting and compositing/collage of multiple generations, and the use of supplementary hypernetworks such as ControlNets. Curation and prompt engineering alone are not generally sufficient to impart creative intent, though of course such generations might be legitimately included in a larger project that otherwise is in keeping with the spirit of the rule, such as an AI-generated texture in a 3D model.
It is useful to express one’s intention in advance of beginning image generation using such methods as a written description (not in “prompt language”), a preparatory sketch, or photobash. This helps to preserve the creative expression of the human. However, this is a suggestion rather than an absolute requirement, as it is understood that artistic workflows are highly individual and this is an area in which technology is rapidly evolving.