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The use of AI in the latest Call of Duty has prompted a US lawmaker to call for regulations to prevent artificial intelligence from taking jobs away from human workers.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who represents a large swathe of Silicon Valley, took aim at Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 after buyers noticed the popular shooter contains a significant amount of AI-generated icons, posters, and achievements. Gamers are criticizing it as filled with “AI slop."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.On Friday, Khanna tweeted: "We need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs to extract greater profits."
He added, “Artists at these companies need to have a say in how AI is deployed. They should share in the profits. And there should be a tax on mass displacement.”
Call of Duty studio Activision Blizzard, which Microsoft now owns, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. However, a growing number of US lawmakers are looking to curb AI’s impact on human jobs. Earlier this month, two US senators introduced legislation to require US companies to report AI-related job losses to the federal government in an effort to track the technology’s impact on employment.
On the other hand, gaming companies view AI as a way to streamline game development.
On X, David Friedberg, who cohosts the All-In business podcast, argued that AI could unlock new, higher-paying jobs. "By trying to prevent organizational evolution due to technology, you are limiting technology’s ability to create more value for workers," he wrote.
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“No one is saying that AI may not help with entrepreneurs or small business or medicine,” Khanna responded. “But we cannot allow it to further the income divide and regional divide that is tearing this country apart. There is a way to make sure AI benefits society without repeating the mistakes of unfettered globalization.”
"As soon as the gov't creates 'taxes on automation,' it shackles workers to old jobs," Friedberg tweeted in response. He also argued that a game designer could one day leverage AI to help them compete against large video game studios.
In the meantime, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has received an overwhelmingly negative response based on user reviews on Metacritic.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.
Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how President Trump's tariffs will affect the industry. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
