Did Riot use AI for the LoL Samira emote?

Riot Games has released a new Samira emote but fans allege that the emote was made using AI.

AI-generated content has surged massively since the ChatGPT and DALL-E 3 went public.  Although figures in the tech industry such as Elon Musk have argued for its benefits, many still criticize the practice. Recently, Twitch came under fire for allegedly using an AI-generated emote for Christmas.

The streaming platform isn’t the only one that has outraged fans with an emote. Fans accused Riot Games of using AI for a new Samira emote. The spread of AI has made differentiating sloppy art from AI difficult for laypeople. Users on social media shared why they believe the Samira emote is made using AI.

Fans allege the Samira emote is made using AI

Some League of Legends fans accused Riot of generating the Samira emote with AI. The Samira emote has multiple issues that led fans to speculate it was AI. At the very least, it was likely a lapse in Riot Games’ quality control. Many players on a Reddit thread believe that all the mistakes are due to AI.  Samira has six fingers, half-formed lips, and inconsistent detailing, typical signs of AI-generated work.

These factors don’t necessarily mean the emote was made using AI. It can also be human error on the artist’s side. Alternatively, it’s possible AI was used as a tool for the artist’s work, making it a hybrid of traditional art and AI-generated images. Those in the animation industry pointed out how common errors such as extra fingers and messy detailing can be. Finally, the artist may have just had an off day, and Riot’s quality control didn’t catch the emote.

This isn’t the first time Riot has been caught using AI

Riot Games has previously been accused of using AI to generate support tickets and even plagiarise a fan’s artwork. In October 2023, an artist claimed that Riot plagiarised their and another artist’s art using AI for League of Legends: Wild Rift. They were shocked that the developer would blatantly use their art without permission. The artist stated in the tweet that negotiations had started with officials.

Riot was also caught using AI to generate support tickets, though a company representative clarified that situation. “The team is still sorting through what happened here, but to answer the big questions here: we don’t write responses using AI, and if you’re talking to AI when you’re communicating with Riot Support, then we’ll tell you,” the representative stated. As AI continues to rise in tech, these accusations may become more common.

Update: Riot has clarified that no AI was used for the emote in an official post.