Modern Warfare 4 Is Once Again Plagued By AI Slop

Modern Warfare 4 Continues Call Of Duty's Controversial AI Streak Image via the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 store page. Published Aug 22, 2026, 8:52 AM EDT James Lucas is an Executive Editor at TheGamer who has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. An expert on FPS games, Soulslikes, RPGs, and survival horror, James has intimate knowledge of a wide variety of titles, providing in-depth coverage and exclusive profiles. Some of the games they have extensively covered include: Half-Life 3, Counter-Strike, Elden Ring, and Fallout. They pride themselves on their consistently thorough research, leveraging nearly a decade of industry experience. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com Modern Warfare 3 introduced Call of Duty to the wonderful world of AI slop in 2023, with DLC cosmetics like the Yokai's Wrath bundle even charging players for the privilege. But it was the wombo combo of Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7 that really riled up the community, with the many-fingered Santa Claus artwork plastered on the main menu for the holidays, and a bunch of cheap-looking calling cards killing any sense of reward when progressing through the ranks. Unfortunately, despite the continued backlash among critics and users alike, Modern Warfare 4 once again utilizes AI art, and fans think they've already spotted a few examples in the ongoing beta. It should be said that this isn't baseless speculation based on a few odd details. We know for certain that Infinity Ward is using AI assets, as it has been disclosed on the Steam page. However, with AI advancing at such a rapid pace, real artists tend to get caught in the crossfire when it comes to these accusations, and it's very possible that the examples we discuss in this article are from real artists. With that said, let's break down the claims. Chips, Tigers, And Anime: The Accusations One example, shared by X user @DANNYonPC, shows two webtoon-style characters on the side of a van. The collar and tie knot blend somewhat suspiciously, finer hair strands have merging ends rather than clear paths, and the shading is incredibly smooth — all hallmarks of AI (yes, that's an em dash, another hallmark. But journalists did it first, damn it). While we can't say for certain that this example was generated with AI tools, these kinds of claims are inevitable given Call of Duty's reputation and the official disclosure. Another example shared by @DANNYonPC shows a gumball machine with promotional art featuring a cartoon tiger. It has the smooth veneer of AI art yet again, not to mention an uneven belt. There's even a character to his right with a hat that appears to melt into his head. One commenter, @BiggieShmac, also spotted an advert for chips that matches those datamined last year, which again appears to be AI-generated. It's unfortunate given that these examples all appear on a map that is otherwise being celebrated for spotlighting games like StarCraft with large, in-your-face posters, but it suggests that Activision isn't paying heed to the backlash and will continue using AI-generated assets regardless. Considering the sheer number of studios funneled into the Call of Duty machine and the ludicrous amount of money the franchise makes, it's baffling that Activision would cut corners like this. Is it really worth risking the ire of its community and incurring even more backlash instead of just hiring an artist? It might seem innocuous to use quick and easy graphics in the backgrounds of maps that most players won't look twice at, but if Activision is willing to use AI for the basics, how far-reaching does its use of AI really go? Live-Service Games Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 activision