Wizards of the Coast union expands, demands company stop pushing generative AI

The Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering teams at Wizards of the Coast are forming a union, demanding the company cease its push for generative AI. According to IGN, the Wizards of the Coast-CWA union is now encompassing the D&D team and Team X, responsible for Magic: The Gathering and Duel Masters. The union has until October 13 to gain recognition from Wizards voluntarily.

Previously, the union only covered the Arena team, which successfully unionized in April and has since won its election. If Hasbro declines again to recognize the union, the entity would have to file with the National Labor Relations Board and win another election.

In their petition outlining demands, the union writes that leadership has pushed for the adoption of LLMs and generative AI without considering the desires of the teams. This practice must cease; the teams deserve a strong and enforceable AI policy aligned with their goals and values. The union is also seeking ownership of creations made by employees outside of work, mirroring its stance in the April announcement letter.

Currently, if an employee creates something creative in their free time using their own resources, Hasbro may claim ownership, the letter states. What employees do in their free time should not be dictated by the company; likewise, what they create in their free time should not be owned by the company.

Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro missed the deadline in May to voluntarily recognize a union formed by Magic: The Gathering Arena developers. In that same month, Wizards wrote to its employees, warning that unionizing could result in staff receiving more, the same, or less than they currently have, and suggested that "your voice is strongest when it is heard directly."