U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, strongly criticized the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the new game Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 by Activision. It all started when players discovered Studio Ghibli-style calling card images that appear to have been created by AI. Khanna reposted a report about the images on X/Twitter and wrote: "We need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs just to increase their profits. 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."
This post quickly sparked a debate. Players complained about the AI-generated images on social media immediately after the game's release. Activision Blizzard acknowledged that it used various digital tools, including AI, in the creation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 to help its teams create the best possible gaming experiences. However, it also emphasized that the entire creative process is still led by talented people at its studios.
We need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs to extract greater profits.
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) November 14, 2025
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. https://t.co/uU2tmt8pDJ
Proposals to Protect Workers
In another post on X/Twitter, Ro Khanna proposed specific measures inspired by Nobel laureate Acemoglu. He discussed tax reforms that would discourage excessive automation. He also proposed giving workers and unions a say in how AI is introduced and ensuring that they benefit from it rather than being replaced by it. Khanna made it clear that he does not want a complete ban on AI, but rather safeguards to ensure that workers share in the profits from increased productivity.
Here is what Nobel Laureate Acemoglu proposes:
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) November 15, 2025
✅ Tax reforms to discourage excessive automation
✅ Guardrails for worker input before deployment. Not a Luddite complete ban.
✅ Support unions and workers to bargain for workers benefitting from productivity gains
When one commenter objected that restricting investment in AI could hinder progress, Khanna replied: "Innovation and technological progress are patriotic and beneficial to humanity if they serve people. We need to think about how this is implemented and how people can continue to have meaningful work and independence." He added proposals such as a tax system that does not encourage excessive automation, worker councils to guide the deployment of AI as a tool, rules for sharing profits from AI, plans to hire young graduates or retrain displaced workers, and a tax on mass displacement. All these points are intended to ensure that the technological revolution benefits ordinary Americans.
Similar Cases in the Gaming Industry
This is not the first time Call of Duty has faced criticism over AI. A similar situation occurred back in February with the previous game, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, when Activision admitted to using generative AI for a loading screen featuring a zombie Santa, which fans labeled "AI slop." Players expressed their anger on social media at the time.
Khanna is not the only one addressing AI in the gaming world. PUBG publisher Krafton recently announced that it was becoming an "AI-first" company and offered voluntary severance packages to employees. However, its studio Unknown Worlds Entertainment says it will not use AI in the upcoming game Subnautica 2. Other industry examples include Square Enix, which plans to replace 70% of its quality assurance (QA) testers with generative AI by 2027. EA, meanwhile, told its employees to treat AI as a "thought partner."
Outside the gaming industry, Pope Leo XIV also commented on the issue, stating that AI must respect the sanctity of human life. Khanna, who previously criticized Roblox for failing to adequately protect children, is now connecting these issues in a call for regulations that would protect workers from losing their jobs to AI.
Other Problems with the Game
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has other issues troubling players as well. The story campaign is online-only, with no option to pause levels, and the game kicks you out if you are inactive for too long. Players complain that there are no checkpoints for saving progress. Reviewers gave the campaign a score of 6/10 and described it as a wild experience due to its grand ambitions, though not always a successful one.
The game was released on November 14, 2025, for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Players have criticized it not only for its use of AI, but also for these technical limitations, which make the game more difficult to play.
Sources: ign.com and gamespot.com
