Statement from Suzanne Stafford and Chaosium regarding a recent AI-generated article about Chaosium founder Greg Stafford

Chaosium and the Stafford Estate are disappointed in 4 Pillar Games’ recent decision to post an AI-generated “historical archive article” on Chaosium founder Greg Stafford, who passed away in 2018.

The piece reads as a lightly edited compilation of existing online sources, and offers no meaningful insights, analysis, or original engagement with Greg’s work.

While we understand AI tools are now common, using them primarily as a shortcut to generate content about a creator who embodied imagination, intellectual rigor, and deep respect for myth and storytelling feels particularly misguided. The result lacks the human care and creativity Greg himself always brought to his writing and world-building.

We also find the AI-generated images of Greg unfortunate. They fall into the familiar uncanny valley and feel disrespectful to his memory. A simple outreach to us would have provided authentic photographs and better context.

Had the article demonstrated genuine engagement with Greg’s legacy, properly credited its sources, and included contact information for corrections, our reaction would have been very different. As it stands, it represents the opposite of the innovative, heartfelt spirit Greg championed throughout his life.

We acknowledge the Sisyphean task of pushing back against AI misuse; however, we felt it important to publicly express our disappointment.

— Suzanne Stafford and Chaosium