As for their statement that no AI generated content will end up in the actual game - the issue with using Gen AI for concept art is that, unless it is discarded for just not being useful, it will instruct how assets, atmospheres and such are constructed in-game. So, yes, it is indirectly AI influenced. Even ignoring the plagiarism issue surrounding learning models, it's just going to make the general visual direction much blander. AI is not good at having a vision, it "generalizes" into the prettiest thing possible. It's watered down.
It's incredibly rare that concept art simply becomes the finished product.
Most often concept art looks nothing like the final product.
If generative AI is used for concept art, it would most likely be for what generative AI is actually good for. Which is quickly turning a vague idea into something tangible that people can look at. Not for creating actual art designs.
I.e. If someone was like "What would it look like for a T-rex to be riding a mecha-shark that's shooting a laser mini-gun at Adolf Hitler?" instead of having to spend time sketching and drawing this, they just plug it into Gen AI and get a few mocked up scenes which can be used as a prompt for an actual artist if they decide that's a concept they want to include.
This being what Gen AI supposed to be, a tool to help artists. Rather than a replacement for them.
This is also what the purpose of concept art is about. You visualize concepts that will help inspire your final product, maybe you reuse certain details you liked from some of the concepts, but the main thing is just getting the ideas down to see what they look like before you make up your mind and start to create and refine the final product.
