Sega has come under fire after it was revealed that a Sonic the Hedgehog alternate-reality game—an online promotional effort—was being used to train AI systems with information provided by participants.
The Chaos Hunt ARG launched earlier this week and celebrates the franchise’s 35th anniversary. In the US, players are tasked with tracking down multiple Chaos Emeralds to unlock limited rewards as more locations are cleared.
Details on how the process works aren’t fully clear, but the ARG terms and conditions offer a bit more context. It suggests that you can download the ARG to take part, then scan QR codes in set places across the US, including Venice Beach and Chicago.
That said, some curious fans dug in and reported that choosing to “join the hunt” on the official website brings up a registration prompt asking for your information. The small print on that form includes a notice that you’ll need to agree to a company’s terms and conditions—where the AI component is brought in.
Community is listed as the marketing partner behind the Chaos Hunt initiative, and its terms and conditions say that user data gathered through the campaign “may be utilized to train and improve our proprietary AI models.” It also notes that this information could be used by third-party AI models, while also stressing that steps are taken to protect individuals’ personal data.
Reactions to the news have been mostly negative. “Pretty sure Sonic is supposed to be against AI training like this but alright,” writes BestJonRobEver on X. RikoandTako also echoes the sentiment: “Can companies please stop trying to integrate AI into everything? Even for an Easter Egg hunt we’re involving AI?”
Others, however, appear to have largely brushed it off as a feature of modern marketing. Terminator0245 commented: “Log off Twitter then since this site is doing the exact same thing.”
Although generative AI remains a controversial topic in parts of the West for a range of reasons, people in other regions—like Japan (where Sega is headquartered) and South Korea—seem to show less concern than audiences in America or Europe. Only time will tell whether AI will slowly fade from these kinds of promotional plays.