Watch Your Language, Anon: ‘Call of Duty’ AI Tool Penalizes Millions of Toxic Players
Video game tycoon Activision has unveiled the early outcomes of its AI moderation tool for Call of Duty, which it introduced last year. The tool, called ToxMod, has resulted in over 2 million accounts experiencing “in-game enforcement for disruptive voice chat” since its implementation in August. Activision initially released ToxMod in beta prior to the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, and has gradually expanded its use worldwide. ToxMod is designed to identify and address “disruptive” comments in 14 different languages across the games Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Modern Warfare III, and Call of Duty: Warzone.
According to Activision, only 1 in 5 users actually reported instances of disruptive behavior, indicating a concerning trend where players fail to report such incidents to the Disruptive Behavior team. However, in cases that go unreported, the voice moderation system allows Activision to take action against Code of Conduct violators. The company emphasizes the importance of active reporting. Since implementing ToxMod, Activision has observed a ~50% reduction in players exposed to severe instances of disruptive voice chat. This success has enabled the company to refine its moderation approach and witness a month-over-month decrease in repeat offenders.
Players found to have violated the Code of Conduct will face consequences such as being globally muted or restricted from certain social features. Activision is also seeking ways for players to provide additional feedback. The company has updated the Call of Duty Code of Conduct to remind gamers of the behavior that may lead to account reporting. The updated conduct policy emphasizes the zero-tolerance approach towards toxic speech, including bullying, harassment, and derogatory remarks based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, culture, faith, mental or physical abilities, or country of origin.
Call of Duty remains committed to combating toxicity within its games and aims to work together with the community to ensure a fair and enjoyable gaming experience for all. As artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize various industries, Microsoft, Activision’s parent company, has also integrated generative AI tools into Office applications and Xbox.
Edited by Ryan Ozawa and Andrew Hayward