Nexon has initiated a probe into allegations that AI-generated advertisements for The First Descendant were utilized on TikTok

Update, Wednesday August 20, 2025: Nexon has released further information regarding its recent TikTok AI advertising blunder. In an apology, the company noted TikTok lacks a mechanism for identifying potential copyright violations in ads submitted through the TikTok Creative Challenge.

The company mentioned in a statement on X/Twitter on August 20 that a creator responsible for improperly using content from DanieltheDemon has been banned. They highlighted these ads appear only when users interact with The First Descendant’s account via ads, not as regular posts.

Nexon aimed to clarify the situation, adding that although it might have seemed certain ads were posted and deleted, this was not the case. The company is looking to enhance its advertisement and marketing review protocols.

"We extend our heartfelt apologies for any inconvenience and disappointment generated by the recent TikTok Creative Challenge situation.

"The TikTok Creative Challenge is designed for creators to voluntarily produce content as ads. Upon consulting with TikTok, it was revealed there isn’t currently a system for checking potential copyright breaches, and TikTok is investigating further for any similar instances.

"The confirmed issue involved unauthorized use of DanieltheDemon’s work by another user. TikTok has recognized this as a breach of its rules and has already blocked the user’s account.

"We also want to clarify that creator advertisement videos are not uploaded as standard posts on our official account. These videos are shown only when users access our account through advertisements.

If viewers directly visit the official account, these videos won’t be displayed. This functionality was newly implemented by TikTok on August 15, which may have caused confusion about videos being posted and then removed.

We acknowledge the severity of the TikTok advertising issue and recognize our responsibility to ensure the accuracy of our marketing materials and honor the work of our creators and community.

Therefore, we will reinforce our review procedures, with additional checks alongside our development team, to avoid similar problems in the future. We are committed to improving our review processes thoroughly.

Moreover, we are dedicated to maintaining transparency and accountability to rebuild trust with our community and creators.

Again, we apologize deeply for the upset and inconvenience this incident has caused. We appreciate your understanding."

Original story: Nexon has initiated an investigation after players of The First Descendant discovered numerous AI-generated ads on TikTok, including one that allegedly used a creator's likeness without permission.

The company released a statement following a viral Reddit post by user iHardlyTriHard that highlighted four AI-styled ads found in a short browsing session.

Though the statement didn’t directly address the AI ads, it apologized for "the delay in providing notice as the [investigative] review is taking longer than expected." Details about when Nexon was informed about the ads or when the review started were not provided.

Nexon expressed an intention to "inform [players] of certain irregularities identified in the operation of [its] TikTok Creative Challenge for creators" and stated the initiative "enables creators to submit content voluntarily as advertising content." They emphasized that all submitted videos were "verified through TikTok's system."

"However, we have become aware of cases where the circumstances surrounding the production of certain submitted videos appear inappropriate," the statement continued, leading to a comprehensive joint investigation with TikTok to uncover the facts.

"We sincerely apologize for the delay in providing this notice as the review is taking longer than expected. Upon completion of the investigation, we will promptly update through an official notice. Thank you for your patience and understanding."

Nexon has yet to address DanieltheDemon's public assertion of lack of consent for the use of his likeness.