Not confusing the two. Exploring their ideas and seeing how even the simple placeholder art looks can spark more ideas for them. Placeholder art didn’t give great art, no, but flexing their creativity and exploring what the game will be can. It doesn’t cause it but it’s sure part of the process. It’s why concept artists are a thing and their entire job is just toying around with art that will never make it into the game.

Think I’m gonna trust the people making beloved games, not some Internet slop apologists on this. And time and time again artists say no to AI and would rather be allowed to cook.

“Placeholder art doesn’t give great art assets. Artists do”. So let them do their thing, not AI.