Good for them to disclose this and do the right thing. Seems to be the expected path for follow in 2026 now that the hype cycle is crashing to a halt.
I'm playing Trepang2 right now. They used AI to write some of the messages found on papers and devices in the game. Finding them, or even reading them, has no bearing on the gameplay. They just help contribute to the lore and offer better insight into the world. I think there's some fun unlockables for finding them all. They found a way to add value to the game without drawing too much developer focus away from critical tasks (adding new levels and fixing bugs).
Same with marketing materials. As long as the marketing doesn't misrepresent the game, I don't think it's a big deal that they used AI to make a 2D pixel art drawing in the poster for a 3D game. It's something else entirely if they used AI generated 3D characters in marketing materials for a 2D pixel art game. I think developers need to be careful when using AI, they have to ask themselves if the generated content either misrepresents the game or dilutes the creativity.
I don't mind AI, as long as the game is good and fun.
If your game is unfun and/or looks like crap (though this is subjective), then I want nothing to do with it whether you used AI or not.
If you have the $$$ to afford art for something you'll be selling that is art-dependent, then you don't have an excuse to not pay artists.
If you don't have the money, especially during the prototyping phase, then feel free. You weren't going to be paying artists anyway.
But, as you approach releasing the product, or once you're selling it and making money, you should strive to do everything you can to hire and pay artists appropriately, if for no other reason than you'll likely get a better quality product that is more cohesive across the board.
AI assets are a gapfiller, not an end goal.