It feels like people only like/defend Palworld because it has elements of games they believe are 'actually good games' with the realistic graphics and the survival aspect and guns. Its not just the creature designs that are a mishmash of copied assets but the gameplay and visuals are very much just Ark but with Pokemon instead of dinosaurs.
While there isn't any evidence of AI (yet) used in development it just wouldn't surprise me if it was, I don't care so much that they stole details from Pokemon but the possibility that they're stealing from artists is just awful. It just makes me feel hopeless as an artist myself who loves creature collectors that it doesn't take a lot of effort at all for you to make a game and for it to give you millions in numbers back.
If you want Pokemon to make better games you don't have to support Palworld, its so odd to me how people can love Palworld but shit on other creature collectors like TemTem or Yo-Kai Watch for being too similar or a rip-off yet when the most blatant game comes along everyone is willing to defend it, it just makes me feel hopeless about art and game development overall. If you want to 'send Pokemon a message' just stop buying their games and their merch, just stop giving them money.