Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, the developer of Fortnite, announced on Monday that the company is making a 'huge pivot' toward using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the video game development process.
Sweeney wrote on the social network X that the American gaming corporation is 'reallocating developers for maximum acceleration with AI.' He clarified that the goal of this move is not to accomplish previous tasks with fewer employees, but rather to enable all team members to create more and higher-quality content, and to provide these benefits to all teams using the Unreal engine.
This announcement came amid active discussions about the role of AI in art and creative industries. Furthermore, it occurred approximately six months after Epic Games announced the layoff of over a thousand employees, although company management attributed this decision to broader issues such as slowing growth, rather than the influence of AI.
By increasing internal use of AI, Epic Games will be able to 'survive the AI revolution, help other developers do the same, and emerge from this process with better code and content faster,' Sweeney noted on Monday. He also responded to criticism from one user on X who expressed bewilderment at its 'inability to sense the atmosphere.' In response, Sweeney stated: 'Our job, as a provider of tools and technologies for most of the industry, is to design for the present that is, and for the future that is coming soon. Personally, I am optimistic about this and consider it an empowerment for creators.'
Despite the use of AI in the industry, its application in game development remains controversial. According to PC Gamer data, over 85 percent of game developers in Japan use AI, compared to 36 percent of developers in North America.
It was also reported that Epic Games is delaying the release of a game developed in collaboration with Disney, according to a Bloomberg report from Monday. This game, which was scheduled for a March release and featured characters from Marvel and Star Wars, now requires employees to adopt an 'AI-first' approach to development. Epic Games did not immediately respond to requests for comment.