Epic CEO Tim Sweeney Calls Steam's AI Tags Pointless
In a bold move set to ignite further debate within the gaming industry, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has publicly called for Valve to abandon its AI Generated Content Disclosure policy for games sold on Steam. Sweeney argues that such labels are rapidly becoming obsolete as artificial intelligence tools integrate deeply into nearly all future video game development, rendering current disclosure mandates impractical and unnecessary for digital storefronts.
The Core of the Controversy: Sweeney Challenges Valve's AI Stance
Sweeney's recent remarks on X (formerly Twitter) directly challenge Valve’s current mandate, which requires developers to explicitly state on a game's Steam store page if generative AI was used during its creation. This policy is already in effect, with titles like Embark Studios' Arc Raiders noting, "during the development process, we may use procedural- and AI-based tools to assist with content creation. In all such cases, the final product reflects the creativity and expression of our own development team." Similarly, Activision's Call of Duty pages declare, "our team uses generative AI tools to help develop some in game assets."
Sweeney dismisses these disclosures as unnecessary for game storefronts. "The AI tag is relevant to art exhibits for authorship disclosure, and to digital content licensing marketplaces where buyers need to understand the rights situation," he tweeted. "It makes no sense for game stores, where AI will be involved in nearly all future production." To emphasize his point, Sweeney even offered a sardonic analogy on November 27, 2025: "Why stop at AI use? We could have mandatory disclosures for what shampoo brand the developer uses."
Consumer Rights and Congressional Scrutiny Over AI Art
While Sweeney foresees widespread AI integration, his stance has not been universally embraced. Critics contend that removing these disclosures could hinder consumers' ability to make informed purchasing decisions, particularly concerning in-game assets. This concern gained traction following player complaints regarding Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. On November 14, 2025, players highlighted what they believed were "blatant" AI-generated images, specifically calling card art exhibiting a "Studio Ghibli-esque" style, mirroring a popular AI art trend.
The controversy extended beyond the gaming community, drawing the attention of a U.S. Congress member. The representative publicly challenged Activision, advocating for "tighter regulation to prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs," underscoring the broader socio-economic implications of generative AI in creative industries. It's important to differentiate, as some observers have, between AI used for purely generative art, especially in premium content like battle passes, and AI employed for long-standing development aspects such as NPC behavior or animation, which has been a part of video game development for years.
Epic's AI Vision and Fortnite's Forays into AI Integration
Sweeney's perspective on AI is consistent with Epic Games' own aggressive embrace of the technology. Fortnite, the company's flagship title, has already seen significant AI integration. During the summer, Epic introduced an AI-powered Darth Vader into Fortnite, utilizing AI voice technology developed with Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash and ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5. This was done with the permission of the James Earl Jones family, following the actor's passing in September 2024. Despite initial challenges, where players manipulated the AI to generate inappropriate dialogue that Epic quickly patched out, the event showcased the potential of advanced AI.
Looking ahead, Sweeney shared an ambitious vision with IGN in June, predicting that AI will democratize game development. He believes that within "the next few years," small, ten-person teams will leverage AI prompts to create games on the scale of masterpieces like Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. "AI characters giving you the possibility of infinite dialogue with a really simple setup for creators means small teams will be able to create games with immense amounts of characters and immense and interactive worlds," Sweeney stated, hinting at a future where AI handles extensive dialogue based on simple character synopses.