Epic Games Openly Admits Using Generative AI in Fortnite Development
After six months of player criticism regarding the potential use of artificial intelligence in Fortnite, Epic Games has shifted its stance, opting to openly demonstrate how it utilizes generative AI tools within Unreal Engine. A new video from the developer highlights how its team uses these tools to build characters, skins, and architectural assets for the popular battle royale.
The Reality of AI-Assisted Art
The demonstration video shows an artist working on a character sketch, initially using traditional methods before moving into a tool called “GenMedia.” By inputting a prompt to “clean up the rendering” without altering the base design, the artist receives an AI-generated output. However, the results were far from perfect. The tool introduced unintended details, including a skeleton decoration on a belt pouch, an extra pouch, a new glove, and adjustments to the character's collar.
This required the artist to manually remove the AI-generated errors, raising questions about the efficiency of the process. A similar scenario occurred with a tool named “Nano Banana,” which was used to clean up PBR (physically based rendering) shots for a building. The AI altered the shape of a central sign tower and added or removed details around windows, again necessitating manual cleanup by human staff.
Quality Control and Provenance
Despite these visible discrepancies, Epic Games maintains that its workflow remains rigorous. The company stated, “All along the way there are continual reviews before anything makes it into our games, and artists are careful to respect originality, track provenance of their work, and make sure the finished product meets Epic’s high-quality standards.”
This transparency arrives at a sensitive time for the developer. Players have previously flagged Fortnite assets for strange, AI-like errors, such as a character with nine toes and a clock with nonsensical numbers. Furthermore, the company faced backlash last year when fans forced a generative AI-voiced Darth Vader to say inappropriate lines that violated the game's T for Teen rating.
A Changing Workforce
These revelations regarding AI development come just three months after Epic Games laid off 1,000 employees, citing a decline in Fortnite engagement. While proponents might argue that these tools save time, the necessity of cleaning up AI-generated errors suggests a more complex reality. With a smaller workforce tasked with maintaining high-quality standards under tight deadlines, the pressure to rely on these tools—and the potential for human error to overlook AI-generated mistakes—appears to be a growing concern for the player base.