Epic Games CEO recently commented on AI disclosure for game stores, stating it makes no sense as it will be involved in almost all future production.
The gaming industry has conflicting views about AI use in development at the moment. Some seem to be for it, with companies like Ubisoft pushing for full-scale AI-driven research projects. The Witcher 3 director also spoke about AI in development, stating he doesn’t feel “that games created with only AI will have soul.” Now Tim Sweeney has shared his two cents on AI in game development and store disclosure.
Epic Games CEO Says AI Will Be Involved in Nearly All Future Production
The CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, recently responded to a comment on X (formerly Twitter) that said Steam and other digital marketplaces “need to drop the ‘Made with AI’ label.” Sweeney said that he agrees with that comment, adding that 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.”
Sweeney added that AI disclosure “makes no sense for game stores, where AI will be involved in nearly all future production.” When another user spoke about customers deserving to know, Sweeney poked fun at those statements, stating, “Why stop at AI use? We could have mandatory disclosures for what shampoo brand the developer uses. Customers deserve to know lol.”
Talking about AI in game development, Activision was recently under fire by the community for using generative AI to create their calling cards for Black Ops 7. The controversy received so much attention that it prompted a response from US Congressman Ro Khanna. He stated that “we need regulations that prevent companies from using AI to eliminate jobs to extract greater profits.”
What are your thoughts on Epic Games’ CEO’s comments on AI disclosure in game stores? Do you agree they should be dropped, or should they remain? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Big studios are trying to create this narrative that generative AI is “inevitable” because they need it to be, else they’d have to find an actual justification. They only use it to be more profitable, at the expense of creativity and jobs. The public knows it, many are sick and tired of it, and what do you know, many small studios—that could really benefit from cutting corners—are still putting in the resources to produce all images, voices, musics… the human way.
People like Tim Sweeney seem to be scoffing at AI labeling, but they’re threatened, they know the public’s natural aversion for the inauthentic makes AI-labeled productions less desirable.