Science & Tech · AI · 2 hrs ago
Epic Games shifts developers towards AI-assisted game development
Epic Games, the US company behind Fortnite and the Unreal Engine development tools, is shifting its teams towards using more AI.
Chief executive Tim Sweeney said the company is moving developers into new roles to speed up AI use.
He said the aim is to help teams make more and better work, not to produce the same amount with fewer people.
Epic’s Unreal Engine is also used by other game makers.
The shift comes amid debate about AI’s effects on creative work, and about six months after Epic announced more than 1,000 job cuts, which it attributed to broader business issues rather than AI.
Sweeney said using AI could help Epic and other developers make code and content faster.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and no further steps were specified.
Epic Games is shifting developers towards greater use of artificial intelligence in game development, chief executive Tim Sweeney said on Oct 12.
Sweeney said the aim is to help teams build more and better products, not to do the same work with fewer people.
The company plans to extend the benefits of its AI use to teams working with Unreal Engine, its game-development software.
The move comes amid debate over AI’s role in creative work and about six months after Epic announced more than 1,000 job cuts, which it attributed to broader issues rather than AI.
- Who
- Epic Games, led by chief executive Tim Sweeney.
- What
- The company is moving developers to increase the use of AI in development.
- When
- Sweeney announced the move on Oct 12.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Sweeney said the aim is to help teams build more and better products and help Epic and other developers adapt to AI.
Epic Games and Tim Sweeney
Critics of AI use in creative work
Purpose of AI
Epic Games and Tim Sweeney
Sweeney said AI should help teams build more and better products, rather than do the same work with fewer people.
Critics of AI use in creative work
A user on X criticised Sweeney’s response to concerns, saying his “inability to read the room is really really astounding”.
Role in game development
Epic Games and Tim Sweeney
Sweeney said AI could empower creators and help developers adapt to changes in the industry.
Critics of AI use in creative work
The article describes AI’s role in art and creative sectors as a subject of heated debate.
Epic said it would lay off more than 1,000 employees and attributed the decision to broader issues, rather than AI.
Sweeney announced that Epic was moving developers to retool for greater AI use.
Sweeney responded on X to criticism of his position on AI.
- Announcement
- Oct 12
- Company
- Epic Games
- Chief executive
- Tim Sweeney
- Planned focus
- Maximum AI acceleration
- Software
- Unreal Engine
- Earlier job cuts
- More than 1,000 employees
What people are saying
The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal
Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be. Personally I’m optimistic about it and see it as empowering for creators.
moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration
inability to read the room is really really astounding
Sources
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