Tim Sweeney, the founder and CEO of Fortnite developer Epic Games, has discussed the role of artificial intelligence tools and systems for the future of video game development. He said AI systems can help smaller teams make big games, while also discussing why the AI landscape has been “tainted” already.

Speaking to IGN, Sweeney said history shows that with every major advancement in technology, there has been a “rise of new games,” and he expects the same to be true for AI. Sweeney mentioned how the battle royale genre was only possible due to advancements in hardware performance and game engines to allow for 100 people to play a game at once.

With advancements to AI, Sweeney said he predicts a future where smaller teams can build grand games.

“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,” he said. “What would it take for a 10-person team to build a game like Zelda Breath of the Wild in which the AI is just doing all the dialogue and you’re just writing some character synopsis? That’s totally going to be within reach over the next few years.”

Sweeney, like other gaming higher-ups, believes AI is a technology that is “ultimately there to empower human creators to create stuff more efficiently,” not replace them.

“I think that’s a good thing,” he said.

Sweeney went on to say that it’s unfortunate that the AI space has been “tainted” by companies that steal other people’s content. But bad actors have always existed and will always exist, and Sweeney believes AI at a base level could be a “multiplying factor and multiplying force on our abilities.”

“So I think there’s going to be a massive evolution as everybody scrambles to learn new skills as you get on top of what’s possible here. But I think as with any other technology that’s improved our lives, the ultimate net opportunity for people is higher,” he said.

Before this, Sweeney said AI systems have a lot of problems and also a lot of opportunities, like any new technology. Sweeney also predicted that generative AI will lead to employment increases overall, as games with bigger scopes need more people to work on them.

The fear of job displacement due to AI is a significant one among video game workers, and companies like EA have been up front in saying advancements to AI systems will lead to job losses in the short term. In the long run, more jobs could be created thanks to AI–according to EA, Sweeney, and others, at least.

Not everyone is so optimistic about the future of AI in gaming. A study of game developers found that although the majority of developers globally already use AI in some form, many dislike it.

Epic itself found itself in hot water recently after adding Darth Vader to Fortnite as an AI chatbot featuring the voice of the late James Earl Jones. SAG-AFTRA filed a complaint against Epic over this. Despite this, Epic is pressing ahead and plans to add more AI features to Fortnite.

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