Epic Games has confirmed a major shift towards using artificial intelligence, marking what its chief described as a “huge pivot” for the US company behind Fortnite.
The move was acknowledged by the firm’s boss while responding to critics of the direction being taken. He said that “much of the room wants it to be 2016, but it’s not”, indicating that the company does not intend to operate as though the games industry were unchanged from that period.
The comments place AI at the centre of Epic Games’ future direction, although the details supplied do not specify which products, services or areas of development will be affected. They also do not set out a timetable for the change or explain how the company plans to implement it.
Epic Games is best known for Fortnite, one of its major gaming properties. The confirmation signals a significant change in emphasis for the business, while the response to critics shows that the role of AI is already generating debate around the company’s plans.
