Sweeney Pushes Back on Marketplace Disclosure Requirements
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said it “makes no sense” for game stores to label titles made with AI, arguing that AI tools will shape nearly all future production workflows. His comments were a response to a post by Matt Workman, who claimed digital marketplaces should drop the “Made with AI” tag because it has lost practical value. Workman said the label originated from early backlash among artists and is difficult to enforce, adding that platforms themselves rely on AI systems to detect intellectual property issues.
Sweeney agreed with Workman’s core argument, though he noted the tag still has relevance in contexts such as art exhibits that require authorship disclosure and licensing marketplaces where buyers need clarity on rights.
Industry Policies and Developer Pushback
Generative AI has become common in game development, where it is used for artwork, voice-overs, and dialogue. Steam, one of the largest game distribution platforms, allows AI-generated content but has required developers to label AI-made elements since January 2024. This policy has led to debate among players and developers. Some users on X said they avoided what they called “AI slop” and preferred to support “real artists.”
Companies such as Nintendo and Obsidian Entertainment have said they do not plan to use generative AI in their games in the near term, though AI-produced content continues to grow on major platforms.
Data Shows Rapid Increase in AI-Disclosed Games
A July study by Totally Human Media found that 7,818 titles on Steam disclosed generative AI usage, making up 7% of the platform’s roughly 114,126 games. This reflects a significant increase from the previous year, when only 1% of games carried such disclosures.
Sweeney’s Broader Views on AI in Game Development
Sweeney has spoken frequently about AI’s influence on game creation. Earlier this year, he told IGN that emerging tools could allow a 10-person development team to build a game comparable in scale to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild within a few years. He also said generative AI may support “entirely new genres” of games that would not have been feasible without such technology.
Featured image credits: Trish Tunney Photography via Flickr
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