Star Wars' new AI Darth Vader under fire for racial slurs

Star Wars’ infamous villain Darth Vader has been turned into an AI, and users have already got it saying racial slurs.

Whatever your opinion is on AI, it’s pretty clear that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon, and now it’s even infiltrated Epic Games’ battle-royale game Fortnite for its new season.

The new season is once again Star Wars themed, featuring famous characters, X-Wings and TIE Fighters, and even the dreaded Death Star looming overhead.

The new Star Wars season has also brought with it a Darth Vader AI companion that can join you in matches, which uses the late James Earl Jones’ voice in a collaboration between Epic Games and his family.

Jones’ family gave a statement on the AI, saying "James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it.”

It was originally kind of cute, with Vader talking about Fortnite and even recognising and interacting with some of the in-game skins, like Hatsune Miku and Sabrina Carpenter for example.

Things have since taken a sinister turn though as some players have trained it to say some pretty heinous things, including racial slurs.

Now getting Darth Vader to blurt out harmless brainrot is pretty funny, but I think we can all agree that's not what's happening anymore; it's since been taken too far, and the AI was only added to the game on Friday.

Epic Games has, of course, been hotfixing it with updates that further restrict what it can and can’t say, but with so many users interacting, it’s difficult to address all of the malfunctions.

Chances are the AI will be removed from the game pretty soon, and Epic Games might think twice before putting another back in.

For now though, the Darth Vader AI is still available to meet and talk to, just don’t be surprised if Lord Vader has some questionable things to say.