Fortnite Boss Calls Slams Steam Over 'Irresponsible' AI Labels
Topics: Epic Games, Steam, Valve
Featured Image Credit: Epic Games
Topics: Epic Games, Steam, Valve
The jury is out on the use of artificial intelligence in video games, and while we need it to control our enemies and teach NPCs how to interact with us in realistic ways, there's an increased backlash against companies that try to hide it under our noses.
Even for those who are honest about the use of generative AI, the furore can be severe. In recent memory alone, we've had drama with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's 'AI slop' allegations, and Baldur's Gate 3's Larian coming under fire for using AI, as well as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 having some of its GOTY shine taken off it for the same reason.
While we previously said that this bubbling cauldron of controversy could spark a revolution among developers, one gaming Goliath has hitched its cart firmly to the AI horse.
With this, Epic Games' Tim Sweeney has clapped back at Valve, demanding AI disclaimers on the Steam storefront, branding his rival as 'irresponsible'.
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Arguing that AI will make things more creative for developers, Tim Sweeney called out Valve in a fiery interview with PC Gamer. Here, the Epic Games overlord said that we should see AI as a 'superpower' that can help us build whole cities without having to create every door and window by hand. This comes with a caveat, as Sweeney warned: "If it weren't for some AI companies ripping off people's content, I think we should be praising that as a tool for making it easier for people to create."
PC Gamer noted that the tool for which Unreal Engine integrations will be available has been accused of copyright infringement.
As for Valve, Sweeney vented: "If you want to launch a game, and get it as widely publicized as possible, you've got to put it on Steam so people can wish list it, and if you want to play it on Steam, then you have to get this Scarlet Letter of AI attached to your product, and now there is a hater community trying to kill the game."
It's no secret that Valve and Epic Games are in competition with their stores, but twisting the knife further, Sweeney added, "I think it's really irresponsible of Valve. They shouldn't do it because it makes it much, much, much harder for a game developer to have a chance of success.
"You have to choose from either not using tools that can make you way more productive, or probably failing due to competition that does."
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While it's clear Epic won't be adding its own 'AI Generated Content Disclosure' like Valve started for Steam in 2024, it's interesting to see the differing stances of both parties.
Sweeney's words don't come as much of a shock, especially as he doubled down on the AI revolution. This hasn't come without its problems, and if you want an example of when Epic's maybe gotten it wrong with AI, who remembers Fortnite's debacle when an AI-controlled Darth Vader started spouting racial slurs?
In November 2025, Sweeney took to X and said it 'makes no sense' for games to come with AI disclaimers when he sees it as becoming an integral part of all future development.
He also hyped up his masterplan for Unreal Engine 6 at Unreal Fest, saying that AI will speed up development with the next release, helping to enable "content, code, and economies to become portable and interoperable across games, ecosystems, and engines."
It was also here that he showed off how you can use Anthropic's Claude to furnish an entire apartment with a prompt. As the gaming giants draw their battle lines and the AI wars rumble on, it doesn't look like Tim Sweeney will be budging on his stance.