Epic Games is moving toward permitting AI training on outputs from Unreal Engine and MetaHuman, according to CEO Tim Sweeney. In a response to a Kotaku article about a DMCA takedown of an AI‑generated Fortnite clone, Sweeney explained that the company is working to remove current EULA restrictions, letting individual game developers decide whether AI training is allowed. The shift follows Epic’s broader push into AI‑first development and new AI tools in Unreal Engine 5.8. However, the gaming community has criticized the move as hypocritical, noting that Epic previously took down an AI‑created Fortnite clone while planning to use developer‑created content for its own AI models. It remains unclear whether this training data will stay internal or be sold to third parties for AI development.
Tim Sweeney highlighted that each game using Epic’s tools can set its own AI training policies, giving developers the choice to permit or restrict such use. The company’s stance has sparked debate over copyright, fair use, and the ethics of leveraging creator‑generated assets for machine‑learning purposes. As Epic continues to integrate AI into its ecosystem, stakeholders await clearer guidelines on data ownership and usage rights.
Source: TechPowerUp News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing