Fortnite-maker Epic Games confirms 'huge pivot' towards using AI

Fortnite-maker Epic Games is making a "huge pivot" towards using artificial intelligence (AI) in its development of video games, according to boss Tim Sweeney.

The US firm's CEO made the announcement on social media, external, saying developers are being moved to "retool for maximum AI acceleration".

It comes after Epic delayed the release of a collaboration with Disney featuring characters from Star Wars and Marvel, according to a report from Bloomberg, external.

BBC Newsbeat has approached Epic Games on its use of increased AI and the reported delay to its Disney project.

Details on the Disney project are yet to be announced, but Bloomberg reported developers were asked to use AI tools to finish the game.

It said directors told staff "no more hand-written code" and are switching to having all the game's art "generated with full AI workflows".

Epic's founder and CEO Sweeney didn't publicly comment on Disney collab, but did confirm further details around the company's use of AI in a series of posts on X.

He said the purpose wasn't "to do the same stuff with fewer people" but to give developers the tools to build "more" and "better stuff", something he called "empowering" for creators.