Epic Games shifts to AI-first development model

Epic Games is transitioning to an “AI-first” production model, a strategic shift that has resulted in the delay of an unnamed shooter featuring Marvel and Star Wars characters. CEO Tim Sweeney described the move as a “massive transformation” aimed at maximizing AI acceleration to enable teams to create more and better content.

Under this new workflow, developers have been instructed to move away from hand-written code and utilize full AI workflows to generate art assets. The company is integrating models such as Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini into Unreal Engine 5.8, with further AI features expected in Unreal Engine 6.

While Epic Games communications director Jake Jones stated the company is “embracing AI-accelerated development,” the announcement has reportedly caused internal debate among staff regarding the management of AI-generated errors and the practical success of such a mandate.