Fortnite accused of using AI-generated art after fans spot suspicious images in Chapter 7

Fortnite players have accused Epic Games of using AI-generated artwork in the game's latest Chapter 7 update after spotting unusual elements in several images, prompting an extensive search for “AI slop.”

The details:

• In a post to Reddit titled “Say ‘No’ to AI Slop,” a fan posted an image of a poster found in Chapter 7's map showing a Yeti with an uneven number of toes, clearly showing four on one foot and five on the other. Mistakes like this are common for generative AI to make, with Activision, which has confirmed that it had used the technology for in-game content, adding a calling card to Call of Duty featuring a zombie with six fingers on one hand.

• Since the original post, fans have begun searching for more cases of potential AI usage in the game. Other pieces of art highlighted so far include an anime-style Marty McFly spray available in the Battle Pass, which players claim resembles the AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style filters that were popular online earlier this year.
• The controversy stems from Epic CEO Tim Sweeney's recent comments on X, in which he stated that game storefronts do not need to flag titles that use AI in development because "AI will be involved in nearly all future production." This has caused further backlash, with fans claiming that Sweeney shared this viewpoint in an effort to defend Fortnite's alleged use of generative AI. Epic has yet to confirm whether AI was used to create the artwork or aided in the development of any content.