Epic Games doubles down on risky AI Characters in Fortnite
Source Cryptopolitan
Epic Games is rolling out a way for Fortnite creators to build AI-powered non-player characters, following the success of its AI version of Darth Vader. Yet, a senior Epic executive warns that developers should be ready for a “learning curve” as they work with the new tools.
Epic Games itself faced challenges while fine-tuning Vader’s behavior and voice for the game, The Verge wrote.
AI Vader in Fortnite lets players speak to the character, and in return, they hear an AI-generated version of James Earl Jones’s Vader voice.
Saxs Persson, Epic’s executive vice president of the Fortnite ecosystem, says the feature was “the culmination of a very intense effort for a character everybody understands.” The team spent a lot of time deciding how Vader should respond to players and perfecting his voice to match the films.
Beyond sound, Epic focused on making sure Vader fits into gameplay in a clear way.
“When he’s on your team, he’s a menacing, aggressive force,” Persson explains. The goal was to give players an experience that feels true to the movies, while using familiar Fortnite mechanics. Persson hopes that other creators will be able to build similar AI characters in their own game modes.
Fortnite’s AI Vader’s initial launch wasn’t smooth. A well-known streamer, Loserfruit, managed to prompt Vader to swear during a live session. Epic quickly patched the issue, and Persson describes the incident as a “learning experience.” He says the team has since put multiple layers of safety checks in place to catch and fix problems fast.
Darth Vader AI already accidentally swore & called Loserfruit a "Thug".. they'll hotfix this asap 😭😭pic.twitter.com/deDlqZOXpv
— HYPEX (@HYPEX) May 16, 2025
“We do our best job on day one,” Persson notes. “But more importantly, we’re ready to surround the problem and actually have fixes in place as fast as we can.”
Looking ahead, Fortnite creators who want to add AI NPCs will have access to the same safety tools Epic used for Vader. They’ll be able to tune how characters react and sound, while relying on Epic’s systems to prevent unwanted behavior.
Meanwhile, actor union SAG-AFTRA has filed a complaint over Epic’s use of AI to recreate Darth Vader’s voice. The union claims that Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic, chose “to replace the work of human performers with AI technology.”
SAG-AFTRA alleges this was done without notifying the union or bargaining over terms. The union said it supports its members and their estates in controlling how digital replicas are used, and wants actors to share in any benefits.
“We must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader’s iconic rhythm and tone in video games,” the union stated.
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