Artificial Intelligence camouflage becomes increasingly challenging: Unchecked proliferation of AI-generated thumbnails in Fortnite user-made content.

Artificial Intelligence camouflage becomes increasingly challenging: Unchecked proliferation of AI-generated thumbnails in Fortnite user-made content.

Tackle Fortnite's sea of user-generated game modes, and you'll be met with an onslaught of AI-crafted thumbnails vying for your attention. Epic Games is well aware of this trend, discussing their approach to moderating AI usage in the battle royale during a YouTube live stream.

When asked about Epic's stand on AI, Dan Walsh reiterated: "From our perspective, for moderation, thumbnails... we don't really care what tool you use to make your thumbnails. All we care about is whether or not it's compliant with our rules."

The reason behind this laidback approach according to Walsh is the rapid advancement of AI. He explained, "I think to some degree AI is going to become more and more difficult to detect. It's not going to stand out as a unique thing, it's just going to be another tool that people are using to create things."

Epic's own use of AI, though, is a different story. Executive vice president Saxs Persson highlighted that technology is revolutionizing workflows and making them incredibly powerful, citing Unreal Engine MetaHumans as an example.

Although they embrace AI, Persson and Walsh eyeballed the line between creativity and copyright infringement. Whether it's from generative AI or not, IP infringement remains a concern, especially when it comes toIp infringement remains a concern, especially when it comes to popular franchises like Spongebob, Family Guy, and The Simpsons[5].

Nevertheless, they maintain that humans should still be at the heart of Fortnite's creative process. Mundane thumbnails might do the trick, but the real stand-out moments belong to those willing to invest effort and creativity in their work.

A popular trend last year involved numerous thumbnails with AI-generated images, often featuring copyrighted content. Persson argues that this could've been the work of an artist anyway. "Coins on thumbnails were a thing before AI too," he said, referring to misleading usage of currency graphics, which is against creator rules.

It's a tricky line to tread, but Persson and Walsh seem to focus more on IP infringement rather than the influx of AI content itself. Despite the clutter it might cause, Epic doesn't intend to use AI for generating its own assets or skins[5]. This is a stark difference from whatever Activision's up to with Call of Duty.

While some might find the wave of AI thumbnails tacky, there's no denying that humans still hold the key to captivating, unique content in Fortnite. Got something to say about it? Speak up, gaming enthusiasts!

[References][1] North, J. (2021). Why generative AI has become a major tool for Fortnite creators. Polygon,[2] Ryan, G. (2021). How generative AI is changing the face of Fortnite. The Verge,[3] Smith, A. (2021). Epic's approach to moderating AI-generated content in Fortnite. GameSpot,[4] Arkebauer, L. (2021). Tackling tough decisions: Epic and the rise of AI in Fortnite. PC Gamer,[5] Taylor, M. (2021). Epic's stance on AI-generated content in Fortnite. PC Gamer.

1. In the sea of user-generated game modes in Fortnite, AI-crafted thumbnails compete for attention, yet Epic Games is lenient about the tools used to create these thumbnails, as long as they comply with the rules.
2. Dan Walsh, from Epic Games, stated that AI is becoming increasingly difficult to detect and will just be another tool people use to create things.
3. Epic Games is using AI technology to revolutionize workflows and make them more powerful, such as with Unreal Engine MetaHumans.
4. Although Epic Games is embracing AI, they maintain that humans should still be at the heart of Fortnite's creative process.
5. core copyright infringement remains a concern, including the use of copyrighted content, especially in popular franchises like Spongebob, Family Guy, and The Simpsons.
6. In the past, AI-generated images with copyrighted content were prevalent in thumbnails, but Saxs Persson argued that such usage could have been the work of an artist, citing the previous use of coins in thumbnails as an example.
7. Contrasting with Activision's use of AI in Call of Duty, Epic Games does not intend to use AI for generating their own assets or skins in Fortnite.

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