Epic Games has introduced AI-generated voices for 36 established Fortnite characters, including prominent figures like Agent Jones and The Imagined. This integration, powered by Google's Gemini AI, aims to provide consistent voices and personalities for these characters within Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). The move allows creators to incorporate these AI-voiced characters and their dialogue into custom-built islands.
The professional actor performances used to develop these voice models were specifically captured for use in developer-made islands. Epic Games stated that actors agreed to have their performances used to create voice models for these AI-driven characters. The company plans to collaborate with relevant guilds and original voice actors from Fortnite Battle Royale to explore making their authentic voices available across the entire Fortnite ecosystem.
This development follows Epic's April announcement of a new conversations system, which enables Fortnite creators to build AI-powered NPCs that can interact with players. These characters can respond to player actions and recall events within a game session to adapt their behavior and trigger in-game events. Previously, the conversations system was an experimental feature, preventing the publication of projects that utilized it. However, as of July 30, this system will transition out of experimental status, allowing players to publish islands featuring these large language model-powered characters.
Fortnite has previously encountered challenges with AI integrations, notably when Disney permitted the inclusion of an AI Darth Vader. Players discovered methods to provoke the character into uttering expletives, an issue that was later patched. This history suggests that players may find ways to exploit AI functionalities, even when implemented by major publishers.