Game artist Kenney Vleugels pushes back on AI in games, drawing replies from Tim Sweeney and Elon Musk
Vleugels told developers on X not to let billionaires sell AI as the future of games; Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney called the post nonsense, and Elon Musk backed Sweeney.
Game artist and asset creator Kenney Vleugels posted a message on X on October 18 urging developers not to let billionaires convince them that AI-generated content is the future of games, according to gamesradar.com. The post drew a direct response from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, who called it nonsense and defended his own record as a programmer and company leader.
Sweeney argued that the rapid development of AI makes it a force to be reckoned with and that developers who abstain from it risk being left behind. Elon Musk replied to Sweeney’s post the same day, saying that Tim Sweeney is right.
Vleugels said Epic Games employees like his post and contact him regularly, and that “adapt or die” messaging around AI is exhausting. He closed the exchange by saying NFT, metaverse, blockchain and AI should be allowed to find their place naturally.
In 2025, former Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser said Nintendo would consider AI if it could be done in a way that respects creativity and rights.
Quick answers
What did Kenney Vleugels say about AI in game development?
In a post on X on October 18, he told developers not to let billionaires convince them that AI-generated content is the future of games.
How did Tim Sweeney and Elon Musk respond?
Sweeney called Vleugels’s post nonsense and argued that developers who abstain from AI risk being left behind. Musk replied to Sweeney’s post the same day, saying Sweeney is right.