Epic Games CEO calls Steam's AI disclosure policies "a political act"

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has criticized Steam's AI disclosure policy, branding it a "political act." Responding to a tweet calling Valve's policy "absurd," Sweeney expressed his disdain, stating that forcing developers to write a political statement against them is "abhorrent." He further elaborated that these disclosures are primarily used to drive cancel campaigns against games and impede their revenue and livelihood unless they align with the movement's political goals.

Sweeney reiterated that such a requirement to adopt technology solely based on political alignment is undeniably a "political act." He posed a hypothetical scenario, asking if a significant number of gamers opposed a specific political party, would Valve compel developers to disclose their political affiliations. Sweeney firmly rejected this notion, deeming it "pro-consumer?" and questioning the policy's positive impact on gaming.

Sweeney's criticism of Valve's AI disclosure policy is not new; he previously labeled it "irresponsible" and argued that it makes it difficult for developers to succeed, as they must choose between using AI tools and facing cancellation campaigns.