Karla Ortiz tells Tim Sweeney that artistic AI models were trained on artists' work without consent
Karla OrtizConcept artist and illustrator, replying on X
Concept artist Karla Ortiz replied to Sweeney that Epic is using generative AI for art and said all artistic generative AI models were trained on the work of artists like her without credit, consent or compensation, which she said is why artists are suing AI companies.
“Hey, you’re using GenAi for art. Consider this a friendly reminder: All Artistic GenAi models are trained off the works of artists like myself. This was done so without our credit, consent or compensation. Which is why artists like myself are suing GenAi companies.”
Original post
Where this statement fits
Tim Sweeney says Epic Games is retooling for maximum AI acceleration
Epic Games chief executive Tim Sweeney said on October 12, 2026 that Epic is moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. Bloomberg reported the same day that an unannounced Epic shooter made with Disney would become an AI-first production with art made through AI workflows. Sweeney says the aim is to let Epic's developers build more and better things, not to do the same work with fewer people. Artist Karla Ortiz and other critics object to AI art trained on artists' work without consent and question the goal.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Reply by artist Karla Ortiz on October 12, 2026 to Tim Sweeney's post about Epic's AI pivot.
Before the quotation
Ortiz replied directly to Sweeney's post saying Epic was moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration.
After the quotation
Ortiz is one of the named plaintiffs in Andersen v. Stability AI, a copyright lawsuit filed in 2023 against companies behind AI image generators.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Epic Games' move to make AI central to its game development, as Tim Sweeney described it on October 12, 2026 and as Bloomberg reported for an unannounced Disney shooter to be made as an AI-first production. Ortiz addresses Epic's use of generative AI for art and objects that the models were trained on artists' work "without our credit, consent or compensation", a criticism of the practice, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, because she frames the post as a friendly reminder; it loses because the reminder states only an objection.
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- People and groups discussed
- Tim Sweeney, Epic Games
More from this case
Read the full caseNicole Carpenter questions whether faster game development should be the goal
“And I don't know, man, but do we even want that? Why is that the goal? Hundreds of games are released on Steam each month; more are released on mobile. A lot of it is already pretty bad. Generative AI is making it worse. I don't think the problem with video games is that there aren't enough of them, or that Fortnite content isn't being released fast enough.”Read statement
Aakash Gupta says the game industry's AI fight is mostly for show
“And honestly, the industry's AI fight is mostly for show. Google Cloud found 9 in 10 game developers already use AI agents at work. The debate happens on stage while the usage happens at the desk. So while everyone argues about whether games should use AI, Epic quietly turned it into a checkbox inside the editor. Most developers will click it without ever having the debate.”Read statement
Tim Sweeney says much of the room wants it to be 2016 again
“Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it's not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be. Personally I'm optimisic about it and see it as empowering for creators.”Read statement
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- Karla Ortiz tells Tim Sweeney that artistic AI models were trained on artists' work without consent
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The Dispute Index. "Karla Ortiz tells Tim Sweeney that artistic AI models were trained on artists' work without consent". First published: 2026-10-14. Last updated: 2026-10-14. https://disputeindex.com/events/5700-concept-artist-karla-ortiz-replied-to-sweeney-that