Epic Clarifies It Did Not Create Porsche AI Concept Image for Fortnite Amid Online Backlash

Earlier today, the Unreal Engine X account kicked off a discussion about the collaboration between Epic Games and Porsche, highlighting the addition of the Cayenne Turbo Electric as a drivable vehicle in Fortnite since May 23. However, one of the images showcasing the vehicle was quickly removed after users began to claim it resembled something generated by AI.

Before the image was taken down, users on ResetEra managed to snag a copy. Observers on X noted several aspects of the image that suggested it might be AI-generated, particularly the Porsche logo, which appeared to be altered. Oddly enough, the image also included the logo of Riot Games, the studio behind League of Legends.

The Unreal Engine X account later reposted the deleted image, clarifying that it was created by Porsche, not Epic Games. The follow-up post included a note stating, “Note: The image on the left is a concept image provided by the Porsche team and is not reflective of the final version of Porsche’s car configurator.” This refers to the same image that had been previously removed.

However, this clarification doesn’t address how Riot Games’ logo ended up in the image or how it passed through any quality-control processes before being shared on the Unreal Engine social account. It seems likely that someone at Porsche, or one of its design partners, utilized AI to create a mock-up that then circulated through various internal channels, ultimately reaching a wide audience. It raises the question: are we unwittingly stepping into a troubling era of the internet?