Fortnite Introduces Kizuna Ai but Sparks Confusion Over “AI” Content
Fortnite Festival is nearing the final stretch of its current season, which features a high-profile collaboration with Kpop and Thai artist LISA. While details for the next season have yet to be officially revealed, Epic Games has already begun teasing new musical collaborations, starting with the introduction of Kizuna Ai.
Kizuna Ai is widely recognized as the original virtual YouTuber, returning in Fortnite with her signature cute style, music, and cosmetics that longtime fans may remember from her earlier appearances in pop culture collaborations.
“Ai” Is Not AI
The unexpected twist came after the official reveal, when comment sections under Fortnite’s social media posts were flooded with criticism from users unfamiliar with Kizuna Ai. Many mistakenly believed that the “Ai” in her name referred to artificial intelligence generated content, assuming the character was created using generative AI technologies.
The misunderstanding became widespread enough that a separate community post was created to clarify the situation. Epic Games and the Fortnite Festival team emphasized that Kizuna Ai is an established virtual character with a long history and is not an AI-generated creation. The confusion stemmed purely from the spelling of her name rather than the nature of the character herself.
For players interested in purchasing the Kizuna Ai skin, there is no need to grind levels in the same way as the LISA collaboration. The content can be obtained directly through the Item Shop using vBucks.
Why the Confusion Happened
In recent years, awareness and concern surrounding artificial intelligence have increased significantly, particularly among artists and creators. Many have expressed discomfort with the use of AI in developing music, films, visuals, and characters, citing issues such as imitation, loss of originality, and even environmental impact due to the heavy processing power required by AI systems.
Because of this heightened sensitivity, it is not surprising that some players reacted strongly to the name alone. Ironically, the situation is further complicated by the fact that Kizuna Ai herself has historically referred to her character concept as an artificial intelligence, despite being voiced by an anonymous human performer behind the scenes.
About Fortnite Festival and the Kizuna Ai Content
Fortnite Festival is a rhythm-based music experience where up to four players can form a band, take on different musical roles, and hit notes in sync to energize the virtual festival. Players can also choose to perform solo. The mode has previously collaborated with major artists such as The Weeknd and is fully integrated into the main Fortnite game across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile platforms.
Kizuna Ai content becomes available starting January 16. Her offerings include character skins, a themed back bling, emotes, and music tracks. Items can be purchased individually or as part of a value bundle. Additionally, a free skin was awarded to players who achieved top scores in a special tournament mode held during the previous week.
Source: Epic Games
