GDC survey: 40% of game developers now use generative AI, but 55% think it is hurting games

Forty percent of game developers now use generative AI in their work, according to the latest State of the Game Industry survey from the Game Developers Conference, GamesIndustry.biz reported. That is up 4 points on the previous survey, a smaller rise than the year before.

Most of those using it, 57%, use it for writing text, research, early prototypes, coding and presentations. It is most common in business operations and services roles, at mobile-only studios and among free-to-play developers. Pressure to use it varies with company size: 27% of people at big AAA studios say they feel encouraged or pushed to use generative AI, against 9% of independent developers.

Developers remain sceptical. 55% said AI is having a negative effect on games, up 1 point, a much steadier figure than in earlier years. "People just know the technology now, and it's an actuality instead of a theoretical issue," said survey lead Beth Elderkin, "so they know how they want to use it or whether they want to use it at all."