Survey finds more game developers are using generative AI at work

In short: More video game developers say they use generative AI tools as part of their jobs, according to a new industry survey.

What's going on

The GDC Festival of Gaming released its latest annual survey of the game industry. It found that 40 percent of developers who responded say they use generative AI at work. That is up from 36 percent in 2025.

Generative AI is software that can create or suggest text, images, or computer code based on a prompt (like asking a very fast assistant to draft ideas). The survey suggests usage is not even across the industry. Developers working on free-to-play games reported higher use at 58 percent, and people working at mobile-only studios reported the highest use at 70 percent.

When asked what they use AI for, 73 percent of AI users said research and brainstorming. Another 62 percent said data analysis and summarization, meaning they use it to condense information into shorter notes. About 56 percent said they use it for code generation and debugging, which is writing software and helping find mistakes.

The survey comes during ongoing debate in gaming about whether these tools should be used and how. The Verge notes that some developers, especially independent creators, have spoken out against AI. At the same time, some teams say they use it sparingly, for example to help solve specific technical problems near the end of development.

What to watch

As more studios use these tools for planning, writing, and coding, expect more public discussion about what counts as acceptable use. It will also be worth watching whether major game platforms, like Xbox, push AI deeper into how games are made and how that affects team sizes.

Source: The Verge AI