Games · 2026-11-12
More game developers are using AI: what the GDC survey shows
According to GDC's annual survey, 40% of game developers now use generative AI in their work, up from 36% last year.
How many developers already use AI
In the latest annual industry survey from GDC Festival of Gaming, 40% of game developers say they use generative AI "as part of their job." Last year it was 36%.
AI use is highest among developers of free-to-play games, at 58%. Among studios that make only mobile games, the figure reaches 70%.
What developers use AI for
The most common use is research and brainstorming, reported by 73% of respondents. Next are data analysis and summarization (62%) and code generation and debugging (56%).
22% of developers use AI for concept art or visual ideation. Only 8% use it for production art and final game assets that players see.
Layoffs and controversy
The survey also found that 34% of respondents had been laid off at some point in the past two years.
Despite the rise in use, many developers, especially indie developers, speak out strongly against AI. AI has also become a central topic at indie awards: the studio House House, which made Big Walk, said it "sparingly" used large language models (LLMs) for technical challenges in the final stretch of development.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wrote that AI will be central to Xbox's future, saying that "a small team will be able to build worlds that today demand hundreds of developers and hundreds of millions of dollars."
Useful from the source
- GDC state of the game industry survey — Annual survey of game developers about layoffs, AI, and other industry issues.
- Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's post — Post in which the Xbox head describes the company's future and the role of AI in it.
Sources: 🔗 The Verge — AI