GDC Survey: Over 50% Of Game Devs Say Generative AI Harms Industry
Results from the 2026 State of the Game Industry Report are in.
GDC
Each year, thousands of professionals contribute to GDC's State of the Game Industry report, offering studios, investors, and creators a snapshot of where the market is headed.
This year's survey gathered responses from more than 2,300 game industry professionals, including developers, producers, marketers, executives, and investors, covering topics such as layoffs, diversity and inclusion, business models, and generative AI. Just over half of respondents were based in the United States, with a disproportionate share coming from North America and Western Europe, meaning the survey is not fully representative of the global industry.
However, some of these findings may reflect broader global trends. You can feel the mood shifting around AI, with its use increasingly sparking backlash whenever it comes up, from Baldur's Gate 3 controversies to "Microslop".
The survey found that 52% of game industry professionals believe generative AI is having a negative impact on the industry, up from 30% last year and just 18% the year before. Visual and technical artists, designers, narrative teams, and programmers are the most critical, which probably comes as no surprise.
Respondents at game studios reported using AI tools less frequently (30%) compared to those in publishing companies, support teams, and marketing/PR firms (58%). Overall, business professionals show the highest usage (58%) among most job disciplines. Upper management adopts AI tools more often (47%) than employees in lower-level positions (29%), with studio directors (36%) falling in between these groups.
GDC
GDC
The report also has a range of quotes from anonymous respondents, covering positive, mixed, and negative views on generative AI's impact:
"I think the reaction to AI is a moral panic similar to when computer graphics started being used in the movie industry."
"I use it to help me project manage. As a neurodivergent person, I struggle with segmenting big picture ideas to manageable small tasks. AI is great for those kinds of help."
"I believe AI can be a fantastic tool to streamline tedious work and help a lot in the STEM space. It, however, can never replace human creativity and artistic expression."
"AI is theft. I have to use it, otherwise I'm gonna get fired."
"I'd rather quit the industry than use generative AI."
The 2026 State of the Game Industry Report is available for free here. We're also giving away five tickets to the GDC Festival of Gaming 2026: all you have to do is take a quick quiz.
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