The world's largest mod hub, Nexus Mods, shared new rules for AI-made mods. Under the new rules, the platform will accept mods made with AI if their authors disclose its use. Platform users will also be able to adjust their search filters to hide AI-made content.

In a new update, the site owner, Victor 'Foledinho' Folmann, mentions the debate surrounding using AI in modding: "From the discussions we've had and what we've seen, the issue ranges from the potential use of mods, to avoiding AI-generated content during mod browsing, and seeing AI as a tool that can make modding more accessible."

Nexus Mods won't introduce an outright ban on AI-generated mods, since, as Folmann states, AI is used throughout the creation process, "from script autocompletion to generation of textures, voices, and full assets." The platform owner says it is difficult to draw a clear boundary between what is acceptable and unacceptable. He also notes that an outright ban would not eliminate AI from modding. It would only discourage people from disclosing its use. Nexus Mods is taking the opposite approach: openness, clear labeling of AI, and proper regulation. The platform says that it will not use mods to train AI and will not sell or license them to anyone doing so.

Regarding mandatory AI disclosure, mod authors will need to declare whether AI was used in their work when uploading a new mod. Authors of existing mods will see two pop-ups: a persistent one in the upload form when they edit a mod, and a dismissible one on the "My Mods" page. For mods tagged as AI-assisted, the platform will require a public explanation of how and where AI was used. In addition, Nexus Mods will make AI tags on mod pages more prominent, displaying them after adult-content tags so they're easier to spot.

Nexus Mods is also working on new permission options that cover AI usage and training, as well as forks and derivative mods. By default, they will be set to "Ask me," so permission has to be granted rather than assumed. The upload process will make it clearer that authors need to confirm their permissions themselves. Apart from this, the platform will refine its search filters so users can choose whether they want to see content made with AI.

Nexus Mods is introducing a 60-day grace period for existing mods to meet the new requirements, giving mod authors time to review their work and make any necessary changes. This period starts on November 3, 2026, and ends on January 2, 2027.

Reactions to the update in the comments are divided. Some users say that allowing AI-made mods contradicts the "pro-human creativity" policy that Nexus Mods declared in the announcement, while others express milder views.

Nexus Mods' approach to AI use is similar to Steam's, which requires developers to disclose AI-generated content that players see in their games. The third-party database SteamDB, now owned by Nexus Mods' parent company, Chosen, uses these disclosures to tag games so users can find or exclude games with generative AI.

Itch.io has taken a similar path. The platform recently said it had "deleted a couple terabytes of AI slop," but it doesn't ban all games that use generative AI and focuses on bulk uploads instead. It has also added a "No AI" filter that lets users exclude games with generative AI disclosures from search results.

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