Almost all developers are worried about AI’s ‘ethical use,’ but nearly a third use it 

The use of AI is a hot topic among developers.

The outside of a building with the GDC banner.
Photo via GDC

Ahead of its yearly event, Game Developers Conference established a 2024 State of the Game Industry survey. The use of AI and growing number of layoffs were the main points of concerns, results showed.

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On Jan. 18, GDC shared results of a survey on the industry that collected over 3,000 answers, as reported by PC Gamer. The developers gave quite strong answers regarding AI, especially. 31 percent said they use generative AI in their work, while four out of five worry about “ethical use” of the technology.

The logo of GDC with a blue background.
Layoffs and AI were the focus of this year’s survey. Image via GDC

Studios that use AI are also mostly indie studios as opposed to AAA and AA studios, mainly in fields of Marketing and Business—although some big studios do use AI still. 75 percent of them also answered they thought that generative AI would have a mixed to negative impact on the video games industry, as opposed to 21 percent thinking that the impact will be positive.

Most of quotes provided by the CGD survey indicated that developers who worried about the use of AI were afraid that it’s used to reduce the workforce, especially artists, and asked for regulation.

The other main point of concern of developers, as shown by the survey, was the growing number of layoffs. A third of the developers said they’ve been impacted by them, and half of them are concerned of seeing more of them in the near future.

The feedback claimed the market grew too quickly and it was going through a phase of readjustment. Developers expressed hopes of seeing more efforts towards unionization and innovation as something to take away from this.

The 2024 GDC is a video games professional event that features conferences and networking facilitation. It will take place from March 18 to 22 in San Francisco.

Author
Image of Eva Martinello
Eva Martinello
Eva is a Staff Writer from Paris. Her part-time job is charging into walls with Reinhardt. She has been covering League of Legends esports and other titles for six years. She still believes in a Moscow Five comeback. She also fell into the MMO pit and covers FFXIV and Genshin.