Half of builders suppose gen AI is dangerous for the gaming trade

While generative AI is being adopted at numerous ranges of sport growth, a brand new survey means that builders more and more suppose the expertise is dangerous for the trade. According to the newest survey from the Game Developers Conference, 52 p.c of respondents stated that gen AI is having a “negative” influence on the video games trade, versus simply 7 p.c who seen the expertise as “positive.” Perhaps most startling is how the detrimental outlook has grown over time: in 2024, simply 18 p.c of these surveyed seen the tech as a detrimental, and that quantity jumped to 30 p.c in 2025. Now it’s as much as greater than half.

GDC surveyed 2,300 “game industry professionals” to get these outcomes, and the demographics are primarily male (64 p.c), white (67 p.c), and primarily based within the United States (54 p.c). The organizers admit that this make-up is “far from truly representative of the global community, and we know more work is needed.” (You can take a look at the full report right here.)

However, the outcomes nonetheless present some fascinating perception into how precise builders really feel in regards to the AI, on the similar time that the leaders of main publishers like EA and Krafton are espousing its virtues (and as Larian has needed to make clear the way it’s utilizing the expertise). As for the way a lot the gen AI is definitely getting used within the trade, 36 p.c of these surveyed stated they put it to use as a part of their jobs, whereas 64 p.c stated they don’t. The majority of those that do use gen AI stated they use the tech for analysis and brainstorming (81 p.c), in addition to administrative duties like electronic mail (47 p.c). But some did admit to utilizing AI for extra development-oriented duties, together with prototyping (35 p.c), testing or debugging (22 p.c), and asset technology (19 p.c). Only 5 p.c of that group stated they use gen AI on “player-facing features.”

The different main matter broached within the survey was the persistent layoffs and studio closures which have ravaged the trade over the previous few years. In the 2025 survey, one in 10 builders stated they’d been laid off inside the final 12 months. This 12 months, the numbers have been comparable, with 17 p.c of respondents saying they’d been laid off within the final 12 months, whereas a whopping 28 p.c had been laid off inside the final two years. Naturally, this had led to an aura of uncertainty; 23 p.c of these surveyed stated that they anticipated extra layoffs within the subsequent 12 months, whereas 30 p.c are not sure.

The survey additionally questioned a small variety of these within the academic house — greater than 100 educators and 50 college students, in keeping with GDC — and unsurprisingly the outlook isn’t very optimistic. 60 p.c of these surveyed stated that they count on the present state of the trade to make it tough for brand new college students to get jobs. “Most of my students will not have a career in game development,” stated one nameless educator in Michigan.

GDC itself kicks off this 12 months on March ninth in San Francisco, and it’s seemingly these two points can be a serious matter all through.