Nearly one in five demos listed for the latest Steam Next Fest include a generative AI disclosure, according to figures found on SteamDB.
Eurogamer found that 1,704 of the 8,700 titles listed as participants in the event were tagged as having used generative AI. That works out to 19.5 percent of the games included in the showcase.
The figure stands out because several released games have faced player backlash after generative AI materials were discovered. Some indie game leaders have also taken a cautious stance on when and how AI should be used in development.
Valve updated its guidelines for AI use in games sold on Steam in 2024. The change allowed broader use of the technology, but required developers to tell players when generative AI had been applied.
Valve now allows “efficiency gains” to avoid triggering the AI label. That could explain why one common issue for developers has involved AI-generated assets that were not replaced before launch. The same issue happened with Crimson Desert earlier this year.
Some games that openly used AI from the start have also reduced their reliance on the technology in recent months. Arc Raiders was cited as one example.
