40% of game devs use generative AI, but 55% call it harmful

The GDC report captures a striking divergence in the game industry: while 40% of developers have adopted generative AI, a growing majority now see it as harmful. The share who think AI has a negative impact jumped from 18% in 2024 to 30% in 2025 and 52% in 2026, while those seeing a positive impact fell from 21% to 13% to 7% over the same years. This gap is widening amid pressure from major players like Epic Games and Microsoft, which are investing heavily in AI, leading Eurogamer to note that the divide between developers eager to embrace the technology and those reluctant to do so is deepening. The survey also reveals differences by role and demographics: AAA studio developers are more likely to feel encouraged or pressured to use AI (27%) than indie developers (9%), and men report higher usage (45%) than women (33%).