Nearly 23,000 games had been released on Steam in 2026 by the time of the report, with an increasing number declaring the use of generative AI. At the Steam Indie Connect event in South Korea on October 27, Valve business team representatives Tom Giardino and Marc Wilkinson acknowledged concerns about game cloning but said the company did not intend to prohibit developers from using AI.

SteamDB figures cited in the report show that 175 games released in 2023 declared generative AI use, compared with around 2,200 in 2024, 4,700 in 2025 and 8,900 in 2026. The totals should be treated cautiously: disclosure was not required before 2024, and it is unclear whether every studio reports its use of the technology.

The share of releases declaring AI use also increased, according to GamesChart. It rose from 1.4% in January 2024 to 14.3% in September that year, then reached 22.6% in September 2025 and 45.8% in September 2026. Between October 1 and October 27, the figure was 50.6%. The data combines different applications, including AI-created game content and promotional artwork.

For some independent studios, the concern is not simply the growing use of AI but the possibility that it could help others copy their games. At the event, Valve representatives were asked about alleged extortion attempts in which developers were threatened with having their games copied and released ahead of the originals unless they paid a ransom. Digital Sun, the studio behind Moonlighter, reportedly cancelled a public demo over fears its work could be reproduced.

Giardino said cloning existed before AI, though the technology can speed it up. He advised studios to build a strong community and keep improving their games to make them harder to replicate. Valve’s position, he said, is that it does not want to police which tools developers are allowed to use.

Steam does require developers to disclose certain uses of generative AI. Since January 2024, information about relevant AI-generated content has been shown on game pages. Valve clarified in 2026 that the requirement applies to content in games and their promotion, but not to AI used only as a development aid. Using AI is therefore not, by itself, grounds for rejecting a game.

To manage the volume of releases, Steam relies on its recommendation systems. Wilkinson said games in Steam Next Fest are shown almost randomly during the first two days, before personalized recommendations take effect. The representatives said Valve is working on improvements while avoiding restrictions on developers’ access to the platform.

Sources: Jeuxvideo.com.