Valve updates Steam AI disclosure policy to focus on player-facing content, not dev tools
5 Sources
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Valve amends AI disclosure policy but still stresses players need to be informed if genAI is used
"Efficiency gains through the use of [AI-powered] tools is not the focus." Valve has amended its guidance on AI disclosure and clarified that while developers using "AI-powered tools" for "efficiency gains" is not the focus of its policy, they must still disclose if generative AI is used in their
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Steam updates AI disclosure form to specify that it's focused on AI-generated content that is 'consumed by players,' not efficiency tools used behind the scenes
The tweak addresses the fact that generative AI tools have been stuffed into just about every piece of software professionals use. Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney recently said digital storefronts like Steam should stop using AI disclosure labels because "AI will be involved in nearly all future
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Valve changes AI disclosure guidelines, 'AI powered tools' are now exempt
TL;DR: Valve updated its Steam developer guidelines to require AI disclosure when generative AI is used to create game content, marketing materials, or in-game elements like images, audio, and text. Code-assisting AI tools do not require disclaimers, placing responsibility on players to assess AI
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Valve Changes Steam's AI Disclosure Rules for Game Developers
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has said that AI labels on Steam make "no sense" Valve seems to have redefined Steam's guidelines for disclosure of AI use in game development. The company has clarified that the use of AI-powered tools to speed up game development processes does not require the developer to
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Valve softens Steam AI disclosure to distinguish "efficiency gains" from "the use of AI in creating content that is shipped with your game"
As generative AI becomes increasingly commonplace in game development, Valve created a Steam tag to label any releases that use such tech. In a new wrinkle, this labelling now pertains more explicitly to public assets, distinguishing them from other uses of the tools. Simon Carless of
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Valve has revised its Steam AI disclosure guidelines to clarify what game developers must report. The updated policy distinguishes between AI-powered tools used for efficiency gains during development and generative AI-generated content that ships with games. Developers must still disclose AI use in artwork, sound, narrative, and marketing materials that players consume.
Valve Refines AI Disclosure Requirements on Steam
Valve has updated its AI disclosure policy for Steam, introducing clearer distinctions between AI-powered tools used during the development process and AI-generated content that reaches players
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. The change, spotted by GameDiscoverCo founder Simon Carless, addresses growing confusion among game developers about what requires disclosure as generative AI becomes increasingly embedded in modern software2
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Source: GamesRadar
The revised AI disclosure form now explicitly states that "efficiency gains through the use of these tools is not the focus of this section"
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. Instead, Valve focuses on AI use in creating content consumed by players, including artwork, sound, narrative, and localization3
. This means code helpers and other behind-the-scenes AI-powered tools don't require disclosure, while AI-generated assets that ship with games still must be reported.What Game Developers Must Still Disclose
The updated AI disclosure guidelines maintain strict requirements for player-facing content. Developers must answer whether their game uses generative AI to generate content "either pre-rendered or live-generated"
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. This requirement extends beyond the game itself to include the store page, Steam community assets, and all marketing materials4
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Source: PC Gamer
The AI disclosure form breaks usage into two categories: pre-generated content created with AI tools during the development process, and live-generated content produced by AI systems while games run
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. For games using live content generation, developers must outline guardrails preventing illegal content generation. Steam recently added a button to its overlay allowing users to report illegal content generated by live-generation AI systems2
.Industry Debate Continues Over AI Transparency
The timing of Valve's AI disclosure guidelines update reflects ongoing industry debate about transparency. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney recently criticized Steam's disclosure requirements, arguing that digital marketplaces should drop "Made with AI" labels because "AI will be involved in nearly all future production"
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. However, Valve's approach prioritizes player information over developer convenience.
Source: Eurogamer
Recent controversies highlight why AI disclosure remains contentious. Larian Studios faced backlash after confirming it used generative AI in its development process, including concept art
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. CEO Swen Vincke later clarified the studio won't use generative AI art in its next game, Divinity, though AI tools may help "refine ideas faster" in other departments. Sandfall Interactive's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had its Game of the Year win at Indie Game Awards retracted over AI use, though the developer explained AI-generated placeholder textures were patched out within five days4
.Related Stories
What This Means for Players and Developers
The updated policy represents what one commenter called "a really thoughtful middle ground that actually makes sense for developers"
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. By separating efficiency tools from content generation, Valve acknowledges how teams actually work while maintaining transparency about what players experience5
.Games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Arc Raiders already display AI disclosure sections on their Steam store pages, with developers explaining their use of generative AI tools to develop in-game assets
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. As AI becomes more prevalent in game development, players will need to assess whether disclosed AI content meets their standards. The responsibility now falls on consumers to determine if AI disclosure guidelines are sufficient, especially given the ubiquitous nature of AI-powered tools assisting software engineers across industries3
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