GDC Survey: Generative AI Usage Among Game Developers Rises to 40%, Mobile Hits 70%
A new GDC annual survey reveals that 40% of game developers now use generative AI as part of their jobs, up from 36% last year. Adoption is highest among mobile-only studios at 70%.
According to the latest annual industry survey published by the GDC Festival of Gaming, more video game developers are using generative AI tools in their jobs compared to last year. Forty percent of developers surveyed say they use it “as part of their job,” an increase from 36 percent in 2025.
Usage varies significantly across segments. It was higher among game developers working on free-to-play games at 58 percent, and reached 70 percent among workers in mobile-only studios. This suggests that areas requiring rapid iteration and high volume see greater penetration of AI tools.
In terms of specific applications, 73 percent of respondents said they used AI for research and brainstorming, while 62 percent used it for data analysis and summarization, and 56 percent for code generation and debugging. In contrast, only 22 percent used generative AI for concept art or visual ideation, and just 8 percent used it for production art or final game assets. This indicates that AI currently serves primarily as an auxiliary tool for research and coding rather than directly replacing core creative production.
The survey comes as the gaming industry continues to reckon with generative AI. While many indie developers have spoken out strongly against the technology, recent disclosures by House House, the developer of Big Walk, regarding their "sparingly" use of LLMs to solve technical challenges have sparked intense debate about AI usage boundaries. Additionally, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has hinted that AI will be central to Xbox's future, stating that "A small team will be able to build worlds that today demand hundreds of developers and hundreds of millions of dollars."