The topic of generative AI in gaming is understandably a controversial one. What we’re talking about is AI-generated content becoming an increasingly common part of video game development. It can feature in the form of minor art assets, scripts, voice acting, or even entire gameplay loops; there’s a wide spectrum of use cases.

So, how much AI is too much? Well, we recently polled our readers on their opinion regarding AI content in games, and more than 40% of respondents claim to want zero AI used throughout a game’s development. In other words, keep developing games the old-fashioned way. Others are more open to the idea, to varying degrees.

More than half of people are okay with generative AI, but to varying degrees

We’ll keep the poll running so you can have your say, but based on the responses so far (about 1,000), it’s evident that people aren’t strictly against the use of AI for gaming. At the time of writing, 20% of our readers don’t want to see generative AI in the final product, suggesting it’s all fine to use as a productivity tool during development. Likewise, 21% are okay with “some AI” as long as the developers make it clear where it is used. You’ll find AI disclaimers on Steam store pages that denote this, which is nice, even if we’d see them be a little more specific.

Despite a general feeling of heavy pushback against AI in many gaming spaces, 14% of respondents say they would be happy to play a game with heavy AI usage, “as long as it’s fun”. Of course, that’s subjective. With game engines continuing to push AI tools, including upcoming tech within Unity that will let you create “full casual games” without coding, this may become more of a reality. On the flipside, maintainers of the open-source Godot game engine have been less than impressed by AI-generated code branded “AI slop” disrupting development and wasting the time of reviewers on GitHub.

Drawing the line at using AI to replace creativity makes a lot of sense for gamers who want a well-crafted experience created by humans. It’s no wonder that Xbox’s new CEO was keen to promise more “bad AI” after she took the helm – it is and will continue to be a hot topic in gaming.

We’re all for AI-accelerated rendering methods like upscaling and frame generation to boost performance where it’s needed most. We’re of course talking about suites such as Nvidia’s DLSS, AMD’s FSR, and Intel’s XeSS. Not to forget PSSR on the PlayStation 5 Pro, which got another round of fanfare when Sony announced a new upgraded PSSR model earlier today.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.