Steam AI Disclosure Poll: 56% Want Transparency, 8% Boycott

Steam players are growing increasingly skeptical about how game developers use artificial intelligence, and this shift in trust is reshaping how buyers evaluate new releases. A recent survey of nearly 3,800 players reveals that while most gamers do not outright reject AI-assisted titles, they demand much higher transparency than the platform currently provides. This lack of clarity forces consumers to guess whether their favorite games rely on generative tools for code, art, or audio, which complicates purchasing decisions for those who care about creative integrity.

Survey reveals significant trust gap between players and developers regarding generative AI usage

The data comes from a survey conducted by GameDiscoverCo between June 25 and July 2, 2026, targeting active Steam users. The poll highlights a significant gap between what players want to know and what developers actually share on store pages. While Steam does not currently mandate that developers disclose the use of AI-assisted development tools like coding helpers, a majority of respondents believe such information should be public.

The survey results show that only 17% of respondents believe developers are fully disclosing all audiovisual AI use in their games. Meanwhile, 56% of players feel that AI-assisted development tools should be disclosed, even though Steam does not currently require it. On the positive side, 43% of respondents have no major issue with buying games that include AI disclosures, suggesting that transparency itself is not a dealbreaker for the majority of the audience.

Despite the skepticism, the disclosure section on Steam pages is highly visible, with nearly 89% of respondents noticing it in some form. However, the negative perception remains strong, as 31% of participants viewed AI disclosures negatively, and 8% stated they would refuse to buy a game because of them. The survey also notes that lying to Valve violates the Steam Distribution Agreement, putting developers at risk of delisting or account closure if they misrepresent their use of AI tools.