Valve updates guidelines allowing for AI-generated content on Steam

Valve has released updated guidelines on its policy regarding generative AI usage in games that will enable them “to release the vast majority of games that use it.”

Back in June, some developers reported that their submissions were rejected by Valve due to them containing AI-generated assets. Valve responded by stating that they were looking into the use of the technology, with the concern being that generative AI pulls from copyrighted material to create content.

Having considered the state of the technology, Valve has since amended its stance. Now, as part of the submission application for games, it states, “The survey now includes a new AI disclosure section, where you’ll need to describe how you are using AI in the development and execution of your game.” Valve categorizes AI use in two ways: games using AI-generated assets and live-generated content that is created on the fly during play.

On top of that, Steam pages will also include the above disclosure to let people know how AI is used in a particular game. Additionally, players can report “illegal content inside games that contain Live-Generated AI content.”

The only usage of AI still hard-banned from Steam is “Sexual Content that is created with Live-Generated AI.” I hadn’t even thought of that, and now I’m revolted at the prospect.

This is somewhat disappointing, but at the same time, I’m not sure it really changes anything. To begin with, there are already games that utilize LLMs on Steam. Storefronts like itch.io and Epic Game Store already allow it. I’m also not sure that someone reviewing a submission would be able to tell if something like a texture was created by AI. I think they needed to find some way to be comfortable with the technology, and having developers disclose that they use AI-generated assets is one way of doing it.

For quite some time, Valve has been as lax as possible on games allowed into the marketplace, which has already resulted in a deluge of games of questionable quality that skirt extremely close to copyright infringement. It’s already extremely easy for a new, small developer to become buried by all the pollution on the storefront.

Nonetheless, we’re still staring down a wave of garbage hurtling toward us. Plenty of corporations are chanting, “Let’s see what happens,” while threatening to crush us. Developers and other creative people are going to continue to be undervalued and squeezed out by machines that were developed by stealing their work. Oh, goodness, I do like watching a train wreck. I just wish I wasn’t on this one.