June 29th 2023.
The use of AI in video games has been rapidly increasing, and it's particularly appealing to indie developers who don't have the staff or money to hire extra staff or freelancers. However, reports are emerging that Valve is trying to stamp out the process before it becomes commonplace.
One developer recounted their experience with Steam on Reddit, saying that Valve demanded proof that they have the rights to use the artwork sampled by the AI algorithm. The developer tried to change the AI artwork by hand, but it wasn't enough to satisfy Valve, who rejected the game for a second and final time.
The main problem with AI art, from a legal and economic perspective, is that the way they work is by sampling artwork from all across the internet, typically none of which it has permission to use. So not only is the AI algorithm using people’s artwork without paying for it but by doing so it’s potentially putting real artists out of work as well.
Valve hasn't made a public statement yet, so it's not clear what their exact position is. However, there are reports of AI content being accepted. For example, Steam has been selling the game This Girl Does Not Exist since last September, which is a jigsaw puzzle game featuring nothing but AI art, dialogue, and voice-acting.
If Valve is going to start banning new games for using AI-generated content it needs to make its position clear. This would allow developers to know what is acceptable for Steam, and would also help protect the rights of real artists, so that their work is not used without permission.
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