The guidelines that govern how game creators may release AI-powered titles on Steam have been updated by Valve. The business states that it is “making changes to how we handle games that use AI technology” in a blog post, meaning that game creator will have to make it clear when their creations use AI. According to Valve’s article, the modifications “will enable us to release the vast majority of games that use” AI.
The modifications seem to be intended to provide more information about how artificial intelligence is used in Steam games, safeguard users from the potential hazards of utilizing AI-generated material, and provide consumers the power to decide for themselves whether or not to purchase a game that makes use of AI.
The new regulations require creators to guarantee that any pre-generated content such as code, sound, or artwork of any games they provide is not “illegal or infringing” and to declare any instances in which they do. Additionally, they must specify if AI material produced “live” in the game is included. In the latter scenario, developers will have to describe the security precautions they took to prevent their AI from producing illicit content. Gamers will have additional opportunities to report unlawful AI-generated content if they come across it in-game, and they will be able to determine whether a game incorporates AI directly from its shop page.
Valve’s Steam Policy Shift
The revised guidelines were made available around six months after a number of developers voiced their displeasure with Valve for rejecting applications for Steam games that included AI-generated content. According to Valve, in one instance, a proposed title included “art assets generated by artificial intelligence that [appeared] to be relying on third-party copyrighted material.” It stated that unless the creator of the game could certify that they were the owners of “all of the IP used in the data set that trained the AI to create the assets” in the game, it would not be allowed to be released.
A spokesman for Valve, Kaci Boyle, stated in a follow-up statement released in July that the company’s objective was “not to discourage the use of [AI] on Steam; instead, we’re working through how to integrate it into our already-existing review policies.” Valve’s review procedure, they continued, “is a reflection of current copyright law and policies, not an extra layer of our opinion.” Our procedure will change when these laws and rules do.
Although some game developers are eager to incorporate the new technology into their games and production processes, opinions within the industry on the application of generative AI are divided. On the one hand, a number of companies have discussed the possibility of utilizing AI to assist with early conception, game testing, and costly stages of the game production process such as voice acting recording sessions. Others, however reports which have begun to surface are resisting corporations that release AI-generated content out of worry that AI may be used to replace working artists and other creatives cheaply.
