The Debate Over AI-Generated Art in Games

Steam bans games that use AI-generated art because of copyright issues. Earlier today a few creators reported that Steam, a major game platform, rejected their games that use AI-generated assets. This clearly indicates that AI use requires regulation and clear rules. As for the game creators, they need to get intellectual property (IP) rights.

Are Games Using AI-Generated Art Facing Copyright Issues?

A game devevoper tried to submit a game to Steam using AI-generated assets. But it failed because of lacking the permissions for such assets. Valve, the creator of Steam, states that the developer must verify ownership of the IP used to train the AI before games with AI-generated content can be released. It is worth noting that some well-known games with AI art, including Atomic Heart and High on Life, are still available on Steam. So does this mean Steam’s policy work for concrete creators only?

PSA: Valve has been quietly banning newly submitted Steam games using AI-created art assets – if submitters can't prove they have rights for the assets used to train the algorithms: https://t.co/WhWpJpaFjl pic.twitter.com/5KhzJESYxk

— Simon Carless (@simoncarless) June 29, 2023

The legal status of AI-generated art content remains uncertain, as copyright protection does not extend to such works in the US. Japan has also imposed restrictions to protect the careers of artists. Steam’s moves against AI art match its efforts to stop bad behavior, like banning games involving crypto and NFTs.

We also need to point out that Valve’s use of automated detection methods to find games with AI elements might lead to mistakes. Devs must prove ownership of all artwork to publish games on Steam. The ongoing discourse on AI-generated art sheds light on the challenges faced by platforms and developers in the changing field of AI.

It’s still unclear how Valve will handle this case, and whether they’ll provide any further explanation of their policy. Anyway, game devs ought to be ready to prove they have rights to all assets used in their games. Otherwise, Steam and other platforms will not accept them.