The study, conducted by Google in partnership with The Harris Poll, surveyed 615 developers across the U.S., South Korea, Norway, Finland, and Sweden between late June and early July. It found that most studios are deploying AI to handle repetitive and labor-intensive tasks, allowing teams to focus more on creative design and storytelling.
About 44% of developers said they rely on AI agents to optimize content and process large amounts of text, audio, video, and code at speed, enabling them to work more autonomously. Nearly all respondents — 94% — expect AI to reduce long-term development costs, though one in four acknowledged difficulties in calculating a precise return on investment.
The findings come at a time of upheaval for the industry. Rising fan expectations, longer production cycles, and escalating budgets have pressured publishers to seek efficiency. The past year saw more than 10,000 layoffs across studios, alongside a high-profile strike by Hollywood videogame performers over AI use and pay.
Despite its promise, AI adoption in gaming remains contentious. Sixty-three percent of developers surveyed voiced concern over data ownership and licensing, with uncertainty lingering around who legally controls AI-generated content. Other worries include potential job losses, pay disputes, and risks of intellectual property infringement.
Still, analysts expect momentum in the sector to build over the next year, with the launch of premium titles and next-generation consoles likely to boost consumer spending. For many developers, AI represents both a necessary cost-saving tool and a technological frontier that could reshape how games are built.