Valve, the company behind the popular gaming platform Steam, has clarified its stance on AI-generated content in games after recent reports suggested they would no longer be publishing such games. In a statement to The Verge, Valve’s PR representative, Kaci Boyle, explained that their goal is not to discourage the use of AI on Steam, but rather to find a way to integrate it into their existing review policies.

Boyle further clarified that Steam’s current review process already takes into account Copyright law. While Developers are allowed to use AI technologies in their games, they must ensure that they do not infringe on existing copyrights. In other words, they must own or have the necessary rights to the content they include in their games.

In response to the recent controversy, Valve has offered to refund app-submission credits for developers whose games were rejected due to AI copyright issues. They also extended the same offer to the user potterharry97, who had initially raised concerns about Steam’s stance on AI-generated content in a Reddit post.

Valve’s developer submission rules explicitly state that developers are not allowed to include content in their games that they do not own or have adequate rights to. The rejection message received by potterharry97, which they shared in their post, stated that their game contained art assets generated by AI that appeared to be relying on copyrighted materials owned by third parties.

It is clear from Valve’s statement that they are not against the use of AI in games, but rather want to ensure that developers respect copyright laws and do not infringe on the rights of others. They are currently in the process of refining their review process to better address the challenges posed by AI-generated content.

This clarification from Valve should come as a relief to developers who have been utilizing AI technologies in their games, as it shows that Steam is not outright banning such games but is instead working on finding a way to manage them within the existing framework.

The use of AI in the creation of game content has become increasingly popular in recent years, as it allows developers to quickly generate assets such as characters, levels, and even entire worlds. However, it has also raised concerns about copyright infringement, as AI algorithms can sometimes draw inspiration from existing copyrighted works.

Valve’s commitment to refund app-submission credits for rejected games and their willingness to work on integrating AI into their review process demonstrates their dedication to finding a balanced approach that allows developers to tap into the potential of AI while respecting intellectual property rights.

In conclusion, recent reports suggesting that Valve would no longer be publishing games with AI-generated content have been clarified by the company. Valve’s goal is not to discourage the use of AI but rather to ensure that developers adhere to copyright laws. They are currently refining their review process and have offered refunds to developers whose games were rejected due to AI copyright issues. This clarification should provide reassurance to developers who have been utilizing AI in their games, as it shows that Steam is working towards addressing the challenges posed by AI-generated content.