A recent report from engine maker Unity reveals that 62% of surveyed game studios are using AI in various ways to assist in development. This finding comes at a time when the gaming community has shown mixed reactions to AI usage.

In December, an official Xbox Twitter account seemingly utilized AI to create a promotional image, which included quirky details like mustachioed children and misshapen objects. While this might have been an individual decision rather than a company-wide strategy, fans were understandably frustrated, especially since the tweet was meant to celebrate indie game development. Similarly, Magic: The Gathering developer Wizards of the Coast faced criticism earlier this year for using AI in promotional images. However,
the majority of game studios employing AI are leveraging it for purposes other than marketing.

According to Unity’s report, AI is primarily used by surveyed studios for prototyping, concepting, asset creation, and worldbuilding. The report also highlights that game development timelines have increased, with the average time-to-launch rising from 218 days in 2022 to 304 days in 2023.
In response, studios are turning to AI to streamline processes.
Among developers using AI, 46% use it to enhance character animation,
37% use it to speed up code writing, and 36% use it for generating artwork, testing gameplay, or automating narrative elements. Overall, 71% of AI-using studios report improved operations.

The survey also reveals that 56% of AI-adopting developers use it for worldbuilding, with 64% utilizing it for creating NPCs and 54% for crafting unique experiences. Unity’s report also delves into the game genres AI-focused developers work on, with top categories including AR/VR (29%), online multiplayer (28%), casual (27%), and open world (25%). Less common genres for AI utilization were first-person shooter (15%), puzzle (16%),
and educational (19%).

However, some companies expressed hesitance in adopting AI, contrasting with Square Enix’s enthusiastic approach to the technology. Unity’s report includes a 2023 poll indicating that 38% of studios had not yet integrated AI, citing reasons such as lack of time (43%), insufficient technical skills (24%), and unawareness of AI possibilities (20%). Nevertheless, it’s likely that the number of non-AI studios has decreased since 2023.

The trend suggests that AI’s role in game development is inevitable, extending beyond initial development to post-launch support through tools like NVIDIA’s AI upscaling technology and Microsoft’s newly introduced AI optimization tool.