Google claims 90 percent of developers use AI to create games but are not telling players

A bold new claim from Google suggests most of the games you're already playing are powered by AI, whether players realize it or not.

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Speaking recently, Jack Buser said that "roughly nine out of ten game developers" are already using AI-powered tools, based on an internal survey conducted during Gamescom 2026. According to Buser, the gap between that figure and other industry reports stems from developers' reluctance to publicly disclose their usage. The comments position AI not as a future shift but as a technology already deeply embedded in modern game development.

The claim stands in contrast to widely cited reports such as the GDC State of the Game Industry, which places adoption closer to 50 percent. Buser argues that the discrepancy reflects underreporting rather than reality.

"When there are technological revolutions in this industry, oftentimes you have a reaction from the player that's like, hold on, I know what my favourite games are, and I'm worried about change," Buser said. "Am I going to like the games of the future? Because I sure like the games I'm playing now. And I totally get that reaction."

"I think what players don't realize is that their favourite games right now were already built with AI. Those games have shipped. We did a survey around Gamescom last summer with studios all over the world. Roughly nine out of ten game developers told us, yeah, we're using it. Now you'll see other surveys from other organizations that have that more around like 40-50%. And you might ask yourself, well, that's still a large number. It's still almost half of the developers out there. What's the gap?"

He also pointed to companies like Capcom as major users of AI tools, though Capcom has publicly stated that its use of generative AI is focused on improving workflows in graphics, sound, and programming, not on creating final in-game assets. Buser described AI tools used to rapidly generate and filter ideas during pre-production, allowing teams to focus more on high-value creative work rather than repetitive tasks.

"That gap is basically the developers' willingness to tell you whether the fact of the matter is that it's being used."

Still, the framing raises questions. Many of the examples given resemble long-established workflows rather than entirely new AI-driven breakthroughs, and critics argue the claims may overstate the impact of current tools. With companies like Google Cloud actively promoting AI solutions, skepticism remains warranted.

One thing is guaranteed: AI is already part of game development, but how much it shapes the final products will vary from studio to studio. But it's more than likely being used a whole lot more than expected.