GDC Survey Finds 40 Percent of Game Professionals Use Generative AI While Industry Layoffs Remain Severe

The latest State of the Game Industry report from the Game Developers Conference paints a complicated picture of an industry simultaneously embracing new technology and struggling with substantial employment insecurity. Based on responses from more than 2,600 professionals across 69 countries, the November 2026 survey found that 40 percent of respondents use generative artificial intelligence as part of their work, up from 36 percent in the previous survey.

However, 55 percent believe generative AI is having a negative effect on the industry, while 35 percent describe its impact as mixed and only eight percent consider it positive. Developers appear more comfortable using these systems for research, administrative work and early experimentation than for replacing creative contributions.

Layoffs, job insecurity, and engine trends

Employment conditions remain particularly concerning. Approximately 34 percent of respondents reported having experienced layoffs during the previous two years, increasing to 39 percent among American participants. Among respondents who had lost jobs, 54 percent said they remained unemployed. The survey also found that 51 percent of respondents were strongly concerned about their future employment prospects.

These figures illustrate the difficult environment facing experienced developers and newcomers attempting to establish careers. Generative AI may improve productivity for certain tasks, but its introduction does not automatically resolve deeper business problems involving escalating development costs, uncertain commercial performance and workforce restructuring.

The report also provides information about development engines and platforms, with the open-source Godot engine continuing to gain interest among independent creators. Importantly, survey findings represent the views of participating professionals rather than a comprehensive census of the entire global industry. Nevertheless, the results offer a valuable snapshot of developers' experiences. The industry's greatest challenge may not involve creating more sophisticated tools, but ensuring that the people using them can build sustainable careers.

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