Developers Split on Generative AI's Impact & Adoption

As for how much the gen AI is actually being used in the industry, 36 percent of those surveyed said they utilize it as part of their jobs, while 64 percent said they don't. The majority of those who do use gen AI said they use the tech for research and brainstorming (81 percent), as well as administrative tasks like email (47 percent). But some did admit to using AI for more development-oriented tasks, including prototyping (35 percent), testing or debugging (22 percent), and asset generation (19 percent).

Only 5 percent of that group said they use gen AI on "player-facing features." The other major topic broached in the survey was the persistent layoffs and studio closures that have ravaged the industry over the last few years. In the 2025 survey, one in 10 developers said they had been laid off within the last year. This year, the numbers were similar, with 17 percent of respondents saying they had been laid off in the last 12 months, while a whopping 28 percent had been laid off within the last two years.

Naturally, this had led to an aura of uncertainty; 23 percent of those surveyed said that they expected more layoffs in the next year, while 30 percent are unsure. The survey also questioned a small number of those in the educational space -- more than 100 educators and 50 students, according to GDC -- and unsurprisingly the outlook isn't very positive.