Steam AI Content Disclosure Explained for Developers

Steam asks developers to disclose whether their game uses AI-generated content, and that answer appears on the store page where players can read it. The point is to tell buyers what they are getting. The safest approach is simple: answer from an inventory of what your project actually used, check Valve's current form for the exact questions and keep a record so your answers can be checked later.

What does Steam's form ask about?

In general terms, the form asks about two kinds of AI content. The exact questions can change, so read the current version before you submit. The two categories are:

• Pre-generated content. Art, audio, text, video or other assets that an AI tool created during development and that ship with the game.
• Live-generated content. Content the game creates while someone is playing, such as dialogue or images produced by a model at runtime.

The split matters because the two kinds behave differently. A pre-generated sprite is fixed when you ship it. A live-generated line can say something you never wrote, so it deserves its own answer.

How do you build an honest inventory?

Start with a list, not a memory test. Go through your project and write down every place an AI tool touched your game. Include concept art that became final assets, voice clips, placeholder text that stayed in the build, marketing images and any runtime feature that generates content. Then sort each item into the right category.

Where AI was used	In the shipped game?	What to do
Concept art that became final art	Yes	Count it as pre-generated content
Placeholder text that stayed in the build	Yes	Count it, then replace it if you can
Brainstorm notes that were rewritten	No	Confirm nothing from the tool shipped
Marketing images on the store page	Not in the game	Check whether the form covers marketing material
Dialogue generated while the game runs	Yes, at runtime	Count it as live-generated content
Suggestions in a code editor	Possibly	Check the form's current wording on development tools

Keep the inventory in a plain document that lives with the project. Each entry should name the tool, the asset or feature it touched and whether the output shipped. That single file answers most of the form's questions, and it protects you if someone asks later how a particular asset was made.

How should you word your answer?

Keep the wording plain and specific. If the form lets you add detail, say what the tool did and where it appears in the game. Avoid vague phrases such as "some AI was used," because players cannot judge what that means. The goal is to inform the buyer, not to defend your choices or hide the details. A useful pattern is to name the tool category, the content type and where it appears, such as concept art used as a final background, instead of making a general claim about AI.

How do players see the disclosure?

The disclosure appears on your store page, so treat it as part of your store copy. Players who care about AI can read it before they buy, and some will look closely, especially in a crowded genre. A clear, accurate disclosure reads as more trustworthy than a vague one, and it saves you from arguments after launch.

What about tools used only for coding?

Code assistants raise a common question. Check the current form, because its wording decides whether development tools need a mention. Even if the form does not ask, keep a note of which tools touched your code. That record helps you answer future questions without guessing, and it helps your team if a platform asks for details later.

What are the common mistakes?

• Answering from memory and missing a tool that only touched one asset.
• Writing defensive copy as if the disclosure were a quality rating.
• Forgetting placeholder content that shipped by accident.
• Changing the game after release without updating the answers.
• Using a vague label that tells players nothing useful.

What should you do when the game changes?

Update your answers whenever your tools or content change. A patch that adds generated voice lines, or a new art pipeline, can change what you need to disclose. Keep your inventory current so the next update is quick, and check the form again before each submission.

Who should own the disclosure?

Assign one person on the team to own the disclosure. That person checks the current form, keeps the inventory and signs off on the store text. It helps to review the answers with everyone who used AI tools, so the record matches what actually happened in production. Shared ownership sounds fair, but it often means nobody checks the final wording. Date each inventory entry as well, so you can show which version of the form you answered and when.

For context on how a store page presents labels and features, read our guide to VR supported vs VR only on Steam. If you are planning a festival or a demo, the Steam Next Fest prep guide for VR developers covers what to check on your page first.

Answer the form from the inventory, not from memory. Keep the wording plain, check the current questions before each submission and update your answers when the game changes. Honest disclosure takes a little time now, and it prevents much bigger problems later.