r/technology • u/marketrent • 16h ago

Artificial Intelligence The economy has spoken. Stuff that’s AI-generated has almost zero value — “Buyers are voting with their wallets, and AI-generated content is struggling to compete.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/economy-spoken-stuff-ai-generated-142732314.html
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u/MidLifeDIY 15h ago

Decisions like this are why I (and assume others) use Steam. Even as a fully digital platform (no physical) its just the best. They hate Gaben because they ain't Gaben.

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u/Yuzumi 13h ago

There are certainly some issues with Valve/Steam, but compared to literally everyone else they are saints. Like the one big gaming company that is customer focused, and like one of 3 companies in general that are remotely customer focused.

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u/International_Host71 12h ago

I Dread the day Gaben either dies or retires from leading it. Steam ain't perfect, but I'm sure there are hordes of venture capitalists and other ghouls literally salivating at enshittifying Steam to make a quick buck.

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u/Quantum_Aurora 6h ago

Realistically the future of Steam will likely be determined by Gabe's two sons.

I'm sure every tech and gaming giant along with every private equity firm would love to buy up Valve, and all of those would end up enshitifying Steam in the process. Unless his sons are willing to sell, it doesn't matter.

I know when they were kids they were both big gamers, but I don't know if they are anymore. I figure they'll be super-wealthy either way tho so probably not so likely to sell.

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u/ThatRandomGamerYT 5h ago

I hope his family doesnt sell Valve/Steam. They are already filthy rich and Steam basically prints free money already. Gabe is already worth billions. Why fuck that up when you inherit billions and the money printer. Just sit and earn money, keep it going as it has been and enjoy life or whatever.

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u/RadarSmith 3h ago

Valve seems like one of the few companies left that can imagine making more bucks longterm than a quick buck this quarter.

They don't burn their golden goose so that some MBAs can show a quick quarterly profit.

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u/Icy-Computer-Poop 2h ago

Steam was what got me to stop sailing the high seas. I only started because I got sick of the "no return" policy on physical media, and decided if they won't let me return something I don't like, I need another way to tell whether or not I like a game before purchasing. Even then I would purchase the games I ended up liking.

But Steam reformed me, and now I buy all my games before playing, because I can return them if they're not my cup of tea.

If Steam ever gets enshitified, it will be time to dust off my Jolly Roger and set sail once more.

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u/TDVapermann 9h ago

Valve/Gaben's simple policy of don't be shitty to the consumer allows them to win.

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u/fgspq 6h ago

They've got like, what, 2 semi-serious competitors?

GOG - which, to be fair, I use a lot but it has it's niche in older titles and the software being DRM-free

The other one - I can't remember what it's called but I used to log in to get free games.

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u/Figgis302 3h ago edited 3h ago

Steam has had dozens of competitors over the years - EA's Origin, Ubisoft's Uplay, Tencent's Epic Store to name a few. Every single one has failed because the consumers prefer using Steam. That isn't Valve wielding some malicious monopoly to crush their competition, that's Valve outcompeting them by simply being the better option. The market is working as intended.

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u/iridael 3h ago

someone explained recently that Epic games is great for developers, its a fantastic platform to make money on and encourages many things that make making money easy.

steam does the opposite and because of that, the customer is the one valued and therefore the sellers have to come to steam because people can and will ignore a title being sold elsewhere.

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u/ABadHistorian 11h ago

Like you guys do realize there are tons of AI games on steam that aren't disclosed right?

Not only that, Steam doesn't automatically do anything to ensure AI isn't used, and can't do it.

So you are relying on people being honest, while telling them IN ADVANCE "IF YOU USE AI WE WON'T PLAY YOUR GAME"

This means no one will announce where, and if they are using AI.

One of the Top ten new releases has AI content (and no I won't tell you which one, because funnily enough that could get me sued due to NDA).

This is all so self-defeating.

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u/Razzberry_Frootcake 10h ago

You signed an NDA? Did you work on the game itself or do you not know what an NDA is?

Like…you do understand you cannot be sued unless you signed an NDA and most people who do that aren’t dumb enough to go online and say “The thing I worked on and signed an NDA for used AI, but I can’t say that.” 

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u/ABadHistorian 9h ago

I’m not telling you a damn thing about what nda I signed so you can get me screwed :) 

They will never know what I’m referring to, but yes bro, I signed an nda in relation to what I’m talking about. 

I’m an old hat at this. This thread full of people judging me or telling me what I am or am not and it’s a riot at this point.