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itch.io will soon let you filter games with genAI disclosures out of your search results on the site, after admitting it was previously “critically lacking”
Itch.io will extend required generative AI disclosures beyond game assets to tabletop games, books, comics and soundtracks, and plans to add a search filter that hides projects labelled “no AI”. The changes respond to a sharp rise in uploads and the platform’s admission that its previous moderation of AI use was “critically lacking”.
The site said game pages created each day had doubled over the past two months, and that it had recently deleted several terabytes of AI-generated material. The article notes that disclosure and filtering do not amount to a ban, while stricter enforcement could be difficult for itch.io’s small team to verify at scale.
In short
- Itch.io is expanding required AI disclosures to more creative categories.
- A “no AI” filter is planned for site search.
- Daily game page creation has doubled in two months.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Requiring clear AI disclosures and offering a filter would let users make informed choices while preserving creators’ ability to publish AI-assisted work. As uploads grow, consistent labelling may also help the platform manage moderation and maintain trust without imposing a blanket ban.
The case against
Disclosure rules and filters may seem like a modest response, but they can still burden creators and make the platform responsible for judging how AI was used. With a small team and limited ability to verify claims at scale, the rules could be applied inconsistently or create a false sense that labels are reliable.
Explained simply
itch.io is an online platform where independent creators publish and sell games and other digital work. Its catalogue includes video games as well as tabletop games, books, comics and soundtracks, made by individuals and small studios.
Generative AI tools can produce text, images, music and other material from prompts. Platforms face questions about how creators should disclose using these tools and how readers or players can find work made without them.
A disclosure rule asks creators to label their projects; it does not by itself prevent AI-generated work from appearing on the site. Checking whether labels are accurate can take time, especially as the number of uploads grows.