"I know that a lot of PC gamers are resistant to AI": SteamGPT shows up in datamined Steam files, suggesting Valve plans to add AI to help in these two key areas

Valve, the parent company of PC gaming juggernaut Steam, has mostly played it safe so far in the age of AI. That seems to be slowly changing, at least if this new rumor pans out.

X user and reliable Steam info source @gabefollower (a nod to Valve creator Gabe Newell) has shared findings from a datamining effort pulled from a recent Steam update.

Inside are references to something called SteamGPT, which seems to be related to Steam support and Counter-Strike 2's anti-cheat.

SteamGPT, of course, is reminiscent of ChatGPT, the AI LLM and Microsoft partner that kicked off the AI wave in which we're currently living. Assuming that SteamGPT does indeed have something to do with AI, it appears Valve may begin implementing it to help process support requests.

Steam has something like 69 million daily active users, so you can imagine how much of a help AI could theoretically be. That's assuming it's A) capable and B) not used in a public-facing manner.

One of the things I appreciate most about Steam is its support system. I've only had positive experiences in my 25+ years as an account holder, and I know that many PC gamers will say the same thing. The only real drawback is that it can sometimes take awhile for your issue to get looked at.

Injecting AI into the process would likely speed up some support aspects, but it could also go horribly wrong. There's plenty of evidence showing that letting AI handle customer service would likely be a nightmare.

Why did it lie? - YouTube

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Also found in the data mining effort are ties to Valve's Trust system. This could indicate that Valve is preparing AI to help deal with cheaters in popular esports titles like Counter-Strike 2.

How exactly this plays out remains to be seen, and there's certainly an argument to be made for AI assistance as cheats become increasingly complex and hard to detect. This is, of course, all hearsay until Valve clarifies exactly what SteamGPT actually refers to.

Leave it up to Valve to use AI the right way

I know that a lot of PC gamers are resistant to AI, so it's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out if indeed Valve is using a custom model to help with support and anti-cheat methods.

No, I don't think you're going to be gaming Valve's AI through support channels to refund money on old games. And I don't think you're going to be able to convince AI that you weren't actually cheating and to reverse a VAC ban.

In my books, Valve is one of the PC gaming companies that (mostly) gets things right, and if it can inject AI to help keep players supported and honest without interfering with the overall feel of Steam, I'm definitely willing to give it a chance.

Do you agree with my take? Is SteamGPT an early look at a custom LLM working behind the scenes at Valve? Do you think it will be a net positive for the company, or will it result in overwhelming backlash? Let me know in the comments section!

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