AI Policy Changes 2026

AI Disclosure and Labelling

Mandatory Disclosure

If you use generative AI to create, edit, or process any file, asset, or page documentation uploaded to Nexus Mods you must disclose it accurately using one of the options outlined below. 

Asset Classification and Disclosure Standards:

• AI Generated Content: Choose this if the core work was produced by AI tools such as AI generated code, synthetic voice lines, AI generated textures, generated text, or AI generated scripts.
• AI Media: Applies to promotional images, thumbnails, page banners, videos or mod descriptions outside of the game files. . 
• AI Assisted Content: Use this for human led mods where AI tools played a supporting role (e.g texture upscaling, cleaning up audio or generating initial concept art) if you select this tag your main mod page must clearly list:
  • The specific AI tools, software, or models you used.
  • Exactly what AI output(s), be that: files, assets, or code (e.g., code autocompletion, texture upscaling, dialogue polishing, or noise removal) are present in the final mod 
  • All other required evidence as specified by the AI Assisted classifications in our File Submission Guidelines:
    • Development history: project file history, version control commit history, other evidence of human-led design.
    • Genuine expertise and understanding of the functionality of your code, which you may have to explain in moderation disputes.
    • Any relevant examples of mod or software development on Nexus Mods will be considered in moderation disputes.

The claim of AI Assisted development without these points being evidenced clearly on your page may result in the AI Assisted classification being replaced by the moderation team. 

Updating Disclosures

Authors are required to update their public AI statements whenever an update introduces new AI assisted components or significantly alters existing ones.

Reporting & Enforcement

• Community Flagging: We rely on authors to tag their uploads accurately. If you see a mod that appears to contain unlabelled or mislabelled AI assets please report it for the Trust & Safety team to review.
• Current Requirements: Basic disclosure of AI usage is already required under site policy. The itemised breakdown for AI assisted mods will apply according to the grace period outlined in Section 5.

• Source code: We as a platform take reasonable measures to keep our users safe from malicious files and to clearly disclose what their mods do in accordance with our rules.

  Nexus Mods reserves the right to request source code to help assess concerns regarding these matters. You are not obliged to provide that source code, but we reserve the right to decline or discontinue hosting files where those concerns remain unresolved, including where requested source code is not provided.

Permissions (AI Usage, Training, and Forking)

Default Permissions

To ensure authors keep full control over their work, we will be introducing explicit permission settings for AI Training/Tool Usage and Forks/Parallel Versions. These permissions will default to "Ask Me" across all hosted files including legacy mods published before these options were introduced.

Submission Requirements

• New Uploads: When uploading a new file authors can choose their explicit permission preferences for AI training and content forking before the mod is published.
• Existing Permissions: Rules governing traditional asset reuse, conversions, ports, and reuploads remain unchanged.

Scope of "Ask Me" and Restrictions

• What "Ask Me" Means: Setting permissions to "Ask Me" strictly prohibits anyone from using your assets for AI training or project forks without direct written permission from the author.
• What Is Covered: This restriction applies to all parts of a mod (meshes, textures, scripts, audio files, text, and source code) across two main activities:
  1. Training, fine-tuning, or compiling datasets for generative AI applications.
  2. Integrating mod files into automated AI editing, synthesis, or generative workflows.
• Copyleft Licences: Platform permissions are enforced across Nexus Mods, but they do not override valid copyleft licenses (such as GPL, or some Creative Commons licenses) already attached to underlying code or assets which require downstream projects to use the same license.

Forks and Parallel Versions

Authorisation Standard

Hosting a fork, alternative variant, or parallel version of a mod on Nexus Mods is only permitted if you have explicit authorisation from the original author or if the project is covered by an open permission that allows it.

• Actively Maintained Mods: Forking or hosting a variant of an active mod requires clear documented permission from the original creator unless their mod page explicitly sets permission to allow forks and derivatives.
• Copyleft (Share-a-Like) Licences: If an underlying software license (such as GPL3) explicitly permits derivative works and requires downstream mods to do the same, site moderation will honor the legal terms of that license over platform defaults.

Inactive Authors and Legacy Files

• Unresponsive Authors: If an author is inactive, unreachable or hasn't updated their permission settings the default "Ask Me" status will remain.
• Open non-fork permissions: If an author has existing permissions that allow forks, but has not set the allow fork permission, we will consider them unresponsive after 6 months of full inactivity. This will be judged 6 months of inactivity on the site, followed by a DM from staff to confirm.

Existing Parallel Versions: Forked or parallel mods published before this policy took effect will be reviewed case by case by the Trust & Safety team to confirm their permission status. Reports regarding existing forks, parallel versions, etc will still be considered if they are reported by the original author of the forked content.

Derivative Works and Attribution

Attribution Standards

All derivative works, forks, patches, parallel/”unofficial” versions or modified assets hosted on Nexus Mods must credit the original creator(s) and link back to the original source mod.

Placement and External Assets

• Where to Put Credits: Credits and source links must be clearly visible in your main mod description.
• Full Credit Chain: If your mod builds upon another derivative work or uses assets from multiple sources you must credit every original creator in that chain.
• External Sources: If a source asset comes from an external site you must include a working link directly to that external source page in your credits.

Transition, Reporting, and Enforcement

Grace Period

A 60 day grace period starting on 3rd November 2026 applies exclusively to new requirements, specifically detailed AI assisted description statements and mandatory fork/AI permission tags. Core site rules, copyright policies, and basic AI disclosure obligations remain fully enforced during this period.

Uploads and Notifications

• New Uploads: Any file uploaded during the grace period must fill out all updated permission and disclosure fields immediately.
• Dashboard Reminders: Closing or dismissing notification prompts in your author dashboard does not exempt your content from compliance. Once the 60 days are up on the 2nd January 2027, all hosted mods must comply with the new rules.

Enforcement Actions

Once the 60-day grace period ends on 2nd January 2027, untagged or non compliant mods will be referred to the Trust & Safety team for review. Authors will be notified and asked to fix missing disclosures or permission settings. Continued failure to update a mod following a staff notification will result in moderation action, account restrictions, warnings or removal from Nexus Mods.