Xbox could get an AI chatbot soon
Microsoft wants to put a virtual chatbot on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S
🤖 Microsoft is working on an AI chatbot for Xbox
💁♂️ The AI will be able to help players with support issues
🤔 Further AI integration is planned to help with moderation or offer in-game help
📈 AI has been rapidly adopted across almost every industry
Microsoft continues to invest heavily in AI, and now the Redmond-based company wants to bring the power of artificial intelligence to Xbox.
Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans have told The Verge that it’s currently testing a new AI-powered Xbox chatbot that will animate and respond to Xbox support queries.
The Xbox AI chatbot will be able to “help you with your Xbox support questions”, according to a description of the chatbot internally, and could even process game refunds for you.
Microsoft’s general manager of gaming AI Xbox, Haiyan Zhang, has since told The Verge: “We are testing an Xbox Support Virtual Agent, an internal prototype of an animated character that can query Xbox Support topics with voice or text. The prototype makes it easier and quicker for players to get help with support topics using natural language, taking information from existing Xbox Support pages.”
Microsoft is reportedly working on bringing more AI features to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. We could see content creation, game operations, and Xbox platform and devices all benefit from AI soon, which could also aid game development as a whole.
Moderation is another area that might benefit from the recent advancements in AI technology, helping players deal with enforcement or dispute processes more easily.
Microsoft previously integrated Cortana into Xbox One, which let you perform various voice commands, but Microsoft eventually removed the voice assistant after it was discontinued.
AI isn’t exactly new in gaming, but its use has been limited thus far. Nvidia and AMD both use AI to help with image upscaling, and it’s something that the PS5 Pro will reportedly lean on with its proprietary PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution upscaling solution. Some gaming hardware like the Audeze Maxwell headset uses AI to help with things like noise cancellation when using the microphone.
We can expect AI to be a big part of the next generation of consoles like the PS6 and even the Nintendo Switch 2. Whether it’s helping players with in-game guides or with technical support, artificial intelligence has seen a rapid rise to prominence in almost every industry, and gaming will be no different.