Microsoft Reportedly Testing an AI-Powered Chatbot for Xbox

Microsoft might bring an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot to its Xbox platform, as per a report. The tech giant is said to be working on developing a tool that can help in automating support tasks for the company. The reported development aligns with the company's recent strides in creating deeper integration of AI into its products. Notably, Microsoft recently unveiled its first-ever AI PCs with the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, which feature a dedicated Copilot key for easy access to the tool.

According to a report by The Verge, the Windows maker is now trying to add AI features to its gaming platform. Citing unnamed sources familiar with the developer, the publication said that the under-testing AI chatbot is capable of handling support-related queries and responding to them. The AI model is likely trained on the support documents for the Xbox. It can not only help users with a wide range of troubleshooting issues, and problems with the hardware or the account itself but also process game refunds.

The chatbot is reportedly dubbed Xbox Support Virtual Agent, and currently, it is just a prototype. However, it is said to be opened to a wider testing pool which highlights that it could be rolled out to the public soon. Microsoft confirmed the development in a statement given to The Verge.

Haiyan Zhang, General Manager of Gaming AI at Xbox told the publication, “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.”

While a customer support chatbot is not really pushing the edge of innovation when it comes to AI, the report highlights that this could be the beginning of Microsoft's larger plans of a broader integration of the technology into the Xbox ecosystem. In future, AI features can also be added to game content creation, game operations, and AI-generated art and assets for games. Notably, the company is already in the works to develop AI-powered non-playing characters (NPCs).