Microsoft is reportedly working on an AI-powered Xbox chatbot to help automate game refunds and support queries.
At least, that’s what The Verge is said to have heard from sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans. According to the article, Microsoft’s new Xbox chatbot – we name it the ‘Xbot’ for now – is part of a larger effort by the Redmond-based company to apply AI to its Xbox products. At the moment of writing, Microsoft’s new AI bot is being tested internally, and can quickly respond to support queries from Xbox users after starting with the question: “How can I help you today?”
“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,” Xbox general manager of gaming AI, Haiyan Zhang, told the Verge through a statement. “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.”
Apparently, the ‘Xbot’ is connected to Microsoft’s Xbox support documents, and can even process game refunds. “This agent can help you with your Xbox support questions,” an alleged description of the Xbox chatbot internally reads at Microsoft.
As picked up by many among the community, this rumored Xbox AI chatbot has quickly been named ‘Xbot’ as a reference to the loyal Microsoft fans.
Some console warriors called Xbox fans (and neutral people wrongly suspected of being Xbox fans, such as me) “Xbots.” Here comes the actual Xbox bot: https://t.co/tk5Ji2cPap
— Florian Mueller (@Florian4Gamers) April 2, 2024
Microsoft has long been investing in AI – last year, the company announced a multi-year partnership with Inworld AI to create a multi-platform toolset for game creators. This toolset aims to empower game creators with the help of AI. “What if you could use AI to reduce the time and resource constraints during production to not only ship faster but also craft more expansive and immersive worlds and stories?”, Inworld AI CEO Ilya Gelfenbeyn wrote in a blogpost las year. “That’s the idea behind the AI copilot that we’re building with Xbox. As an assistant to game developers, our copilot will take the seeds of these creative ideas and transform them into detailed scripts complete with dialogue trees, quests, and more.”
We’ll update you as soon as we learn more about this new Xbox AI chatbot.
