Microsoft is reportedly testing an AI chatbot for Xbox that could help players with a variety of support questions.
According to reports The Verge, a chatbot becomes a visible character that animates in response to player questions and commands. Additionally, since it pulls information from the official Xbox support website, it should be able to respond to questions with good advice and even process refunds if the player wishes.
Internally, it’s called the “Xbox Support Virtual Agent,” and like many other chatbots seen on the internet, it asks players, “How can I help you today?” This encourages conversation. You can respond by voice or text.
Haiyan Zhang, General Manager of Game AI at Xbox, told The Verge:
“This prototype allows players to pull information from existing Xbox support pages and use natural language to more easily and quickly get help on support topics.”
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This AI-powered virtual chatbot isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Microsoft Gaming’s efforts to bring artificial intelligence to its Xbox platform. Last year, it was reported that the company had partnered with Inworld AI to develop an AI toolset to assist developers with story, dialogue, and quest design.
In addition to this, the gaming industry as a whole is currently exploring how AI can simplify various avenues of development.Ubisoft recently announced Neo NPC, a generative AI tool used to create characters, facial expressions, dialogue, and conversations with the player. The tool was largely ridiculed online due to the creepy facial expressions of the generated characters and the awkward and stilted dialogue.
By comparison, Xbox’s AI chatbot doesn’t seem to be leveraging controversial generative AI technology, relying instead on the company’s own catalog of support pages. As a result, it could become a useful accessibility feature for Xbox users if rolled out to a wider user base.
