Microsoft is reportedly working on an AI-powered Xbox chatbot that will help automate game refunds and support inquiries.
At least, that’s what The Verge is told by people familiar with Microsoft’s plans. According to the article, Microsoft’s new Xbox chatbot (named “Xbot” for now) is part of a larger effort by the Redmond-based company to apply its AI to Xbox products. As of this writing, Microsoft’s new AI bot is being tested internally and can immediately respond to support queries from Xbox users that start with the question, “How can I help you today?”
“We’re testing the Xbox Support Virtual Agent, an internal prototype of an animated character that you can ask about Xbox support topics by voice or text,” said Haiyan Zhang, general manager of gaming AI at Xbox. told the Verge in a statement. “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.”
Apparently, “Xbot” is connected to Microsoft’s Xbox support documentation and can also process refunds for games. Internally, Microsoft says the description for the Xbox chatbot says, “This agent will answer your Xbox support questions.”
So many in the community picked it up that the rumored Xbox AI chatbot was quickly named “Xbot” after a loyal Microsoft fan.
Some console warriors have referred to Xbox fans (and neutral people like me who are mistakenly suspected of being Xbox fans) as “Xbots.” Here comes his actual Xbox bot: https://t.co/tk5Ji2cPap
— Florian Muller (@Florian4Gamers) April 2, 2024
Microsoft has been investing in AI for years. 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 help game creators with the help of AI. ”What if we could use AI to reduce time and resource constraints during production, ship faster, and create more expansive and immersive worlds and stories?” Ilya, Inworld AI CEO Gelfenbeyn wrote in a blog post last year. “Here’s the idea behind” the AI co-pilot we’re building on Xbox. As a game developer’s assistant, our co-pilot takes the seeds of these creative ideas and transforms them into detailed scripts, complete with dialogue trees, quests, and more. ”
We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about this new Xbox AI chatbot.