Xbox players will soon be getting an optional AI-powered gaming assistant to help them with game recommendations or to improve their skills, Microsoft revealed on the Official Xbox Podcast on Thursday.
Announced last year, Copilot for Gaming is powered by Microsoft's AI assistant and is meant to help players save time and better experience games. This can include lessening the headache when downloading and updating titles or giving hints as to side quests they might miss out on. Copilot for Gaming will first hit mobile in April, and those interested can sign up for early access via the Xbox Insider program. It'll initially act as a second-screen companion via the Xbox mobile app.
"It has to be personalized to you the way that you like to play and it should be able to help you get further in gaming, be your companion, and help connect you with families and communities," said Fatima Kardar, Xbox corporate vice president of Gaming AI on the podcast.
For Kardar, who is fairly new to gaming, Copilot helps her with game recommendations, which is handy for someone not tuned into the latest releases.
Jason Ronald, vice president of next generation at Xbox, added that Copilot can recommend the types of cars to drive in a racing game that better fits his play style, for example. In a demo shown during the podcast, Copilot assisted in Overwatch 2 by recommending which heroes to pick to counter others.
Kardar notes that gaming is the only form of media that can leave people stuck. This is where Copilot can help gamers get through games. At the same time, she doesn't want Copilot for Gaming to be intrusive, meaning the AI will adapt itself to be personalized for how a player likes to play.
Microsoft deferred to its blog post when asked for comment.
The upcoming test is happening as Microsoft continues going all-in on AI. With the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, Microsoft made a multibillion-dollar deal with OpenAI. That deal led to the development of Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant in Windows. We've since seen AI enter all parts of Microsoft's business, from PowerPoint to Azure.
However, at the same time, the video game industry has been hit with layoffs throughout the last few years, including ones at Microsoft. Concerns have been raised of AI slowly replacing software developers. Last month, Microsoft revealed Muse, an AI model for gameplay ideation. Some developers are less keen on embracing it, however, suggesting that the technology is more of a cost-cutting measure than something developers are actually asking for.
Xbox was careful to say that Copilot for Gaming would leave control to the player and any AI assistance would only be additive. The podcast also detailed that Xbox Play Anywhere, a program that allows gamers to pick up their games on either console or PC, has been expanded to include 1,000 titles.
For more on AI in gaming, check out how developers are using the tech or how PlayStation is creating AI-generated characters in games.
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