Microsoft Survey Suggests Xbox Game Pass Could Be Getting AI Features
A new Microsoft survey sent to some gamers has hinted at the possibility of AI features coming to Xbox Game Pass in the future. Nothing is confirmed about potential AI usage in Xbox Game Pass at this point, and it seems that Microsoft is simply sending out feelers to see how it could potentially be implemented in a way that gamers would accept. Regardless, it’s going to be a difficult balance for Microsoft to strike, unless something changes regarding gamer sentiment on artificial intelligence going forward.
In the current gaming sphere, any move that brings AI implementation to Xbox Game Pass is sure to be controversial. AI in games is becoming an increasingly contentious point, especially as it continues to cost people their jobs in the industry. But as a leading hardware manufacturer, Microsoft is expected to be an innovator and at the forefront of new technologies, putting the company often at odds with what the gaming community wants. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced Xbox Copilot, an AI-powered tool that helps players finish games, indicating a desire to integrate this technology front and center into the gaming experience. As big companies seem more determined than ever to push AI, the backlash against it is intensifying.
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New Survey Hints at Xbox Game Pass AI Features
A recent Microsoft feedback survey was spotted by Redditor petrus1312, asking users to imagine a scenario in which Xbox Game Pass featured AI capabilities. It queried which features players would be most likely to use, including in-game assistance, post-game performance analysis, a voice mode, personalized game recommendations, and game/account insights. There’s also an option for none of the features, allowing gamers against AI to have their voices heard by Microsoft. It should be noted that this survey doesn’t guarantee Xbox Game Pass will get AI anytime soon. Still, it certainly indicates that Microsoft wants to know how Xbox users feel about it and how it can be implemented without massively annoying gamers.
Would Gamers Welcome AI on Xbox Game Pass?
Given the overwhelmingly negative sentiment towards AI in games, it’s difficult to imagine that further implementation would be well received by gamers. The reception may come down to how intrusive it feels to the overall gaming experience. Take gaming guides as an example: for years, gamers have gotten used to looking up answers to their questions from third-party sources, whether on their phone or a second monitor. But it’s possible that being able to get these answers directly in-game would be intrusive and unimmersive, prompting some serious complaints from gamers. And with AI’s well-documented hallucinations, there’s no guarantee players will actually get the right answers, especially in newer games where the solutions to problems aren’t necessarily widely available online.
All that said, there are some scenarios in which AI could potentially be useful for gamers. In the best cases, they won’t even realize that it’s there. This is where something like personalized game recommendations could really thrive. While this kind of system is already in place, AI could definitely help match gamers with titles that are more closely aligned with their interests. With the enormous number of games on Xbox Game Pass, it could help wade through the things that individuals would have no interest in based on previous purchasing and playing habits. And again, it’s not difficult to see a scenario in which this feature is implemented without gamers knowing it’s artificial intelligence doing the work in the background. At the moment, it feels inevitable that Microsoft will continue experimenting with new AI applications over the next few years. How much that impacts the gaming experience on Xbox remains to be seen.