Microsoft is exploring the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot on Xbox to help users with support tasks more quickly and efficiently, according to reports from The Verge.
People familiar with Microsoft’s plans said the company is testing an animated Xbox AI “embodied AI character” designed to answer questions about Xbox support. The chatbot links to Microsoft’s support documentation and to resources across the Xbox ecosystem, enabling it to explain how gaming systems operate and even handle refund requests for games players dislike.
In a statement to The Verge, Haiyang Zhang, Xbox general manager of gaming AI, described the initiative as a real-world experiment in virtual customer service. He explained that the internal prototype is an animated character capable of diagnosing and addressing Xbox service issues. The prototype is meant to speed up help-seeking for players, combining natural language responses with data drawn from existing Xbox support pages to guide users through issues and available remedies.
The timeline for a full release remains unclear, and it is not confirmed whether the service will be available outside the United States. As with any early-stage product, questions about scalability, regional support, and ongoing improvements are expected as testing continues.
Meanwhile, an unrelated development has generated headlines about Amazon, which reportedly closed some stores without cash registers in response to AI-related pressures. This broader context underscores ongoing experimentation with AI-driven tools across major technology platforms and the potential implications for customer service strategies and retail operations alike.