Not even Microsoft’s own research showing how artificial intelligence makes users less cognitively capable will prevent the tech company from releasing more Copilot. The latest? Copilot for Gaming, “the ultimate gaming sidekick that helps players get to play faster, sharpen skills with expert coaching, and enjoy a more social gaming experience.”
Or, to put it another way, it’s another way for AI to get involved in the relaxing, creative thinking processes humans do to unwind instead of shutting up and doing all the math nobody wants to do.
This is my Copilot
Okay, so it’s not quite as bad as all that, but unless your idea of gaming starts with Minecraft and ends with Fortnite or Call of Duty, Microsoft’s newest AI assistant seems a bit unnecessary. Xbox vice president of gaming AI Fatima Kardar introduced the concept on an official podcast (above). At present, it really is a concept. Copilot for Gaming isn’t real… yet. It will soon merge with this reality as a mobile app for Xbox Insiders.
Microsoft’s upcoming Copilot product “is designed to assist players in various ways, from personalized game recommendations and seamless game setup, to helpful coaching and maintaining connections with friends.” That’s a description of a) the current Xbox store, b) YouTube videos, and c) going outside and talking to people. It’s difficult to see any essential usage for end users, but they’ll soon have the option anyway.
The current prototypes are ambitious, even if they seem to miss the point of playing games. In-game assistance and advice from Copilot on how to clear a specific challenge sounds all right but also has the potential to ruin most games. Tackling Dark Souls and its mysterious world and occasionally malicious player messages loses its romance if an AI can pop in and explain how to avoid that damned Capra Demon (you can’t).
Still, Xbox is giving it a shot. Kardar explains that, “It’s not just about AI showing up to help you, it’s about AI showing up at the right moment. We really have to think about the experience we’ve built, it cannot be intrusive.”
Whether Xbox’s execution of Copilot for Gaming is spot-on or misses the mark entirely, it’ll be released. As with most of these new AI products, it’s not about the users or, in this case, gamers. It’s about injecting AI into every product possible and making them function worse. For some reason.