Xbox Insiders can now test out the new AI feature

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Key points

  • Xbox Insiders can test the AI ​​chatbot's virtual support agent for faster responses to questions.
  • The chatbot, accessible on the Xbox Support website, offers users two animated assistants to choose from.
  • Limited to US users for now, it can connect players to human agents when it can't provide answers.



Xbox is giving industry insiders the chance to test Support Virtual Agent, an AI-powered chatbot that Microsoft hopes will offer quicker answers to players' questions. The feature will soon be made available to all users, but for now anyone hoping to try it out can join the Insider program on their PC or Xbox console.

The Xbox Insiders program mimics Microsoft's Windows Insider by making in-development features available to test and review for anyone who signs up. Usually, this means Xbox Insiders receive early software updates, but the upcoming virtual support agent is significantly larger. It's bringing the hugely popular trend of AI chatbots to the gaming world, at least on PC and Xbox.


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Xbox announced Virtual Agent support in a November 4 blog post, though the revelation wasn't exactly a surprise. Rumors suggested that Xbox would be getting an AI-powered chatbot as early as April, but now that the official news is out, there are more details on exactly how it works. Users can access the bot by going to the “Contact Us” page on the Xbox Support website, where insiders will see the option to chat with the virtual agent next to the Disability Answering Service. After clicking on it, the chatbot will open in a new window where users can ask questions via text or voice.


Virtual agent support offers faster responses to common problems

Support Virtual Agent pulls information from the Xbox Support website, so it may not offer new suggestions, but it eliminates time users might otherwise spend searching for the right page. If the bot encounters something it can't answer, it can connect players to a human agent who may be able to help. Users can also choose between two animated assistants, which will hopefully be less creepy than Microsoft's patent on artificial intelligence that mimics dead people. Whether insiders find the virtual agent useful or not, they can provide feedback using a link at the bottom of the chat window.


Not all Xbox Insiders have the option to use Support Virtual Agent yet. For now, the feature is limited to users in the United States with the preferred language set to English. For now, it's unclear whether industry insiders outside the United States can use the chatbot before it becomes available to everyone. The same goes for all AI features, as previous rumors said it would be able to process refunds, but the official release doesn't mention this feature. For now, fans will have to wait and see how it develops, and it could be a nice change of pace now that Windows has abandoned Cortana.

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