New Microsoft gaming chief has “no tolerance for bad AI”

The recent unexpected exit of Phil Spencer from Microsoft’s gaming division has paved the way for Asha Sharma, previously the president of Microsoft’s Core AI Product group, to take the helm. In a recent interview with Variety, Sharma expressed her strong disapproval of subpar AI in game development, stating that she has 'no tolerance for bad AI.' Sharma emphasized the integral role of AI in gaming’s evolution while highlighting the importance of human creativity. 'AI has long been part of gaming and will continue to be,' she remarked, underscoring that 'great stories are created by humans.' This interview follows her introductory memorandum, in which she vowed that Microsoft would not prioritize short-term efficiency or inundate the gaming landscape with what she termed 'soulless AI slop.' According to Sharma, games will always be seen as art, crafted by human hands using the most advanced technology available. Sharma's comments appear to draw a definitive line regarding the use of AI in Microsoft’s first-party game development. However, the distinction between 'bad AI' and 'innovative technology' remains a contentious topic within the gaming community. Some developers have adopted a strict stance against generative AI in games. For instance, when Sandfall Interactive acknowledged using generative AI for background assets in their game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, they faced a backlash that led to the Indie Game Awards revoking their honors after those assets were subsequently removed from the game. In contrast, some prominent figures in the gaming industry, such as John Carmack, have defended the use of AI development tools as a means to elevate the quality of games, enabling smaller teams to achieve more and attracting new creators. Tim Sweeney, the founder and CEO of Epic Games, also added that requiring developers to disclose their use of AI tools is as vital as sharing any other production detail, suggesting that AI will play a critical role in the future of game development.