Microsoft announced significant changes in its gaming division on Friday, with the departure of Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Xbox President Sarah Bond.
Asha Sharma, a former executive from Instacart and Meta, will take over Spencer’s role. Previously serving as the president of Microsoft’s CoreAI product, Sharma’s appointment indicates that Microsoft may be focusing more on integrating AI into gaming.
The company has been exploring AI in gaming, having worked on projects like an AI gaming companion and an AI-generated level from “Quake II.”
In an internal memo obtained by The Verge, Sharma stated that Microsoft aims to “invent new business models and new ways to play,” emphasizing that “monetization and AI” will “evolve and influence this future.” She also assured that Microsoft “will not chase short-term efficiency or flood our ecosystem with soulless AI slop.”
Sharma affirmed, “Games are and always will be art, crafted by humans, and created with the most innovative technology provided by us.”
These are part of three “commitments” outlined by Sharma in her memo, which also include developing “great games beloved by players” and giving priority to Xbox.