Xbox According to the company's new executive leadership, AI will not be mandated to use or replace human-made art. Fans were expecting big things from the brand in 2026, as the year marks its 25th anniversary, but the biggest news yet shocked the gaming world. There are new leaders at Xbox, and they want to reassure gamers of what's in store down the line.
Microsoft caused quite a stir when former CEO Phil Spencer announced that he was retiring from Xbox after being with the company before the first Xbox was released. Xbox president Sarah Bond also announced she is stepping down, fueling more speculation about what's going on behind the scenes and what's next for the company. While many of these lingering questions may not get firm answers until fans see him play in the future, the new leadership team has answered some of the most pressing concerns.
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New Xbox execs say company has “no direction on AI”
In an interview with Windows Central, recently appointed CEO Asha Sharma and CCO Matt Booty emphasized that AI is only a tool for Xbox developers and will not replace artists. Sharma's official statement after taking over as Xbox CEO has already touched on the company not overemphasizing the short-term efficiency gains of technology at the expense of quality content. Now, she's doubled down on that approach, assuring fans that “we won't have careless output,” comparing AI to previous innovations in game development like motion capture. Booty echoed this sentiment, adding that Xbox is “committed to human-made art” and that Microsoft is not pushing them to mandate or increase AI use in any way.
The note about no pressure to ramp up AI use is likely a reference to other gaming companies recently implementing such mandates. In late 2025, it was revealed that EA was allegedly pressuring employees to use AI, much to the dismay of developers. While some industry insiders have hailed the potential of AI as a way to save time and allow artists to focus on what they enjoy most, others fear job losses and worry about the quality of AI-generated products. Booty and Sharma seemed to land somewhere in between, citing AI as a valuable way to achieve more and raise the bar for game quality as development becomes more specific, stressing the importance of putting people at the center of this work.
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The use of AI is growing across the industry, but Xbox's new leaders face particular scrutiny on the matter. Before becoming CEO of Xbox, Sharma served as president of Microsoft's CoreAI product. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has also hinted that AI could power entire games in the future, though Sharma and Booty have disputed that idea in their latest statement on the matter. While they don't appear anti-AI in any way, with both expressing high hopes for what development can do, these new comments on the importance of human artists and developers should provide some relief to fans worried about AI in Xbox games.
Xbox's new leaders touched on fans' concerns not just about the company's use of AI. The executives also said that Xbox is fully committed to first-party games and expressed the intention to return to the roots of the brand, especially as it relates to the console. Only time will tell how these commitments are fulfilled or if Xbox lives up to these statements in the future. For now, though, Booty and Sharma understand audience concerns and offer what could be a breath of fresh air for some Xbox fans.
Source: Windows Central
