The AI Xbox is Coming: AMD, Copilot+, and the Future of Gaming

AMD just got the nod from Microsoft that its new mobile Ryzen AI 300 series processors will now be capable of running Microsoft’s advanced AI applications, which are marketed under the brand name Copilot+. AMD is also the supplier to Microsoft Xbox, and with Microsoft heavily focused on AI, it is only a matter of time before the AI Xbox is announced.

Let’s talk about what to expect when the AI Xbox comes to market next year, and we’ll close with my Product of the Week, a new AI-enabled processor from Intel Lunar Lake.

The AI Xbox

Xbox — and, to be fair, PlayStation — sales are down sharply this year, mainly due to the lack of new hardware releases. Normally, a new, lower-cost platform would have been introduced by now. However, with processor manufacturing plants (fabs) operating at full capacity, there hasn’t been room to produce the kind of low-cost processor that would have fueled a sales pop this year.

However, the next major release should be fascinating. I anticipate a lower-cost version of the Ryzen AI 300 series accelerated processing unit (APU) with a powerful neural processing unit (NPU) will be available as early as next year. That will deliver amazing new capabilities in new and revised Xbox games.

AI Games Are Coming, Look for AI NPCs

Nvidia has been aggressively pushing the concept of AI NPCs (non-player characters). But right now, Nvidia isn’t in any gaming consoles. Instead, AMD has captured both Microsoft’s and Sony’s gaming platforms. Sony must know that if it doesn’t have AI-enabled games when the AI Xbox launches, it will lose a ton of share because AI games are expected to be game changers.

The concept of an AI NPC is an NPC that behaves more like humans. It can engage in conversation. You don’t need to use canned prompts and trial-and-error or spend a lot of time on the web looking for cheats to figure out how to get through the game or solve a puzzle.

In addition, with many games, it is more fun to play with others, but it is often hard to find teams that will take in new players or cater to players who may be socially awkward. I’m expecting a host of AI tools that could help people learn to flirt appropriately and overcome this social awkwardness without the downside of trying to learn with real people who can be pretty cruel if you get it wrong.

AI NPCs as Teammates

So, imagine being able to fill a team with AI NPCs that you either build over time or are based on alternative game avatars. For instance, in one game I play, I have 61 game avatars that I’ve fully developed, and it would be fun to either fight them or build a team with them if I can’t find someone online to play with. For many of us who have experienced griefers, bullies, and rude players while gaming, this could also be a way for the most sensitive of us to have a fun, safe gaming experience. Another advantage of AI NPCs is the ability of the game to be more dynamic.

Safe and Fun Gaming Experience

Most video games today are pretty scripted, so once we’ve been through them a few times, they tend to feel old and stale. But with AI NPCs, even when people aren’t playing, the NPCs could interact with each other to change trials, rewards, and the way you progress through the game, suggesting subsequent gameplay will be the same with new surprises every time you log in and play.

Dynamic and Changing Gameplay

This same AI-driven approach also points to the ability to AI-enable games beyond the NPCs so that games can modify themselves based on gamer feedback and observations tied to metrics that show players are becoming angry or frustrated and working autonomously to address and remove the cause of this frustration and anger.

AI Mods

Moderators in games tend to be few, not very helpful, and anything but timely. I’ve had mods respond to complaints hours or even days after I no longer needed them, which is really annoying. You often need answers and help in real time.

For instance, say you’ve just spent several hours trying to complete a quest, and an NPC gets stuck in a wall, floor, or ceiling, preventing you from progressing and forcing you to start over without achieving any of the goals or rewards that your time and success would have otherwise generated.

AI-Driven Game Modification

AI could be used to monitor game play and identify issues that are causing players problems, such as glitches or bugs, and fix them in real time without the need for human intervention.

Real-Time Game Moderation

AI could also be used to moderate online gameplay, identifying and removing toxic players and preventing cheating.

Summary

• AMD's new Ryzen AI 300 series processors are capable of running Microsoft's advanced AI applications, setting the stage for the AI Xbox.
• The AI Xbox is expected to feature AI-powered games with AI NPCs, providing a more immersive and engaging gaming experience.
• AI NPCs can offer a safe and fun gaming experience for players of all skill levels, allowing for dynamic and changing gameplay.
• AI mods can help improve the gaming experience by addressing glitches, bugs, and other issues in real time, as well as preventing cheating and toxic behavior.