New Xbox CEO, a former Meta and Instacart exec brought in from Microsoft's AI division, says "we will not chase short-term efficiency or flood our ecosystem with soulless AI slop"

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Phew, I was worried there

A screenshot of Master Chief during one of the best Xbox Series X games, Halo Infinite
(Image credit: Microsoft/343 Industries)

If you're worried by the prospect of a Microsoft AI executive who joined the company in 2024 taking control of Xbox as longtime chief Phil Spencer and president Sarah Bond exit the business entirely, surely you'll be comforted to hear new CEO Asha Sharma insist the company will not descend into "soulless AI slop."

In its report breaking the news, IGN shared a message from Sharma which was sent to Microsoft employees alongside word of the change in positions. Sharma was previously president of Microsoft's CoreAI and is still a board member at Home Depot, and before that, was COO of Instacart after four years as product and engineering VP at Meta.

Xbox

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Sharma continues, committing to "the return of Xbox" and doing right by "those who have invested with us for the past 25 years, and to the developers who build the expansive universes and experiences that are embraced by players across the world." This "renewed commitment" will start with the "console which has shaped who we are," as Microsoft remains bullish on its next-gen system, rumored to be a PC hybrid, despite thoroughly losing the living room to PlayStation and Nintendo and selling, by far, the most expensive console around.

Finally, the new CEO examines the "future of play." To "meet the moment" amid the "reinvention of play," she says Xbox will "invent new business models and new ways to play by leaning into what we already have: iconic teams, characters, and worlds that people love."

Here's what Xbox won't do, Sharma adds: "treat those worlds as static IP to milk and monetize." And "as monetization and AI evolve and influence this future," she adds, "we will not chase short-term efficiency or flood our ecosystem with soulless AI slop. Games are and always will be art, crafted by humans, and created with the most innovative technology provided by us."

Microsoft is, of course, an ardent proponent of generative AI and AI tools in games, and has now put a surprisingly new AI executive in charge of its entire gaming branch. It's hard not to have questions about the direction of Xbox going forward, especially on the heels of multiple high-profile acquisitions flanked by closures, price hikes, and cancellations.

Spencer, at least, expresses the utmost confidence on his way out, saying Sharma "brings genuine curiosity, clarity and a deep commitment to understanding players, creators, and the decisions that shape our future. We know this is an important moment for our fans, partners, and team, and we’re committed to getting it right. I’ll remain in an advisory role through the summer to support a smooth handoff."

Xbox revenue declines across the board year-over-year with Microsoft CFO blaming a fall off in first-party game sales.

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

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