New Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma has given her stance on AI usage in videogames which suggests that AI is here to stay in the overall process of making games while also affirming that it’s the live human beings who are ultimately responsible for all the great stories in gaming.
Yesterday or February 20, 2026 saw a massive restructuring in Microsoft leading to Phil Spencer’s retirement and former Xbox president Sarah Bond stepping down. And as their replacement, Asha Sharma, who was previously the head of CoreAI in the company, is named the new EVP and CEO of Microsoft Gaming.
And in a recent interview with Variety, the new CEO has commented on her viewpoint in general when it comes to AI in videogames, saying that she has no tolerance for “Bad AI”.
“AI has long been part of gaming and will continue to be,” Sharma said, noting that gaming needs new “growth engines,” but that “great stories are created by humans.”
While it’s true that only humans can create stories that can resonate with other human players, the most part about videogames is not the story but the gameplay and her words vaguely suggest that it’s in this area where we could be seeing AI usage for many titles. But just like only humans can know how other humans will possibly react and feel in a videogame story, it’s only humans who can make the gameplay in ways that can cake other human players feel delight, joy and satisfaction.
Most of the truly great games in the industry have phenomenal gameplay that could only become what they are cause they are made by humans so yes humans are really irreplacable when it comes to gaming but it seems many companies don’t seem to get that. Games like Half Life 2, Ninja Gaiden, Dishonored couldn’t be what they are without their highly creative and groundbreaking gameplay which could only come from humans.
Microsoft has also confirmed that there will be no layoffs following the recent executive shakeup in the company.
