“I might get fired”: Xbox manager opens up about AI use, then his X account disappears

Alongside the phaseout of physical games, the use of AI in game development is another hot topic that regularly sparks controversy in the gaming industry. Gamers tend to be skeptical of AI-generated content, which is why publishers are generally cautious about openly discussing their use of artificial intelligence.

Brandon Stirrup, Senior Business Strategy Manager at Microsoft, apparently had enough of this and spoke unusually candidly about AI use on X. According to Stirrup, anyone can develop a game with the help of AI these days. The Microsoft manager claimed to have created a simple game with AI assistance in just two days, spending only three hours actively working on it. He described the result as poor but something that could be improved.

In his view, the gaming industry is lagging behind when it comes to adopting artificial intelligence. "Gaming is the only industry slow-walking the transition because users have negative sentiment. Everyone else accepts reality," the manager wrote. He also said he was willing to face the consequences if it meant that hundreds of Xbox employees would no longer have to pretend they weren't using AI. In short, even if hardly anyone talks about it, AI has long since found its way into game development – including at Xbox. Stirrup knew these statements could cost him his job, but he was willing to take that risk.

X account has since been deleted

The quoted statements can no longer be found on X, as Stirrup's account has since been removed. However, his original comments were quoted by purebox.com and are still available there. As PC Gamer reports, citing a source at Xbox, Stirrup reportedly deactivated his account because of the overwhelming response. Whether he will also face internal consequences remains unknown.

On Reddit, users seem hardly surprised that AI is being used at Xbox. Many had already assumed as much. The discussion also suggests that there is some acceptance of artificial intelligence in game development. What matters is how it's used. AI-assisted programming tools appear to be generally accepted, while gamers remain critical of generative AI being used to create graphics, dialogue or other game content.