Indian-origin Asha Sharma becomes CEO of Microsoft Gaming:Will replace Phil Spencer and report directly to Satya Nadella

Asha Sharma, of Indian origin, has been appointed as the new CEO of Microsoft Gaming. She will replace Phil Spencer, who has held this position for a long time. Spencer is retiring after being with the company for almost 40 years. She will report to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Asha has held leadership roles at Meta and Instacart Before taking the helm of Microsoft Gaming, Asha Sharma was part of the company’s AI platform and product leadership team. Before this, she held important positions such as Chief Operating Officer at the renowned delivery firm ‘Instacart’ and Product Leadership at ‘Meta’. Asha holds a business degree from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. She is considered an expert in scaling businesses and leading teams during challenging times. Sent first official memo after appointment Asha has sent her first official memo, in which she has clarified her vision for the future of Xbox and the use of Artificial Intelligence in gaming. She said: Today I am starting my new responsibility as CEO of Microsoft Gaming. At this moment, I am feeling two things simultaneously: humility and urgency towards work. Humility because this team has built something truly spectacular with decades of hard work. And speed because the world of gaming is undergoing many changes. My first job is very simple: to understand how all this works and to keep it safe. It starts with three promises 1. First, great games Everything starts here. Before we do anything else, we must have games that players love. Memorable characters, heartwarming stories, new ways to play, and excellent creativity. We will empower our studios, invest in big brands, and support new ideas. We will take risks. I have promoted Matt Booty to fulfill this very promise. He understands the art of game creation and its challenges. Developers across the industry trust him. 2. Second, the return of the Xbox We will once again work with full dedication for our old Xbox fans and players who have been with us for the last 25 years. Also, for the developers who create such wonderful worlds and experiences that players around the world love. Gaming is no longer limited to just one hardware; it is present on every device. As we move towards PC, mobile, and cloud. We will remove barriers so that developers can create a game once and reach players everywhere without any compromises. Also read: What will happen to your Instagram account after your death?

3. Third, the future of gaming We are observing the changing dynamics of gaming. To meet the needs of this era, we will explore new business models and new ways of playing. For this, we will leverage our famous teams, characters and worlds that people love. As monetization methods and AI impact the future, we will not chase short-term gains nor fill our ecosystem with lifeless ‘AI slop’. Games will always be an art, created by humans and refined by our newest technology. Phil Spencer to remain in an advisory role until summer Phil Spencer, considered a big name in the gaming world, is not leaving the company abruptly. He will remain with the company as an advisor until this summer. It was during Spencer’s tenure that Microsoft acquired major companies like Activision Blizzard. Many other big changes have occurred in the gaming division Not just the CEO, Microsoft has reshuffled the entire leadership team. Matt Booty has been appointed Chief Content Officer, who will now oversee game studios and new titles. Sarah Bond has decided to leave the company. These changes clearly indicate that Microsoft is now preparing to transform Xbox’s identity through AI and cloud gaming. 3 big challenges facing Microsoft Gaming Also read: NASA classifies Sunita Williams’s space stranding as ‘serious,’ compares to Kalpana Chawla tragedy

Another Indian face in Satya Nadella’s core team Under Satya Nadella’s leadership, the dominance of Indian-origin executives at Microsoft has increased. Asha Sharma’s appointment, meanwhile, indicates that the company views gaming not just as entertainment, but as the future of AI and cloud business. Knowledge Box: 1. What is ‘AI Slop’ that Asha mentioned? In tech language, ‘AI Slop’ refers to content that is generated in large quantities by AI without any human creativity or quality checks. Asha says that emotions and human touch are essential in gaming, which machines alone cannot provide. 2. What is Xbox?