Microsoft XBOX Workers ‘Extremely Concerned’ Over Artificial Intelligence, New Survey Finds

Microsoft XBOX workers are calling on the company to respect their critical role in identifying appropriate use cases for generative artificial intelligence by negotiating a strong union contract.

(NATIONWIDE) — As XBOX workers negotiate their first union contracts with Microsoft, generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is a significant sticking point with management. A new survey of video game workers finds that the workers who develop beloved video game franchises are determined to protect human creativity and job quality from corrosive uses of AI.

The survey, conducted by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) in collaboration with researchers at Cornell University and Western University, surveyed 759 video game workers about GAI, including hundreds at Microsoft XBOX studios. This preliminary report summarizes findings from respondents who identified their employer as a Microsoft XBOX studio (209 respondents) and those who identified their employer as a non-Microsoft studio (155) and excludes respondents who did not provide their employer. Findings include:

• A majority of workers expressed concern that AI would be used to replace some or all parts of their jobs, with 40% extremely concerned and another 20% moderately concerned.
• Microsoft studio respondents were significantly more likely than workers at other video game companies to report risks of layoffs within the next two years driven specifically by automation and outsourcing. Over 54% of Microsoft workers felt that automation- or outsourcing-related layoffs were somewhat or very likely, compared to less than 35% of workers at other studios.
• Among those respondents who use GAI, a majority agreed that it creates additional work correcting mistakes (59%), while 50% agreed that it makes work more stressful and 56% disagreed that it improves the quality of games.
• Regarding the degree of worker influence over the use of GAI, Microsoft respondents reported less influence compared to non-Microsoft respondents. Only 27% of respondents from Microsoft studios reported having high levels of influence over how they used GAI tools in their work, compared to 42% from non-Microsoft studios.
• The issues of highest concern across all survey respondents, with over 70% reporting they were ‘extremely concerned,’ were ethical: concerns with AI stealing intellectual property and having a negative environmental impact.

“Our data show that fears and frustrations about AI are real and warranted,” said Johanna Weststar, Western University Associate Professor of Management & Organizational Studies. “Game workers are no stranger to technological innovation, and their expertise and experience can improve AI implementation decisions.”

CWA-represented XBOX workers are the developers, artists, engineers, producers, user researchers, and customer support staff behind some of the video game industry’s most profitable games, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and more.

As XBOX workers ramp up their public mobilizations calling for Microsoft to bargain more constructively, these survey findings demonstrate workers are the conscience of the video game industry. XBOX workers are calling on company leaders to embrace a high-road approach to the development and implementation of GAI that centers workers and the quality of the games that they take such care to produce.

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion