The Xbox One’s voice-controlled digital assistant was named Cortana.
Cortana was Microsoft’s digital assistant, named after the fictional artificial intelligence character in the Halo series. Microsoft integrated the assistant into Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox One, where users could issue voice commands through Kinect or a headset. Typical commands included launching games, opening applications, searching, and controlling some system functions.
Cortana’s Xbox integration reflected Microsoft’s effort to connect its gaming hardware with its broader software ecosystem. The assistant was initially presented as a prominent Xbox One feature, but Microsoft later reduced and eventually removed Cortana functionality from Xbox consoles as the platform’s interface changed.
Cortana should not be confused with Kinect itself. Kinect was the motion- and voice-sensing hardware, while Cortana was the software assistant that interpreted commands. The name also differs from Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, which are associated with Apple, Amazon, and Google respectively.