Microsoft’s Terrifying New Patent | LG-Style ACR for Games & Software

Video summary

Microsoft’s patent describes scanning game screens and audio to insert ads, then renting playtime through ad-earned credits.

Microsoft’s 23-page patent proposes context-aware ads in games and other interactive software, using screen, audio, game-state, and input data to decide when to interrupt users. It describes scanning screens as often as every 250 milliseconds, potentially detecting objects with machine learning, and even analyzing player or chat commentary. Users could earn credits by watching ads, then rent software for limited periods: one credit might buy an hour of practice, 30 minutes of single-player play, or 20 minutes of multiplayer; rates could also vary by time and day. The system could run locally or remotely across PCs, consoles, smart TVs, phones, and VR headsets, with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct listed as communication options. The host warns Linux alone may not prevent deployment and notes the patent is not proof of a rollout. Steam prohibits requiring ads to play, though OS-level ad injection raises unanswered questions about enforcement.

Chapters

1. 0:00Microsoft's surveillance advertising patent: ad credits rent games for as little as 20 minutes of multiplayer
2. 2:42Scanning your screen with AI: Microsoft proposes 250-millisecond checks and chat monitoring
3. 5:40Linux isn't enough to escape this: the patent is not limited to Windows PCs
4. 7:21The patent's stated goals: contextual ads across games, consoles, and TVs
5. 10:43How it works and credits: a content system intercepts inputs and grants 15-minute play credits
6. 16:05How it works and credits: Bluetooth reach, intrusive ads, and lost multiplayer matches
7. 21:08Our thoughts: Microsoft's patent language could reach browsers and scientific apps
8. 23:37Steam's ads policy: ad-gated games are banned, but OS-level injection remains uncertain
9. 26:26Conclusion: Microsoft's patent is not limited to game engines, and Sony once patented shout-to-skip ads

What the full analysis includes

9 chapters · 41 key points · 9 section summaries · mind map

The remaining 38 key points, section summaries and mind map are in the full analysis. Analyze this video to see everything →