Xbox executive tells dismissed staff to use AI for emotional support

Backlash erupts over insensitive advice amid Microsoft job cuts

An Xbox executive producer has come under fire after advising recently laid-off Microsoft employees to use AI to cope with job loss, days after the company announced dismissals affecting up to 9,000 workers.

Matt Turnbull, an executive producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing, ignited a firestorm on LinkedIn with a now-deleted post suggesting AI chatbots could help displaced workers "rebuild confidence," "process grief" and "reframe impostor syndrome" in the wake of job losses.

"I've been experimenting with ways to use LLM AI tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss," Turnbull – who had not lost his job – wrote. He offered AI prompt ideas for crafting 30-day recovery plans, rewriting CVs and composing LinkedIn messages.

"No AI tool is a replacement for your voice or lived experience," he added, "but in times when mental energy is scarce, these tools can help you get unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity.

"If this helps, feel free to share with others in your network.”

While Turnbull's might have intended to provide a supportive nudge toward recovery, the message’s timing and tone have been widely condemned.

Dozens of game developers and industry peers voiced outrage in the comments, pointing to the painful irony: AI was probably a contributing factor in the very layoffs Turnbull was addressing.

One user called the post "plain disgusting," while another said it left them "speechless."

The backlash was swift and intense enough that Turnbull deleted the post within hours.

To be fair, AI can offer some practical assistance post-job loss - as part of a broader outplacement package that includes human career counsellors, mental health services and networking assistance. But, as critics have emphasised, it cannot replace those services.

Turnbull's post, well-meaning or not, encapsulates a growing unease in the tech sector: as companies pour money into AI and shift toward automation, thousands of skilled workers are being told to adapt or be replaced.

Microsoft's recent layoff announcement marked a significant blow to its gaming division, particularly Xbox, which saw the shuttering of entire studios and the cancellation of multiple long-term projects.

As part of a broader restructuring plan, the company is scaling back across several business units while doubling down on AI investment – pouring much of the money saved by dismissing staff into furthering its AI ambitions.

Microsoft employed over 228,000 people globally as of June 2024, but that figure has steadily declined as ongoing dismissals continue - in the name of so-called long-term operational efficiency.

Microsoft has committed over $80 billion to AI infrastructure, including massive investments in data centres to train large AI models.

Internally, the company is now requiring employees to incorporate AI into their workflows.

According to an internal memo obtained by Business Insider, Julia Liuson, President of the Developer Division, told employees: "AI is now a fundamental part of how we work… it's no longer optional-it's core to every role and every level."

Microsoft teams are even considering tying AI usage to employee performance reviews, according to the report.