Xbox producer suggests using AI to cope with job losses

Matt Turnbull, executive producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing, faced criticism after a LinkedIn post recommending artificial intelligence tools to help employees deal with the emotional impact of job cuts.

Microsoft recently announced plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs this year, affecting roughly 4% of its 228,000 global workforce. Reports indicate Xbox’s gaming division could be among those affected.

In the now-deleted post, Turnbull suggested using AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot to “reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss.”

He shared prompts for career planning, resume writing, and emotional support through AI.

Some users called the suggestion “plain disgusting” and said it left them “speechless.” 

Microsoft is investing heavily in AI, with plans to spend $80 billion on data centres to train AI models, reflecting its push into the technology despite workforce reductions.

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