A senior producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing is facing strong backlash after advising employees affected by recent layoffs to use artificial intelligence tools as a way to manage the emotional impact.
Matt Turnbull, who serves as an executive producer at Xbox, shared the advice in a LinkedIn post following Microsoft’s announcement of up to 9,000 job cuts this year. The post, which has since been deleted, was preserved in a screenshot by tech outlet Aftermath. In it, Turnbull suggested that AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot could help ease the mental burden associated with job loss.
His comments were met with outrage online, with some users on X (formerly Twitter) calling the suggestion “disgusting” and “tone-deaf.”
While Microsoft hasn’t officially confirmed which departments are being affected, multiple reports indicate that its Xbox gaming division is among those impacted.
Despite the cuts, Microsoft continues to make major investments in artificial intelligence, allocating $80 billion (approximately £68.6 billion) toward the development of data centers for training AI models.
In his post, Turnbull acknowledged that AI can be a sensitive topic, but said his intention was to offer meaningful support. He wrote, “If you’re facing a layoff—or even preparing for the possibility—you don’t have to go through it alone.”
He also shared examples of how AI could be used productively in this context, including prompts for resume writing, LinkedIn profile optimization, career guidance, and improving emotional clarity and confidence.
Turnbull ended the post by encouraging others to share the tools if they found them helpful.
The cuts represent roughly 4% of Microsoft’s 228,000 employees worldwide, and some ongoing video game projects are reported to have been disrupted as part of the restructuring.
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