An Xbox producer named Matt Turnbull recently caused a stir by suggesting that gaming industry workers who have been laid off turn to AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to help manage both the practical and emotional aspects of job loss. The LinkedIn post offered specific AI prompts for tasks ranging from career planning and resume writing to handling the psychological impact of being let go.
The now-deleted LinkedIn message included detailed suggestions for prompts such as building 30-day job search plans, identifying potential career pivots within gaming, creating tailored resumes for different industry sectors, and even prompts aimed at helping laid-off workers cope with impostor syndrome.
“These are really challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you’re not alone,” the post began before diving into various ways AI could supposedly reduce “cognitive load when mental energy is scarce.”
The timing couldn’t have been more awkward. Microsoft has recently cut jobs across its gaming divisions, including Xbox and acquired studios like Activision Blizzard and Bethesda. These cuts have affected thousands of workers across various teams while the company simultaneously pours billions into AI development.
Microsoft has invested approximately $80bn in AI infrastructure and tools, including the development of Microsoft Copilot and partnerships with OpenAI. This aggressive push toward AI technology has heightened concerns among employees about job security and potential replacement of human roles.
Public reaction to the producer’s advice was swift and mostly negative. Comments on social media platforms highlighted the perceived tone-deafness of suggesting workers use AI tools—technologies many see as job-threatening—to cope with being laid off.
“Microsoft exec uses Microsoft platform to advertise Microsoft product that is replacing 9,000 Microsoft employees,” read one particularly pointed comment. Others questioned the suggestion that AI could provide meaningful emotional support, with one user asking: “Who gets impostor syndrome after being fired?”
Digital salt in the wound
The controversy follows previous criticism of Microsoft gaming leadership communications around layoffs. Xbox head Phil Spencer took heat for messages that some described as saying “we’re doing better than ever, but you’re fired“—coming off as disconnected from the reality of affected employees.
The gaming industry has experienced unprecedented cuts throughout 2023 and early 2024, with corporate mergers, acquisitions, and cost-cutting drives leading to studio closures and mass layoffs. Microsoft’s gaming empire has been particularly affected, with teams at Bethesda, Tango Gameworks, and other studios facing significant cuts despite the company’s strong financial position.
