In the aftermath of Microsoft confirmed latest round of mass layoffs, an Xbox executive has gone viral for his tone-deaf comments. Matt Turnbull, executive producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing, advised those laid off to seek help from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to manage their emotions.
Mr Turnbull took to LinkedIn to post a message where he provided the unsolicited and insensitive advice, instantly attracting backlash from the users. While Mr Turnbull deleted the post, screenshots of his write-up showed Mr Turnbull suggesting tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to "help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss".
"These are really challenging times, and if you're navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you're not alone and you don't have to go it alone," Mr Turnbull wrote.
He wrote that he was aware AI tools can cause "strong feelings in people" but wanted to try and offer the "best advice" under the circumstances.
"No AI tool is a replacement for your voice or your lived experience. But at a time when mental energy is scarce, these tools can help get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity."
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Social media reacts
As Mr Turnbull's post went viral, social media users slammed him for the suggestion and called out Microsoft for the brutal sackings.
"I've been following games for a long time, and I can confidently say these writings from Phil Spencer and Matt Turnbull are two of the most tone-deaf and cruelest things I've ever read," said one user while another added: "Jerk. Let's see when time comes that we get an AI CEO replacing these un-human executives."
A third commented: "It is always astonishing that these people in high management positions, with literally no consequences of their doings and multi-million dollar bonuses, riding on such a high horse, towards the people that give the games their body and soul."
Earlier this month, Microsoft confirmed it was laying off as many as four per cent or roughly 9,100, of its employees in the largest round of job cuts since 2023. The job cuts will affect employees across key Xbox divisions as the company sets out plans to invest heavily in AI by spending $80 billion in huge data centres to train AI models.
