Xbox executive Matt Turnbull suggests laid-off Microsoft employees turn to AI like ChatGPT for emotional and career support. Here’s why the advice sparked backlash, and a few laughs.
Laid-Off Workers Advised to Consult With AI Chatbots Like ChatGPT and Copilot for Emotional and Career Counseling
Layoffs are tough, especially when they come with canceled games, shuttered studios, and a surprise recommendation to talk to a robot therapist. That’s exactly what happened when Xbox Game Studios’ exec Matt Turnbull took to LinkedIn (briefly) to offer advice (via: Aftermath) to those affected by Microsoft’s latest wave of cuts.
Turnbull, clearly trying to be helpful, encouraged laid-off workers to turn to AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot — not for coding or content generation — but to help manage their emotions and plan their careers.
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.
I know these types of tools engender strong feelings in people, but I’d be remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances.
The post has since been deleted, likely after someone reminded him that telling emotional humans to consult emotionless bots isn’t the smoothest corporate move, especially after Microsoft laid off over 9,000 employees, with many hits landing squarely in its gaming division.
The Irony of AI Advice in an AI Boom
The context here is rich with irony: Microsoft recently announced an $80 billion investment in AI infrastructure, even as it’s laying off thousands. So, naturally, Turnbull’s AI advice landed a bit… awkwardly.
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Many in the gaming community weren’t amused. After all, AI is often seen as part of the problem, not the solution — with creative jobs under threat and entire studios folding amid tech-industry belt-tightening.
The Good, the Bad, and the Bot-ly
To be fair, AI tools can help with resume building, career planning, and writing awkward goodbye emails to coworkers you only met on Teams. But emotional support? Not exactly a strong suit.
That said, maybe a chatbot won’t judge you for rage-applying to 27 jobs at 3AM, so there’s that.
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