Xbox producer tells laid off employees to use AI

Xbox executive producer Matt Turnbull has responded to the massive layoffs across Microsoft and Xbox in a now-deleted LinkedIn post suggesting laid off employees use AI tools such as ChatGPT for “emotional clarity” after 9,000 employees lost their jobs.

Xbox producer tells laid off employees to use AI

The still-ongoing lay-offs have resulted in the closure of entire studios including Perfect Dark developer The Initiative as well as the cancellation of other projects including Everwild, the “f*****g incredible” MMORPG from the studio behind Elder Scrolls Online and more.

In the now-deleted post, available here, Turnbull—who still has his job at Xbox—offered the “best advice” they could to the thousands of employees let go from their jobs. That advice was to use AI tools—including Microsoft’s in-house Copilot tool—to “help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss”.

Additionally, Turnbull explained that the laid off employees could use AI to users with “career planning” that would help workers with their “networking and outreach” as well as “emotional clarity and confidence”.

Turnbull’s lengthy spiel even provided multiple AI prompt that they claimed would help employees. The most egregious example reads: “I’m struggling with impostor syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I’m good at?”

Turnbull’s LinkedIn post has since been deleted following mass criticism from followers on the social media platform. Zenimax Online producer Eric Smith, an employee who was let go and had his long in-development project cancelled responded, saying, “Jesus Christ, read the room dude”.

Microsoft’s recent round of cost-cutting hasn’t only affected its in-house studios. The Xbox lay-offs have also resulted in funding being pulled from third-party partners, including DOOM creator John Romero’s independent studio

Romero Games, which has since had to lay off its entire workforce.

The viscous lay-offs come alongside a memo sent to developers explaining that the Xbox “platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger”. Spencer told laid off employees “the success we’re seeing currently is based on tough decisions we’ve made previously.”

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