Xbox Producer Advise Laid Off Employees to Turn to AI for Help on Future and Even Emotional Support
Last week, Microsoft announced that it was laying off over 9,000 employees across all its sectors, with its Xbox Gaming division seeing project cancellations and studio closures.
With many now out of a job and struggling to find new employment, one Xbox higher-up has decided to chime in on the devastating news and has now found themselves in hot water as the advice they offered to those affected by the layoffs has come off rather “tone-deaf,” and completely heartless.
Xbox Producer Advises Those Laid Off to Use AI to Help With the Emotional and Cognitive Load
In a now-deleted post on LinkedIn (archived), Matt Turnbull, an Xbox Executive Producer, shared a lengthy post offering helpful tips to those affected by the layoffs. The issue is that the advice he gave wasn’t particularly sound, especially given the news that the layoffs were driven by increased AI investment. As a result, he suggested that those struggling to utilize AI to assist them during these challenging times.
The post reads:
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. I’ve been experimenting with ways to use LLM AI tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss.
Here are some prompt ideas and use cases that might help if you’re feeling overwhelmed:
Career Planning Prompts:
“Act as a career coach. I’ve been laid off from a [role] in the game industry. Help me build a 30-day plan to regroup, research new roles, and start applying without burning out.”
“What kinds of game industry jobs could I pivot to with experience in
[Production/Narrative/LiveOps/etc.]?”
Resume & LinkedIn Help
“Here’s my current resume. Give me three tailored versions: one for AAA, one for platform/publishing roles, and one for startup/small studio leadership.”
“Rewrite this resume bullet to highlight impact and metrics.”
“Draft a new LinkedIn ‘About Me’ section that focuses on my leadership style, shipped titles, and vision for game development.”
Networking & Outreach
“Draft a friendly message I can send to old coworkers letting them know I’m exploring new opportunities.”
“Write a warm intro message for reaching out to someone at [studio name] about a job posting.”
Emotional Clarity & Confidence
“I’m struggling with imposter syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I’m good at?”
No Al 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. If this helps, feel free to share with others in your network.
Stay kind, stay smart, stay connected.
Yeah, I’m not sure if the best advice to give to employees your company just laid off is to use the very tools that they may have just been laid off for. The words “read the room” come to mind, and although it has since been deleted due to the backlash it received, one really has to wonder why this was posted in the first place. It’s understandable that Matt probably had good intentions, but this came across more as heartless than a place of good faith.
This is another one of those times wherein it seems an executive is out of touch with reality. I mean, given that even a studio that’s been around for more than 20 years is seemingly closing down, the last they want to hear is how AI can help them given AI is one factor why some jobs are getting reduced in the first place.
Stay connected to MP1st and the latest news by following us on Bluesky, X, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Google News.
