Microsoft layoffs: Xbox executive suggests laid-off workers ask ChatGPT for career advice
'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,' Matt Turnbull, an executive producer at Xbox Games Studio, wrote in a LinkedIn post that has now been deleted.
Stating that he would be 'remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances', Turnbull said, '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.'
While more people are turning to ChatGPT for low-cost therapy and advice, experts have raised concerns about the safety and reliability of such AI tools. Even ChatGPT's own terms of service state that its output may not always be accurate. 'You should not rely on Output from our Services as a sole source of truth or factual information, or as a substitute for professional advice,' the Terms of Use page reads.
Acknowledging that people have 'strong feelings' about AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, Turnbull suggested that those who are feeling overwhelmed could use them to get advice about creating resumes, career planning, and applying for new roles.
'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,' he added.
His remarks come days after Microsoft said that it is laying off as many as 9,100 employees, or about 4 percent of its workforce, in yet another round of cuts this year. Two months ago, the Windows-maker had announced it was cutting more than 6,000 employees, followed by an additional 305 reductions in early June.
The company's Xbox division has reportedly been hit hardest by the layoffs with Microsoft cancelling several new video game launches and other services. It has also closed its office in Pakistan after 25 years, according to a report by TechRadar.
While big tech companies are spending billions of dollars to build AI infrastructure, layoffs continue. For instance, Microsoft has announced plans to invest $80 billion in AI infrastructure this year. On the other hand, more than 62,114 tech workers have been laid off from both large and small tech firms so far this year, according to the independent tracker Layoffs.fyi.
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