This week has brought significant upheaval in the tech world as Microsoft announced a massive reduction in its workforce, affecting over 9,000 workers. The impact was particularly severe within the Xbox division, where reports indicate that nearly one fifth of the team has been let go. This development is a major setback for both the employees involved and the gaming industry as a whole.
Amidst the turbulence, the head of Xbox Game Studios advised affected colleagues to explore the use of state-of-the-art AI platforms like ChatGPT and Copilot. The suggestion aimed to provide practical assistance and ease the emotional strain associated with losing a job.
The recommendation, communicated via a now-removed social media post, included practical tips intended to help with the job search process. The proposals outlined ways to:
- Organize and structure job searches,
- Create concise and impactful résumés, and
- Access supportive resources during challenging times.
Although the advice was offered with the goal of alleviating the burden of job loss, the timing and content of the message sparked considerable controversy. Many industry creatives perceived the suggestion as lacking empathy, intensifying already heightened emotions among those affected by the layoffs.
In principle, incorporating AI to support a job search can be beneficial. However, proposing such measures immediately following a sweeping workforce reduction—especially when some observers suspect that emerging technologies may have contributed to the layoffs—has been viewed as both unfortunate and insensitive.