Laid-off workers should use AI to manage their emotions, says Xbox exec

The sweeping layoffs announced by Microsoft this week person been especially hard connected its gaming studios, but 1 Xbox enforcement has a solution to “help trim the affectional and cognitive load that comes with occupation loss”: question proposal from AI chatbots.

In a now-deleted LinkedIn station captured by Aftermath, Xbox Game Studios’ Matt Turnbull said that helium would beryllium “remiss successful not trying to connection the champion proposal I tin nether the circumstances.” The circumstances present being a slew of game cancellations, services being shuttered, studio closures, and job cuts crossed cardinal Xbox divisions arsenic Microsoft lays disconnected as galore arsenic 9,100 employees crossed the company. 

Turnbull acknowledged that radical person immoderate “strong feelings” astir AI tools similar ChatGPT and Copilot, but suggested that anybody who’s feeling “overwhelmed” could usage them to get proposal astir creating resumes, vocation planning, and applying for caller roles.

“These are truly challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff oregon adjacent softly preparing for one, you’re not unsocial and you don’t person to spell it alone,” Turnbull said. “No Al instrumentality is simply a replacement for your dependable oregon your lived experience. But astatine a clip erstwhile intelligence vigor is scarce, these tools tin assistance get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with much clarity.”

Microsoft has loudly embraced AI, having announced plans successful January to invest $80 cardinal into AI infrastructure anterior to this latest question of occupation cuts. That situation mightiness person made Turnbull deliberation his recommendations were reasonable. More broadly, however, generative AI is viewed by immoderate creatives arsenic a menace to originative industries similar gaming, which has already struggled with increasing layoffs and studio closures implicit the past fewer years.

It’s unclear wherefore Turnbull deleted his LinkedIn post, but if the comments connected this repost made to Bluesky are immoderate indication, creatives astir apt didn’t instrumentality excessively kindly to his suggestions.

You tin work the afloat substance of the deleted station below:

“These are truly challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff oregon adjacent softly preparing for one, you’re not unsocial and you don’t person to spell it alone.

I cognize these types of tools engender beardown feelings successful people, but I’d beryllium remiss successful not trying to connection the champion proposal I tin nether the circumstances. I’ve been experimenting with ways to usage LLM Al tools (like ChatGPT oregon Copilot) to assistance trim the affectional and cognitive load that comes with occupation loss.

Here are immoderate punctual ideas and usage cases that mightiness assistance if you’re feeling overwhelmed:

Career Planning Prompts:

“Act arsenic a vocation coach. I’ve been laid disconnected from a [role] successful the crippled industry. Help maine physique a 30-day program to regroup, probe caller roles, and commencement applying without burning out.”

“What kinds of crippled manufacture jobs could I pivot to with acquisition successful [Production/Narrative/LiveOps/etc.]?”

Resume & Linkedin Help

“Here’s my existent resume. Give maine 3 tailored versions: 1 for AAA, 1 for platform/publishing roles, and 1 for startup/small workplace leadership.”

“Rewrite this resume slug to item interaction and metrics.”

“Draft a caller LinkedIn ‘About Me’ conception that focuses connected my enactment style, shipped titles, and imaginativeness for crippled development.”

Networking & Outreach

“Draft a affable connection I tin nonstop to aged coworkers letting them cognize I’m exploring caller opportunities.”

“Write a lukewarm intro connection for reaching retired to idiosyncratic astatine [studio name] astir a occupation posting.”

Emotional Clarity & Confidence

“I’m struggling with imposter syndrome aft being laid off. Can you assistance maine reframe this acquisition successful a mode that reminds maine what I’m bully at?”

No Al instrumentality is simply a replacement for your dependable oregon your lived experience. But astatine a clip erstwhile intelligence vigor is scarce, these tools tin assistance get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with much clarity.

If this helps, consciousness escaped to stock with others successful your network.

Stay kind, enactment smart, enactment connected.”