Latest news with #MattTurnbull
Engadget
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
How AI can help you navigate layoffs, according to one executive producer at Xbox
It's been a rough week at Microsoft. Following the news that 9,000 people are being laid off at the company, one Xbox executive offered some questionable words of advice for people on their way out: Find solace in Microsoft Copilot. As reported by Aftermath , Matt Turnbull, an executive producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing who clearly did not lose his job recently, took to LinkedIn to let folks know, "You're not alone and you don't have to go it alone." In the same breath as acknowledging that AI evokes "strong feelings in people," Turnbull suggested that LLMs like ChatGPT and Copilot could "help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss." Turnbull went on to provide specific AI prompts that he recommended for recently laid-off people, including, "Write a warm intro message for reaching out to someone at [studio name] about a job posting." He explained how an LLM could aid overwhelmed developers in planning their careers and punching up their resumés, and also help with "emotional clarity and confidence." The post was circulated on Bluesky by Necrosoft Games director and Insert Credit host Brandon Sheffield, where it received a predictably negative reaction. According to Video Games Chronicle , LinkedIn users were similarly unimpressed. Turnbull deleted the post a few hours later. Here's the full text from the LinkedIn post: 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 Al 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. Turnbull's post, however earnest, comes at a time when Microsoft is seemingly all-in on both AI and layoffs. The 9,000 job losses this week add to over 6,000 announced in May . Microsoft President Brad Smith began 2025 by committing to spend around $80 billion on AI infrastructure through the year, and CEO Satya Nadella recently shared that a large portion of his company's code is now authored by AI. Just last week, Business Insider reported on another executive telling employees that using Copilot is " no longer optional " in an internal memo. One developer at Halo Studios, which was affected by the layoffs, told Engadget's Jessica Conditt that they felt Xbox leadership was looking to "replace as many jobs as they can with AI agents." If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.
Irish Independent
19 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Microsoft executive says laid off staff should use AI to help cope with emotional loss
The advice comes after the tech giant informed the government run here that it planned substantial layoffs at the Irish base. Overall, Microsoft says it will let 9,000 people go globally. The company employs 4,000 people in Dublin and a further 2,000 people at its Linkedin subsidiary here. Matt Turnbull, a senior figure at Microsoft's Xbox division which is set to see significant cuts, said that among his advice to people getting cut is 'to use LLM Al tools like ChatGPT or Copilot to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss'. Writing on Linkedin, Turnbull offered examples of AI prompts he thinks might help soothe things for people facing redundancy. One such prompt was: '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?" Another prompt was: "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." He said that the technology could offer resources for newly-unemployed workers. 'At a time when mental energy is scarce, these tools can help get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity,' he wrote in the online post, which he later deleted after critical responses to the timing of the post. The company's intention to cut Irish jobs was confirmed by the government earlier this week. 'The Department received a collective redundancy notification from Microsoft on 2 July,' said a spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. 'Any further queries should be directed to the company.' However, a spokesperson for Microsoft declined to give any information on prospective job cuts here. "We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,' she said, when asked about layoffs in Ireland. The tech giant has said that the layoffs are part of a restructuring effort. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently disclosed that up to a third of programming at the tech company is now done by AI, with a higher percentage likely. However, the current cuts are thought to be aimed across several job categories, including sales and middle-management.
The Verge
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Verge
Laid-off workers should use AI to manage their emotions, says Xbox exec
The sweeping layoffs announced by Microsoft this week have been especially hard on its gaming studios, but one Xbox executive has a solution to 'help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss': seek advice from AI chatbots. In a now-deleted LinkedIn post captured by Aftermath, Xbox Game Studios' Matt Turnbull said that he would be 'remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances.' The circumstances here being a slew of game cancellations, services being shuttered, studio closures, and job cuts across key Xbox divisions as Microsoft lays off as many as 9,100 employees across the company. Turnbull acknowledged that people have some 'strong feelings' about AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, but suggested that anybody who's 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,' Turnbull said. '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.' Microsoft has loudly embraced AI, having announced plans in January to invest $80 billion into AI infrastructure prior to this latest wave of job cuts. That environment might have made Turnbull think his recommendations were reasonable. More broadly, however, generative AI is viewed by some creatives as a threat to creative industries like gaming, which has already struggled with growing layoffs and studio closures over the last few years. It's unclear why Turnbull deleted his LinkedIn post, but if the comments on this repost made to Bluesky are any indication, creatives probably didn't take too kindly to his suggestions. You can read the full text of the deleted post below: '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 Al 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.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Amidst Xbox job cuts and Microsoft's AI push, Matt Turnbull promotes AI tools for helping manage layoffs
(Image via Getty Images) Microsoft continues the aggressive shift to AI investments, and now the tech giant has announced another layoff wave. This time, it affects the Xbox division too. Amidst all the turmoil and heavy investments made by Microsoft in AI, Matt Turnbull, Xbox Game Studios Publishing executive, has sparked discussions, promoting AI tools as a way to help employees navigate job losses. Matt Turnbull suggests AI as a layoff coping tool Matt Turnbull, the long-serving Executive Producer in Xbox Game Studios Publishing, has recently ignited discussions about AI tools' public endorsement to navigate job loss. Facing the logistical and emotional chaos of layoffs, Turnbull suggests using platforms like Copilot and ChatGPT to 'help reduce the emotional and cognitive load.' He further framed AI as a practical assistant during the period of scarce mental energy. Matt Turnbull suggests using AI as a layoff coping tool (Image via The specific recommendations coming from Matt Turnbull included crafting some detailed prompts. Some examples included the generation of tailored 30-day career recovery plans, seeking AI's help to combat the post-layoff imposter syndrome, and drafting networking messages to former colleagues. While the tools were acknowledged not to be replacements for human experiences, Turnbull did position them as efficiency boosters for all those who are overwhelmed. Later, but quite soon, the post by Turnbull offering advice was swiftly deleted. Microsoft pursues dual strategies with job cuts and AI ambitions Microsoft Plans to Cut 4% of Global Workforce in Latest Round of Layoffs amid Major AI Push | N18G The advice by Matt Turnbull lands against a corporate backdrop. Recently, Microsoft confirmed the elimination of approximately. 9,000 positions globally. It would impact 4% of the workforce. Reports have quite specifically cited some significant cuts in the Xbox division, which impacts studios like The Initiative, Turn 10, and ZeniMax Online, right alongside some anticipated project cancellations. It follows earlier layoffs that happened in 2024 and 2023. 1000s more jobs were lost during the period. Concurrently, Microsoft has been aggressively channeling resources to AI. The company is investing approximately. $80 billion to build out data center infrastructure, which is crucial to train advanced AI models. The push includes forming a dedicated Microsoft AI division and OpenAI's heavy backing. The entire strategy signals a clear corporate pivot, giving priority to AI development as the future growth engine, even when it's trimming the headcount elsewhere. The entire situation prompts some difficult questions. Is AI the primary tool for efficiency, which displaces the workforce, or could it be genuine support for the workforce to transition, as suggested by Turnbull? For now, actions of Microsoft—cutting jobs, while funding AI massively, suggest a belief that later drives the corporate strategy, making the former proposition feel to many like a cold comfort. Additionally, the deleted LinkedIn post speaks volumes about the sensitivity that surrounds the complex crossroads between humans and technology. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
