An executive producer at Xbox Game Studios has faced significant backlash following comments suggesting laid-off workers utilize AI tools to ease the distress of job loss.

On July 2, 2025, Microsoft announced substantial layoffs affecting about 4% of its workforce, roughly translating to 9,000 employees. This decision impacted various gaming divisions, leading to the closure of studios like The Initiative, cancellation of projects including the Perfect Dark reboot, and job reductions at other prominent developers, such as Turn 10, the studio behind Forza Motorsport.

In a now-removed LinkedIn post, Matt Turnbull recommended AI resources to these affected individuals, stating it could help diminish the cognitive and emotional burdens associated with losing a job. He claimed, “I acknowledge these tools provoke strong reactions, but I feel it would be a disservice not to offer useful guidance given the situation.” He also suggested prompts for job hunting, networking, and managing impostor syndrome.

Criticism erupted in response to the remarks, with industry professionals and former Microsoft staff voicing their displeasure. An affected producer at ZeniMax Online remarked, “Read the room, dude,” while game designer Paul Murphy expressed concern over the lack of respect for the laid-off individuals’ capabilities in crafting their resumes.

“Matt Turnbull, Executive Producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing - after the Microsoft layoffs - suggesting on LinkedIn that perhaps those who were let go should turn to AI for support. Did he really believe posting this would be constructive?”

This layoff round is particularly alarming given the extensive cuts made earlier in 2025, which resulted in 6,000 job losses across Microsoft. Overall, the company has terminated over 25,000 positions since early 2023, affecting numerous employees within the Xbox gaming sector.

Turnbull’s suggestion was deemed particularly insensitive considering Microsoft’s increased investments in AI, raising concerns that AI developments could threaten the livelihood of the very workers he intended to support. Microsoft plans to allocate over $80 billion to its AI initiatives, which complements a pre-existing investment exceeding $100 billion in AI technology.

In the past ten years, Microsoft has spent considerably on acquiring high-profile game studios, such as Activision Blizzard and Rare, all of which have seen alterations due to recent layoffs. Internal communications indicate these cuts are aimed at streamlining management to boost efficiency and responsiveness.