Ouch! Microsoft exec tells laid-off workers to use ChatGPT for therapy

A Microsoft executive suggested that the 9,000 workers recently laid off by the company should use AI chatbots like ChatGPT to cope with job loss, sparking widespread backlash for the tone-deaf advice. The recommendation comes as Microsoft invests $80 billion in AI while simultaneously cutting thousands of jobs, highlighting the disconnect between corporate priorities and employee welfare.

What happened: Matt Turnbull, an Xbox executive producer at Microsoft-owned Xbox, posted advice on LinkedIn encouraging laid-off Microsoft workers to use AI tools for emotional support and career guidance.

• Turnbull suggested using “large language model AI tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss.”
• He provided specific prompts for workers to use with AI, including one for “emotional clarity”: “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?”
• The post was later deleted following significant criticism on social media.

The big picture: Microsoft’s recent layoffs occurred alongside a massive $80 billion investment in artificial intelligence, creating an uncomfortable juxtaposition between corporate AI spending and workforce reduction.

• The company has cut approximately 9,000 jobs while simultaneously expanding its AI capabilities and investments.
• The suggestion that workers use AI tools developed or funded by the company that fired them struck many as particularly insensitive.

What they’re saying: Social media users and gaming communities responded with sharp criticism to Turnbull’s advice.

• “Anyone that tells people who were fired to talk to a computer chat algorithm for therapy is insane,” wrote one observer on Reddit’s r/gaming subreddit.
• Another X user called the response “one of the most tone-deaf and cruelest things” they’d ever seen, adding: “I hope this finally shatters the illusion for some people that Xbox is not your good buddy.”
• One commentator joked: “The new Severance season is insanely good,” referencing the TV show about corporate dystopia.

Why this matters: The incident illustrates the growing tension between tech companies’ AI investments and their treatment of human workers, raising questions about corporate empathy and priorities.

• The backlash demonstrates how AI adoption can feel dehumanizing when positioned as a replacement for human connection during vulnerable moments.
• For gaming communities specifically, the incident challenges the perception of Xbox as a consumer-friendly brand, potentially affecting customer loyalty.