A Microsoft executive faced backlash after advocating for AI use among recently laid-off employees, following significant job cuts. The laid-off workers primarily belonged to the gaming division, where Microsoft has shifted its focus toward AI. The executive suggested AI-driven support for career planning and emotional assistance, further advising on creating tailored job search plans. Despite the aim to provide support, online reactions branded his comments as tone-deaf, especially considering the juxtaposition of heavy investment in AI and workforce reductions. The conversation also touched on AI's limitations in replicating human experience.
'These are really challenging times,' Turnbull wrote, encouraging displaced employees to use chatbots to help manage feelings of impostor syndrome and reframe their layoff experiences in a more positive light.
Turnbull's advice emphasized that AI could not replace the 'lived experience' of workers but suggested it could help them get 'unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity'.
Collection
[
|
...
]