Overview

• Microsoft is proceeding with up to 9,100 job cuts, marking roughly 4 percent of its workforce in the latest layoff round
• On July 4, Xbox executive Matt Turnbull urged displaced employees to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Copilot for career planning and emotional support, then removed the LinkedIn post
• Social media users condemned the suggestion as tone-deaf and out of touch with workers facing mental and financial strain
• Experts warn that AI chatbots can be inaccurate and should not replace professional counseling or human-centered guidance
• The incident spotlights tensions between Microsoft’s massive AI infrastructure investment and ongoing cost-cutting amid more than 62,000 tech layoffs this year