Microsoft Xbox CEO Joins Federal Reserve AI Jobs Task Force

The US Federal Reserve has created a dedicated task force to assess the impact of artificial intelligence on the broader economy and employment. As technology giants accelerate AI adoption, the initiative could influence the future direction of US labor and industrial policy. The participation of an executive from Microsoft, a global leader in AI, is significant. But the task force's composition and list of advisers immediately drew intense scrutiny at a sensitive time of workforce restructuring across the technology industry.

The Federal Reserve recently announced that Microsoft Xbox CEO Asha Sharma would serve as an adviser to the task force. Just three days before the appointment was announced, Microsoft's gaming division had completed a large round of layoffs affecting as many as 3,200 employees. The timing prompted sharp criticism from US commentators and financial media, who called it deeply ironic and inappropriate for an executive overseeing workforce cuts to advise on AI's impact on employment.