Microsoft employee uses terrible AI-generated image to advertise for Xbox artists just weeks after massive layoffs

An worker used a really dangerous AI-generated picture to promote graphic designer jobs at Xbox
The picture exhibits a lady writing code that someway seems on the again of a pc monitor, amongst different issues
The advert is very awkward as Microsoft not too long ago accomplished shedding greater than 9,000 folks

A submit on LinkedIn in search of graphic designers for Xbox goes viral for the irony of horrible AI-generated graphics. Principal Growth Lead for Xbox Graphics, Mike Matsel, shared a submit asserting the roles, accompanied by what at first look seems to be an innocuous cartoon of a lady at a workstation typing code. Besides the code is on the again of her monitor, and that is just the start of the problems with the picture.

The truth that Microsoft concluded the newest of a number of rounds of layoffs, affecting a complete of greater than 9,000 folks, together with many within the Xbox division, just some weeks in the past, makes it much more awkward.

(Picture credit score: LinkedIn/Mike Matsel)

The extra you study the picture, the extra apparent it turns into that it was (poorly) produced with AI. The pc is unconnected to something, the desk kind of fades away into nothingness, and the shadows do not make sense. Plus, would Microsoft need a graphic of somebody clearly utilizing Apple headphones? To not point out the truth that, in 2025, you are impossible to see somebody with the corded iPhone headphones of almost 20 years in the past.

The picture does at the least promote the concept Microsoft desperately wants graphic designers, or at the least individuals who know when graphics are very improper. The handfuls of feedback on the submit emphasize simply how annoying many individuals discover the submit. Quite a bit are from builders and graphic designers who would possibly in any other case have an interest within the positions.

Awkward AI

The truth that this wasn’t only a dangerous picture, however one which undermines all the level of the job being marketed, is really mind-boggling. It’s like handing out flyers for a bakery that makes use of clip artwork of a melting candle with “bread” written on the hooked up label.

It is so bizarrely dangerous that quite a lot of commenters questioned if it was on goal. It is likely to be a means to attract consideration to the open positions, or, unlikely as this can be, a type of malicious compliance from somebody instructed to make use of AI to announce the open jobs after their colleagues in these positions have been not too long ago let go. Or perhaps it was the sharpest satire ever seen on LinkedIn.

These are wildly unlikely theories, but it surely’s telling that they are not completely not possible. An advert symbolizing all the pieces individuals are fearful about, particularly relating to the very creative jobs being marketed, could be far too blatant to make use of in a joke. Nonetheless, apparently, that is simply actuality now.

The truth that Microsoft is presently investing billions of {dollars} in AI solely provides to the dissonant response. Even when it wasn’t formally accredited by Microsoft, it nonetheless has their Xbox brand on it. Then once more, even senior executives can faceplant when discussing and utilizing AI.

Simply final week, Government Producer at Xbox Sport Studios Publishing Matt Turnbull steered that folks not too long ago let go might flip to AI chatbots to assist recover from their emotional misery and discover new jobs. He took down the essay encouraging former workers to make use of AI instruments to each discover jobs and for “emotional readability,” ultimately, however this graphic catastrophe stays seen to the general public, versus the code hiding behind the again of the monitor.