Xbox CEO Asha Sharma Joins Fed Advisory Task Force on AI Jobs Days After 3,200 Layoffs

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been named an adviser to a newly announced U.S. Federal Reserve task force focused on "Productivity and Jobs," where she will help assess the economic impact of new general-purpose technologies, including artificial intelligence. The appointment, announced on July 9, 2026, was made under Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh as part of a broader push the Federal Reserve described as a "commitment to price stability and maximum employment." Notably, Sharma is reported to be the only active CEO named across any of the Fed's new task forces, lending her an unusually prominent role in shaping how the central bank thinks about emerging technology and labor markets.

The timing of the appointment has drawn sharp criticism from observers across the gaming industry and beyond. Just days before joining the task force, Sharma oversaw the layoff of approximately 3,200 employees at Xbox, one of the largest single rounds of job cuts in the gaming industry's history. The juxtaposition of leading a federal panel on jobs and productivity while simultaneously eliminating thousands of positions has prompted pointed commentary, with some noting, wryly, that Sharma has firsthand experience with "the economic impact of new general-purpose technologies."