XBOX CEO Joins Federal Reserve Jobs Task Force Days After Announcing Sweeping Layoffs

Only days after unveiling XBOX’s sweeping restructuring that will slash roughly 3,200 jobs, CEO Asha Sharma has been tapped for another high-profile responsibility. The Federal Reserve has named the XBOX chief to a new advisory task force that will examine how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping jobs, productivity, and the broader U.S. economy.

Earlier this week, Sharma confirmed XBOX’s largest restructuring in years, which includes thousands of layoffs, studio spin-offs, leadership changes, and a renewed focus on the company’s core console business. The changes marked the beginning of what she has described as a long-term reset for XBOX.

That being said, Sharma’s latest appointment has little to do with gaming itself. According to the Federal Reserve’s announcement, she will serve on the panel focused on the impact of AI and technology on employment and productivity. She will work alongside venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and Stanford economist Charles I. Jones as part of a broader effort launched by Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh to review how the central bank approaches major economic challenges.

The Fed has established five separate task forces covering communications, inflation, balance sheet policy, economic data, and technology. Recommendations from the groups are expected later this year and could help shape future thinking around monetary policy and workforce trends, although the panels serve in an advisory capacity rather than making policy decisions directly.

Speaking of Sharma, her selection reflects the growing influence of technology leaders in conversations around AI’s impact on the economy. It also places the XBOX boss in an unusual spotlight, as she balances one of the gaming industry’s biggest restructurings while helping advise one of the world’s most influential financial institutions on the future of work.