Xbox leader Asha Sharma has joined a US government task force for employment, days after announcing restructuring that has left thousands of people without jobs

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been appointed to co-lead the United States Federal Reserve’s newly established Productivity and Jobs task force, a position drawing attention due to its proximity to Xbox’s major restructuring announcement. The appointment comes just days after Sharma oversaw a restructuring that resulted in 3,200 job losses across the gaming division.

The Productivity and Jobs task force is one of five new divisions created by the Federal Reserve to examine areas central to the conduct of monetary policy. Co-led by Sharma alongside venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and Stanford economics professor Charles I. Jones (currently on leave to work at Anthropic), the task force will assess the economic impact of artificial intelligence and other new general-purpose technologies on the workforce. These assessments will inform Federal Reserve policy decisions regarding price stability and maximum employment.

The appointment underscores the gaming industry’s intersection with broader economic policy discussions, particularly around artificial intelligence’s role in workforce productivity and potential displacement. Sharma joins an advisory board of external experts including economists, business leaders, and former central bank practitioners who will help guide the Federal Reserve’s operations and monetary policy framework.

The timing has drawn industry commentary, highlighting the apparent disconnect between Sharma’s recent role in significant gaming job cuts and her new responsibility advising on employment policy at the federal level.

Xbox leader Asha Sharma has joined a US government task force for employment, days after announcing restructuring that has left thousands of people without jobs

Sources