The U.S. Federal Reserve appoints Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to a task force focused on jobs and productivity, according to multiple reports. The appointment comes days after Sharma announced mass layoffs at Xbox, including reductions totaling 3,200 employees. The Federal Reserve describes its newly announced task forces as part of its broader commitment to price stability and maximum employment. As part of the work, Sharma is expected to help the group assess the economic impact of “new general-purpose technologies,” including artificial intelligence and related innovations, on employment and productivity. Reports characterize the role as advisory within the Federal Reserve’s efforts to examine how technology-driven changes affect labor markets and economic outcomes. The sources agree that the task force’s mandate includes evaluating the potential effects of emerging technologies on jobs, while the Federal Reserve emphasizes that the initiative is designed to inform its policy priorities around employment and economic stability. The appointment links a recent corporate workforce reduction to the Federal Reserve’s technology-and-labor inquiry.