Microsoft offers a quarter of its workforce voluntary severance while shielding AI-critical teams
Microsoft offers a quarter of its workforce voluntary severance while shielding AI-critical teams
Microsoft Offers Voluntary Separation Benefits to Approximately 60,000 Employees (About a Quarter of the Total Workforce) While Protecting Key AI Teams Such as Xbox, Windows, Copilot, and Finance. The Plan Covers Vice President Level and Below Employees in the U.S., Canada, India, and the U.K., Excluding Data Centers, Sales, Cybersecurity, and Quantum Computing.
Same story2 other outlets also reported this
- ITHome · AI··First
Microsoft launches a voluntary severance buyout program for about 60,000 employees, adapting to personnel structure adjustments in the AI era
- 36Kr · AI··+43 min
Microsoft opens voluntary separation program for about 60,000 employees, AI massive investment squeezes human resources budget
Adds:Mentions the plan is to 'cut costs' due to 'massive AI investment'.
- The Decoder··+4 d·Reading now
Microsoft Offers Voluntary Separation Benefits to Approximately 60,000 Employees While Protecting Key AI Teams
Adds:Adds that 'data center, sales, cybersecurity, and quantum computing' are excluded.
In order of publication · later reports are added as they appear · Compared by AI from each outlet’s title and summary
Microsoft is offering voluntary severance packages to about 60,000 employees, roughly a quarter of its workforce. Chief People Officer Amy Coleman wrote in a memo that the packages are "another way to adapt their workforce to changing needs." A spokesperson said Microsoft wants employees committed to tackling its toughest problems.
The program covers employees in the U.S., Canada, India, and the UK at vice president level or below. Xbox, Windows, Copilot, and Finance are fully included, while data centers, sales, cybersecurity, and quantum computing are excluded, areas that are mostly important to Microsoft's AI strategy.
It’s the company’s second such program in 2026. Microsoft offered buyouts to 8,750 U.S. employees in May and cut 4,800 jobs in July. Its workforce remains about 223,000, roughly the same as in 2022, despite strong revenue growth. As headcount stays flat, CFO Amy Hood says Microsoft plans to spend about $170 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026, down slightly from its original $175 billion plan.
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Source: The Decoder · the-decoder.com