Microsoft Offers Voluntary Buyouts to 60,000 Employees, About 27% of Global Workforce

Microsoft Corp. has offered voluntary buyouts to 60,000 employees, roughly 27% of its global workforce, as the company ramps up spending on artificial intelligence. Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said in a blog post Monday that the Voluntary Exit Offer was available to eligible employees in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. "The Voluntary Exit Offer is new for us," Coleman wrote. "We'll learn from it." The Redmond, Washington-based company, which reports quarterly results Wednesday, had about 223,000 full-time employees at the end of June. Shares hit an all-time high this month. The offer follows earlier cuts: Microsoft planned buyouts for about 8,750 people, or 7% of its U.S. workforce, in May, and said in July it was cutting 4,800 jobs, about 2.1% of its global workforce, including many at its Xbox video game business.