Microsoft Offers Buyouts to About 60,000 Employees to Cut Costs, Rework Workforce for AI

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to roughly 60,000 employees, according to reports from Business Insider and Bloomberg, the company's latest move to cut costs and reshape its workforce around AI. Eligible staff include those at the vice president level and below on select teams in the U.S., Canada, India and the U.K., while employees in data centers, sales and marketing are excluded. Chief People Officer Amy Coleman notified employees of the offers on Monday, describing the program as giving workers flexibility to "shape their next chapter." Those who accept will receive benefits similar to a standard severance package. Earlier this year, Microsoft extended buyouts to retirement-age employees, with more than 30% of the roughly 8,750 eligible workers accepting. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.