So Microsoft is reportedly offering buyouts to around 60,000 people. That’s over a quarter of everyone who works there, according to Bloomberg, which puts the company’s headcount at about 223,000.
The program covers select employees from VP level down, the report says. Reported terms are close to Microsoft’s standard severance package. Several groups are excluded, including those working on data centers.
This looks like part of Microsoft’s bigger plan to trim costs and get its workforce ready for AI. And the company is spending big on that front: close to $175 billion this year on data centers and AI infrastructure, with nearly 90 hyperscale data centers already open.
The offer comes while Microsoft continues to invest heavily in large AI construction projects and reduce its headcount. The Xbox division recently laid off thousands of employees, and other departments have also had cuts.
The program is voluntary, and it’s unclear how many of the 60,000 eligible employees will take the deal. A similar offer from Microsoft earlier this year drew only about 30 percent of those who could have accepted.
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