Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees, more than a quarter of its global workforce, as it seeks to reduce costs and fund substantial artificial intelligence investments.
The programme covers eligible staff across divisions including Copilot, Xbox, finance and Windows, while excluding marketing, commercial business and security. Offers will be available in the US, UK, Canada and India.
Microsoft expects $175 billion in capital expenditure during 2026, largely driven by AI infrastructure. The initiative follows earlier buyouts and 4,800 job cuts in July, reflecting growing pressure to demonstrate returns on its technology investments.