{
  "id": 16653544,
  "title": "Microsoft to reportedly offer buyouts to 60,000 employees in latest cuts",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/microsoft-to-reportedly-offer-buyouts-to-60-000-employees-in-latest",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-26T18:44:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/26/microsoft-buyout-offers-ai-cuts"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Microsoft plans to offer buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees as part of a cost-cutting initiative driven by the growing use of artificial intelligence, according to recent reports. This move represents the latest in a series of workforce reductions undertaken by the tech giant this year. In April, Microsoft announced voluntary retirement options for about 7% of its US workforce, totaling around 125,000 employees. Globally, Microsoft employs approximately 223,000 individuals.\n\nThe buyout offer will be extended to several of Microsoft's prominent divisions, such as Xbox, Windows, and Copilot, its AI-driven platform. However, employees in certain areas, including cybersecurity, datacenters, and marketing, will not be eligible for the program. Microsoft's executive vice-president and chief people officer, Amy Coleman, explained that the offer provides eligible staff with a new option for transitioning outside the company with appropriate support. Additionally, it enables participating organizations to adjust their workforce according to evolving requirements.\n\nThe company has not provided further details about the specifics of the buyout offer. Microsoft is not the only tech firm to face workforce reduction challenges due to the surge in AI adoption and increased investments in the technology this year. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, recently announced plans to cut 10% of its workforce, equivalent to around 8,000 employees, in an effort to enhance efficiency. Amazon has also conducted several workforce reductions, most recently in its retail division. In June, Oracle cut its workforce by nearly 13%, eliminating 21,000 jobs, attributed to AI advancements. However, it remains uncertain whether these workforce reduction strategies have led to improved efficiency, and some companies, including Meta, have revised their layoff plans.\n\nA senior Microsoft executive, Ryan Roslansky, recently criticized \"AI slop\" in the workforce on social media, and a recent working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed that 90% of the 9,000 senior executives surveyed from various countries believed that AI had yet to contribute to increased productivity within their organizations.",
  "summary": "Tech company offers buyouts in an effort to reduce costs amid the rising use of AI, according to reports Microsoft announced that it would offer buyouts to 60,000 employees in an effort to reduce costs amid the rising use of artificial intelligence, according to reports, the latest example of how AI is reshaping tech companies and the greater workforce. This is the latest of several trimmings…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business Insider",
        "title": "Microsoft is offering buyouts to around 60,000 employees. Read the memo.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/microsoft-is-offering-buyouts-to-around-60-000-employees-read-the-memo",
        "published": "2026-10-26T15:30:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Quartz",
        "title": "Microsoft is offering buyouts to around 60,000 employees in latest cost push",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/microsoft-is-offering-buyouts-to-around-60-000-employees-in-latest",
        "published": "2026-10-26T17:20:25.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}