Microsoft has launched a voluntary departure plan for 60,000 employees to reduce costs alongside its investments in AI. The offer targets employees based in the United States, the United Kingdom, and India, up to the level corresponding to a director position; teams in France are not eligible.
The Windows, Xbox, and Copilot divisions would be particularly affected. These departures are intended to offset Microsoft's massive investments in AI infrastructure, with $175 billion in spending planned for 2026, and also reflect the productivity gains the company anticipates from AI.
For tech professionals, this type of announcement confirms a trend: AI-related productivity gains are now being used explicitly as an argument for reducing headcount at major corporations, even during a period of heavy investment.