Microsoft Asked a Quarter of Its Workforce to Volunteer to Leave. It Is Growing 18% a Year, Says AI Isn't the Reason, and Reports to Wall Street Tonight

Minds, Bodies, and Terawatts · Oct 28, 2026 · 4m · transcript

Microsoft said Monday it is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, roughly 27% of its workforce, at vice president level and below in the US, Canada, India and the UK. Reuters frames it as containing costs to fund roughly $175 billion in AI infrastructure this year; a company spokesperson told KUOW that AI is not driving the program. Eligible staff have until early December to decide, with terms similar to standard severance, and Microsoft reports quarterly results Wednesday after the close.

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