Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, roughly one-quarter of its global workforce, as the technology giant directs more money toward artificial intelligence.
The company announced the program on Monday, describing the packages as voluntary exit offers. They are open to eligible employees in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. Only workers at the vice president level or below can qualify.
In a memo to staff, Amy Coleman, Microsoft's chief people officer, said the offer "gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support." Coleman said eligible workers would be notified by email on Monday.
Microsoft has said the offer is available for a limited period and is aimed at mid-level employees. It is designed to let them leave with financial padding and career-planning resources, while also allowing the company to reduce its labor costs. According to Agence France-Presse, about 27% of the Microsoft workforce is eligible.
Some parts of the company are excluded. Bloomberg, citing a company spokesperson, reported that employees focused on data centers, as well as those in sales and marketing, are not eligible.
The move comes as Microsoft spends heavily on AI. Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood told Wall Street analysts on a July earnings call that the company expects to spend $175 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026 alone, including investments in data centers.
This is the second voluntary buyout effort Microsoft has offered this year. In May, the company planned to offer buyouts to about 8,750 people, or 7% of its U.S. workforce, the Associated Press reported, citing two people familiar with the plan who were not authorized to speak publicly.
In July, Microsoft also said it was cutting 4,800 jobs, about 2% of its global workforce, including many workers in its business.
Regulatory filings show Microsoft had 223,000 employees worldwide at the end of June, down from 228,000 at the end of 2025.
