Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees to cut costs

Microsoft (MSFT.O) said on Monday that it is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees as it seeks to cut costs and help fund its massive artificial intelligence investments . That figure represents more than a quarter of its global workforce .

A source familiar with the matter , who requested anonymity because the information is confidential , told Reuters that employees in AI engineering , Copilot, finance , human resources , Xbox and Windows + Devices will be eligible for the offer . Units such as marketing, the commercial business and security are not included in the program.

Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said in a note to staff that the offer gives eligible employees who are considering working outside the company in the future a new option to support that transition now . She said it also gives participating organizations another way to adjust their workforce to changing needs .

According to Microsoft, the offer will be available to eligible employees at level 70 and below on participating teams in Canada , India , the United Kingdom and the United States . The company stressed that the program is voluntary and time- limited , and builds on lessons from the earlier voluntary retirement program. Eligible employees will be notified within the next few hours .

Like other tech giants , Microsoft is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on AI data centers and chips , which has increased investor scrutiny over whether these outlays will pay off . The company , which will report first-quarter results after markets close on Wednesday , has forecast $175 billion in capital expenditures for calendar year 2026.

According to its annual report , Microsoft had 223,000 full -time employees worldwide as of June 30, 2026.

Earlier this year, the company offered voluntary buyouts to about 7% of its U.S. workforce, or roughly 9,00 0 employees. In July, it announced it would cut 4,800 jobs, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, by overhauling its Xbox gaming business and dropping five studios.

Microsoft shares , which have risen about 10% this year , gained roughly 1% on Monday . The news was first reported by Business Insider .