Microsoft is offering voluntary exit packages to approximately 60,000 employees, a move that encompasses roughly one-quarter of its global workforce as the company directs significant capital toward artificial intelligence infrastructure. The buyout program, announced on Monday, is available to eligible staff in Canada, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. To qualify, employees must hold a position at the vice president level or below.
Amy Coleman, Microsoft's chief people officer, stated in a memo to staff that the offer provides a supported transition for those considering leaving the company. The initiative is designed to allow mid-level workers to depart with financial support and career-planning resources while reducing the company's labor costs. Microsoft noted that the offer is available for a limited period and that eligible employees will be notified by email.
The buyout aligns with Microsoft's aggressive financial commitments to AI. Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood told Wall Street analysts during a July earnings call that the company expects to spend $175 billion on AI infrastructure, including data centers, in 2026 alone. This new exit program is the second voluntary buyout offer extended by Microsoft this year. In May, reports from the Associated Press, citing two people familiar with the plan, indicated that Microsoft planned to offer buyouts to about 8,750 people, or 7% of its U.S. workforce. Additionally, in July, the company announced cuts affecting 4,800 jobs, representing about 2% of its global workforce, with many of those positions located within its Xbox video game business.
According to regulatory filings, Microsoft employed 223,000 people globally at the end of June, down from 228,000 at the end of 2025. Agence France-Presse reported that around 27% of Microsoft's workforce is eligible for the current buyout offer. However, not all employees qualify; Bloomberg reported, citing a company spokesperson, that workers in specific business units are ineligible. These exclusions include employees focused on data centers and those working in sales and marketing.