Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, roughly a quarter of its workforce, as AI spending climbs

Microsoft on Monday offered a Voluntary Exit Offer to about 60,000 employees, roughly 27% of its 223,000-person workforce, in the US, Canada, India and the UK at vice president level and below. Teams including Xbox, Windows, Copilot, finance and HR are participating, while some data center, sales, marketing, cybersecurity and quantum staff are excluded. Employees must decide in early December and those who accept leave Dec. 31. The move follows a voluntary retirement program in April and 4,800 layoffs in July, as Microsoft forecasts $175 billion in 2026 capital spending ahead of Wednesday's earnings.