Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees as it increases investment in artificial intelligence, in a move affecting roughly 27% of its global workforce.
The scheme is open to eligible staff in the UK, US, Canada and India, but is limited to employees at vice-president level or below. The company said the offer would be available for a limited period.
Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s chief people officer, said the programme would support workers considering leaving the business while helping the company reduce labour costs.
“This offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support,” she said in a memo to staff.
Eligible employees were due to be notified by email. The package includes financial support and resources for career planning.
Some parts of the business are excluded from the offer, including staff working on data centres and those in sales and marketing, according to a company spokesperson.
It is the second voluntary buyout programme Microsoft has introduced this year. In April, the company reportedly offered early retirement to about 7% of its US workforce.
Microsoft had 223,000 employees worldwide at the end of June, down from 228,000 at the end of 2025, according to regulatory filings.
