Microsoft announced it will lay off nearly 4% of its global workforce as part of efforts to control costs while investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company, with about 228,000 employees as of June 2024, had already begun layoffs in May affecting around 6,000 workers, primarily in sales roles.
The tech giant has pledged $80 billion in capital spending for fiscal year 2025, but the soaring costs of expanding AI capabilities have pressured profit margins. Microsoft’s cloud margin for the June quarter is expected to decline compared to the previous year.
In addition to workforce reductions, Microsoft plans to simplify its organizational structure by reducing management layers and streamlining products, processes, and roles. The gaming division, including its Barcelona-based King unit known for Candy Crush, will also see job cuts of about 10%, or roughly 200 employees.
Microsoft’s layoffs follow a broader trend among Big Tech companies investing in AI, with peers like Meta trimming about 5% of its lowest performers, Alphabet cutting hundreds of jobs, and Amazon reducing staff across various segments amid economic uncertainties and rising operational costs.