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TechnologyWorkCultureMental HealthPsychology Microsoft Is Offering 60,000 Workers a Way Out. Welcome to the AI Economy.

Maia Niguel Hoskin, Ph.D.

8 min read19 hours ago

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A strange kind of math is emerging in the artificial intelligence economy: companies can be extraordinarily profitable while their employees are left wondering whether they still have a place in the future. Microsoft is offering us one of the clearest examples yet. On October 26, the technology giant announced a voluntary buyout program affecting about 60,000 eligible employees, roughly 27% of its 223,000-strong global workforce.

The offers apply to qualifying employees in selected departments across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and India, including divisions involved in Windows, Xbox, Copilot, finance, and other business operations.…