Why Is Microsoft (MSFT) Offering Buyouts To 60,000 Employees?

Microsoft (NasdaqGS:MSFT) announced on 28 October 2026 a voluntary buyout program covering about 60,000 employees worldwide. The offer targets roughly 27% of the global workforce, with packages varying by role, seniority and geography. Management framed the initiative as part of a broader workforce transformation as capital spending on AI and cloud infrastructure rises. The voluntary buyout program for 60,000 staff sits against wider shifts in Microsoft's AI driven cost base our research tracks. We have also flagged 1 warning sign for Microsoft. Microsoft is far from the only large tech group reshaping its cost base around AI infrastructure, so it is worth comparing peers through 55 AI infrastructure stocks.