MICROSOFT ANNOUNCES 4,800 LAYOFFS

SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 6 /SRNA/ – US technology giant Microsoft said it would eliminate about 4,800 jobs worldwide, or roughly 2.1% of its global workforce, as part of a restructuring effort.

The company confirmed the job cuts in an internal message to employees, saying the move comes as it adapts its business to rapid changes in the technology industry.

Amy Coleman, Microsoft's executive vice president and chief people officer, told employees that the company is adjusting to the rapid evolution of technology and changing customer demand.

She stressed that the layoffs are not a direct result of workers being replaced by artificial intelligence.

Microsoft said affected employees will receive severance packages, continued health benefits and career transition assistance. The company also noted that a voluntary retirement program introduced earlier this year helped reduce the scale of the layoffs.

The latest workforce reduction comes as major technology companies continue to invest heavily in artificial intelligence while seeking to control costs and improve efficiency.

According to its annual report, Microsoft had about 228,000 full-time workers worldwide as of June 2025.