Microsoft cites 'new technologies' in decision to cut staff
by AFP Staff Writers
San Francisco (AFP) May 13, 2025

Microsoft on Tuesday said it was slashing unnecessary layers of management and seizing the benefits of new technology as reports said the tech behemoth was laying off thousands of workers.

The AI-focused tech giant did not disclose the total amount of lost jobs but US media reports said it will amount to about 6,000 people or about three percent of its global workforce.

That included 1,985 workers in its home state of Washington, according to a filing posted on the state's labor affairs agency.

"We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace," a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The company, which is advancing in its plans of deploying AI across all its products, also said it was in a process to "empower employees to spend more time focusing on meaningful work by leveraging new technologies and capabilities."

Microsoft two weeks ago posted robust quarterly results for the January to March period, powered by a strong performance in its cloud computing and artificial intelligence businesses.

The company, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, was one of the first tech giants to double down on artificial intelligence when the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 rocked the tech industry.

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