Microsoft has launched a voluntary evacuation programme for about 60 thousand employees, in an effort to curb costs and finance large investments in artificial intelligence. The offer includes more than a quarter of the company’s global workforce, which is spending large sums on data centres and advanced chips on AI development.

According to a familiar source with the issue, which spoke to Reuters under anonymity, the programme will be open to employees of several units, including teams dealing with artificial intelligence experiences, Copilot, finances, human resources, Xbox and Windows+ Davis. Meanwhile, sectors such as marketing, commercial business and security will not be included in this offer.

The director for staff in Microsoft, Amy Coleman, said at a memo directed to staff that the programme gives employees who are thinking of a future outside the company the opportunity to make this transition with its support. According to her, the offer also creates an additional way for participating organisations to adapt the workforce to changing needs.

Microsoft had a total of 223 thousand full – time workers worldwide on June 30, 2026, according to the company’s annual report. The new programme will be time-limited and voluntary, while applied to qualified employees in participating teams in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States at 70th and below.

The company said the programme relies on the experience gained from a previous voluntary retirement scheme. Workers meeting the conditions are expected to receive the details of the offer within hours of the announcement, the Telegraph broadcast.

Technology giants are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in artificial intelligence infrastructure, while investors are demanding evidence that these costs will bring sufficient returns. Microsoft has projected capital spending of $175 billion for the 2026 calendar year. The company is expected to publish financial results for the first quarter following the closure of markets Wednesday.

This is not the first programme of its kind from Microsoft. At the beginning of the year, the company offered voluntary evacuations for about 7% of its US workforce, or approximately 9,000 employees.

In July, Microsoft also announced the cuts of 4,800 jobs — around 2.1% of the global workforce — as part of the Xbox business restructuring. The plan also included leaving as many as five game studios, with a view to improving the return from investments made in the sector over the years.

News of the new offer was initially reported by Business Insider. Meanwhile, Microsoft shares, which have increased about 10% since the beginning of the year, marked an increase of approximately 1% on Monday. /Telegraphy/