Microsoft is preparing to lay off thousands of employees, with most of the cuts expected in its sales division, according to sources cited by Bloomberg.
The job losses, which may also impact other departments, are expected to be announced early next month following the close of Microsoft’s fiscal year. The exact number of roles affected has not been disclosed.
There is currently no clarity on how Microsoft’s operations in Ireland will be affected. The company employs more than 3,500 people across its Dublin and Belfast offices, according to its official website.
These layoffs come as Microsoft intensifies its focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Bloomberg links the restructuring to the company’s significant pivot toward AI technologies.
Microsoft is set to invest around $80 billion this fiscal year to build AI-powered data centres and expand AI and cloud-based services globally.