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Microsoft puts up to 60,000 jobs at risk

Microsoft has put up to 60,000 jobs at risk, including roles in the UK, as it seeks to cut costs and turns to AI to complete more tasks. The company is offering a time-limited voluntary “buyout” package to eligible staff in the US, Canada, India and the UK in finance, HR, AI, Microsoft Copilot and Xbox, but not to those in data centres, sales, marketing, cybersecurity or quantum computing. In a July buyout for retirement-age staff, more than 30% of 8,750 eligible workers accepted, and Microsoft expects a lower acceptance rate this round. The company has about 223,000 workers globally, including 6,000 in Britain, and is due to report results on Wednesday.

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