Microsoft Layoffs More Employees in Washington Despite Record AI Investments

Microsoft isn’t done laying off its employees. After trimming thousands of roles globally this year, the company has confirmed another round of job cuts in Washington state.

The news comes via The Seattle Times, which reported that a new state filing reveals that 40 more positions have been eliminated. Do note that these layoffs are separate from Microsoft’s larger announcements in May and July.

With this week’s filing, the total number of employees laid off in Washington this year climbs to 3,160. Not to forget, Microsoft says the latest reduction is minor in scale. An email statement sent by a Microsoft spokesperson to the news outlet reads:

Organizational and workforce changes are a necessary and regular part of managing our business. We will continue to prioritize and invest in strategic growth areas for our future and in support of our customers and partners.

The timing of the layoffs coincides with Microsoft’s aggressive push into artificial intelligence. Last week, the company reported record fiscal-year earnings, driven largely by growth in its cloud and AI services.

In a memo to staff, CEO Satya Nadella acknowledged the tension between layoffs and success. He mentioned that job cuts have weighed heavily on him. However, Nadella further described the tech industry’s momentum as “dynamic, sometimes dissonant, and always demanding.”