Microsoft employees issue open letter as company offers 60,000 buyouts
A group of workers claims the company is prioritising artificial intelligence over its people, customers, and climate goals.
A group of current and former Microsoft employees is circulating an open letter alleging that the company is prioritising artificial intelligence at the expense of its staff, customers, and environmental targets, according to a Times of India report.
The letter, signed by 'Concerned Microsoft Workers', claims that working at the firm has become demoralising and joyless. The signatories link this decline in morale to increased investments in AI, heavy workloads, frequent reorganisations, and the potential for staff to be replaced by technology.
The company recently offered voluntary buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees, representing more than a quarter of its workforce. These offers were extended to eligible staff at level 70 and below in participating teams across India, the US, the UK, and Canada.
The workers' letter also criticises the mandatory use of AI tools, stating that employees are pushed to use them with little training. They claim this leads to a cycle of cleaning up poor AI output and rolling back features.
The group is demanding that Microsoft involve employees in AI decision-making and recommit to being carbon negative, water positive, and zero waste by 2030. They also raised concerns regarding data centre projects and contracts with the Israeli military and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Chief people officer Amy Coleman stated the buyouts are not linked to how AI is changing work. Eligible employees have until December 9 to decide on the offer, with departures scheduled for December 31.