As Microsoft lays off 4,800 employees, HR head’s memo has 'direct' line for all staff

Microsoft cut 4,800 jobs on Monday, about 2.1% of its global workforce, and the person tasked with explaining why wanted one thing on the record straight away. "I also want to be direct that the roles eliminated today are not being replaced by AI," chief people officer Amy Coleman wrote in a memo to employees. Then came the qualifier that undercut the reassurance: "At the same time, what is true is that AI is changing how work gets done."That single sentence captured the discomfort running through the whole announcement. Microsoft is pouring roughly $190 billion into AI infrastructure this year, up more than 60% from 2025, even as it trims staff to pay for it. Coleman framed the cuts as a response to a shifting industry rather than a robot replacing a human at a desk.