Meta is firing 8,000 people. Microsoft is paying 8,750 to leave. Both are spending the savings on AI.

Summary: Meta and Microsoft announced workforce reductions on the same day, April 23, affecting up to 23,000 positions combined. Meta is cutting 8,000 jobs (10% of staff) and cancelling 6,000 open roles effective May 20, while Microsoft launched its first-ever voluntary retirement programme offering buyouts to up to 8,750 US employees whose age plus years of service equals 70. Both companies reported record revenues. Both are spending record amounts on AI infrastructure. The cuts are not about distress but about substituting human payroll for AI capital expenditure, a pattern that has now reached 96,000 tech workers in 2026.

Meta and Microsoft announced workforce reductions on the same day, April 23, for what appears to be the same reason. Meta told employees it would cut approximately 8,000 jobs, 10% of its global workforce, effective May 20, and cancel 6,000 open positions. Microsoft disclosed its ...