--- title: "Microsoft Offers Voluntary Buyouts to 60,000 Employees: Bill Gates Names Fields AI Cannot Replace" description: "Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to 60,000 employees amid AI integration. Bill Gates names four areas that he believes will not be subject to automation." date: 2026-10-28T10:24:35.018Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/microsoft-60-thousand-layoffs-ai-bill-gates tags: [microsoft, artificial-intelligence, bill-gates, layoffs, automation, elon-musk] author: "Roman V." publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Microsoft Offers Voluntary Buyouts to 60,000 Employees: Bill Gates Names Fields AI Cannot Replace ![Bill Gates in a blue suit speaking on stage during a presentation](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/28/microsoft-60-tysyach-sokrashcheniya-ii-bill-geyts/microsoft-60-tysyach-sokrashcheniya-ii-bill-geyts-1.webp) ## Key Points - According to a leak, Microsoft is offering about 60,000 employees (a quarter of staff) voluntary separation with a support package. - The optimization affects divisions in Canada, India, the UK, and the US, and has been confirmed by management as a temporary measure during AI adoption. - Layoffs are occurring against the backdrop of $133.75 billion in profit and 31 percent growth. - Bill Gates pointed to four categories of specialists who will retain their jobs thanks to the “human factor” and specific knowledge. - Elon Musk predicts over a billion humanoid robots in 10 years; the IMF and ILO estimate the share of jobs with high AI interaction at 40–60 percent. According to leaked internal information, Microsoft is offering about 60,000 employees—a quarter of its workforce—a financial support and career planning package as part of a voluntary layoff. The optimization reportedly affects company divisions in Canada, India, the UK, and the US. Amid these reports, Microsoft founder Bill Gates publicly outlined just four areas that, in his estimation, will remain resilient to automation. ### Leak Regarding Large-Scale Optimization According to published internal materials, the corporation is preparing a package of measures for affected employees, including financial support and a career planning program. In scale, the offer covers about 60,000 people, which is approximately a quarter of Microsoft's total global workforce, exceeding 220,000 specialists. According to the leak, divisions in four countries fall into the optimization zone: Canada, India, the UK, and the US. ### Layoffs Amid Record Profits The optimization is taking place despite the company's high profitability. According to figures cited in the materials, Microsoft earned $133.75 billion last year, with profit growth of 31 percent compared to the previous period. Corporate management confirmed that the voluntary buyout offer is time-limited and aims to optimize resources during the active implementation of artificial intelligence tools. ### Four Areas That Cannot Be Automated Bill Gates stated that artificial intelligence will solve most tasks in goods production, logistics, and agriculture. In his view, humans will retain only those areas where a “purely human factor or specific knowledge” is important. The Microsoft founder highlighted four categories of specialists who, by his estimate, will not be replaced by AI; however, the available materials do not disclose the full list of these categories in detail, focusing instead on the criteria of the “human factor” and unique expertise. ### Musk's Forecast and International Organization Data This alarming forecast was also supported by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who stated at the G20 summit that over the next 10 years, more than a billion humanoid robots will appear globally, with productivity five times that of humans. Research by the International Monetary Fund and the International Organization of Labor indicates that 40 to 60 percent of jobs in developed countries have a high level of interaction with AI. Microsoft, in turn, has published a list of professions where technology performs the largest share of complex tasks. Experts emphasize that many indicators in this list reflect the high efficiency of AI in performing individual tasks, rather than the complete automation of a profession at this stage. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [ИИ лишит работы миллионы людей: Билл Гейтс назвал 4 профессии, которые выживут](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/shi-zabere-robotu-milyoniv-bill-geyts-nazvav-1793178741.html) - Primary source basis of the article: optimization data (60k employees, quarter of staff, countries), $133.75 billion profit and 31% growth, statements by Gates and Musk, IMF/ILO data. The 60k figure is from a leak; the offer is confirmed by management. - [Билл Гейтс предупредил об опасности «гибели миллиарда людей» от ИИ](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/8987388) - Contextual material on Gates' public warnings regarding AI risks; not directly included in the main text, used to verify identity and tone of statements. ## FAQ ### How many Microsoft employees are being offered voluntary separation? According to leaked internal information, about 60,000 people, which is approximately a quarter of the company's staff. Management confirmed the existence of a time-limited offer, but the exact figure is based on the leak. ### Which countries have affected divisions? According to available information, the optimization affects divisions in Canada, India, the UK, and the US. ### Why is Microsoft cutting staff if the company is profitable? Last year, Microsoft earned $133.75 billion with a 31 percent profit growth. Management explains the voluntary buyout offer as resource optimization during the active deployment of AI tools. ### What areas does Bill Gates believe AI will not replace? Gates indicated that humans will retain areas where a “purely human factor or specific knowledge” is important, highlighting four categories of such specialists; the full list is not detailed in available materials. ### What does Elon Musk predict regarding robots? At the G20 summit, Musk stated that within 10 years, more than a billion humanoid robots will appear in the world, with productivity five times higher than human productivity.