Microsoft's AI Director Among 6,000 Laid Off in Tech Giant's Latest Restructuring

In a 'bittersweet' twist, even Microsoft's AI director laid off amid tech giant's AI and automation push

Gabriela de Queiroz, director of AI at Microsoft, recently shared that she was among those affected by the company's latest wave of layoffs. While many employees were instructed to immediately stop work and set out-of-office notifications, Gabriela chose to stay a little longer -- wrapping up her responsibilities and saying farewell to colleagues. For her, it was a meaningful way to close this chapter. She shared this in a post in social media platform X. Despite the disappointment, she remains optimistic and grounded. A natural optimist, she continues to view each day as a gift, holding onto gratitude even during this challenging transition. While she's still processing the experience and uncertain about what comes next, she remains hopeful that positive opportunities lie ahead. Gabriela also expressed deep sadness for the many talented coworkers who were let go. She acknowledged the hard work, dedication, and genuine impact they made, emphasizing how difficult it is to see such a capable group of individuals facing sudden disruption. Her story is just one among many. Microsoft's recent restructuring has impacted approximately 6,000 employees globally, accounting for about three per cent of its total workforce. In its home state of Washington alone, nearly 2,000 jobs were affected, according to reports. The move is part of a broader effort by Microsoft to streamline management layers and capitalise on advancements in artificial intelligence and automation. The company has positioned the layoffs as a strategic response to a rapidly evolving tech landscape. In a statement, Microsoft described the changes as essential to remain competitive and agile. As the company accelerates its integration of AI into its products and services, it aims to free up employee time by automating routine tasks, allowing teams to focus more on high-value work. These cuts come just weeks after Microsoft reported strong quarterly earnings, buoyed by growth in its cloud computing and AI divisions. As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, Microsoft remains a dominant force in the tech industry, having been one of the earliest major companies to embrace the AI revolution sparked by ChatGPT's launch in 2022. Many users shared heartfelt support for Gabriela de Queiroz after her layoff post, recognizing the emotional toll such moments can bring. They likened the experience to the stages of grief -- full of ups and downs -- and reminded her she's not alone in facing them. Several praised her optimism, resilience, and impact-driven mindset, expressing confidence that she'll land a great opportunity soon. One noted the rare but meaningful chance to say goodbye after setting an out-of-office reply, calling it cathartic and essential for closure. Another commended her ability to turn difficult news into a positive, calling it a true reflection of her character. Collectively, the responses were filled with solidarity, encouragement, and belief in her strength to navigate what's next.

'No matter how hard you work...': Microsoft AI Director Gabriela de Queiroz pens emotional note after layoff amid 6,000 job cuts

Microsoft is reducing its workforce by approximately 6,000 employees, which accounts for nearly 3% of its global staff, marking the largest job cuts in over two years. This decision comes as the company increases its investments in artificial intelligence and aims to streamline operations by reducing management layers.Microsoft began laying off around 6,000 employees on Tuesday -- nearly 3% of its global workforce -- in its largest round of job cuts in over two years. The move comes as the tech giant doubles down on artificial intelligence investments and aims to streamline operations by reducing layers of management. The layoffs affect employees across all teams, levels, and geographies, with layoff notices already being issued. Despite reporting strong revenue and profits for the January-March quarter -- beating Wall Street expectations -- Microsoft has joined other major tech companies in cutting jobs amid growing economic uncertainty. Among those impacted was Gabriela de Queiroz, Director of AI at Microsoft. De Queiroz shared a heartfelt message on LinkedIn, expressing her sadness and shock at being laid off, despite her extensive contributions to the company. "Bittersweet news to share: I was impacted by Microsoft's latest round of layoffs. Was I expecting it? Maybe. These days, no matter how hard you work, how much you advocate for your company, or how much visibility you bring -- none of that makes you immune to restructuring," she said. Gabriela added, "Am I sad? Absolutely. I'm heartbroken to see so many talented people I've had the honor of working with being let go. These are people who cared deeply, went above and beyond, and truly made a difference." She revealed that although employees were instructed to stop work immediately, she chose to stay on briefly to say goodbye and wrap up ongoing tasks. Remaining optimistic, De Queiroz said she didn't yet know what the future holds but trusts something good will come of the transition. "I'm an optimist at heart. That hasn't changed. My smile, my gratitude, my belief that each day is a gift -- that's all still here." She also acknowledged the scale of the layoffs and offered solidarity to others affected: "To those also affected -- you're not alone. We are at least 6,000." Microsoft has not commented on individual layoffs but has confirmed that the job cuts are part of broader structural adjustments.

Microsoft layoffs hit coders hardest with AI costs on the rise

Microsoft's recent layoffs disproportionately affected software engineers, signaling AI's growing impact on even technical roles. As the company invests heavily in AI, it's scrutinising costs and automating code development, leading to workforce reshaping. Product and technical program management roles also faced significant cuts, while customer-facing positions remained largely unaffected.Microsoft Corp.'s recently announced job cuts fell hardest on the people who build the company's products, showing that even software developers are at risk in the age of artificial intelligence. In Microsoft's home state of Washington, software engineering was by far the largest single job category to receive layoff notices, making up more than 40% of the roughly 2,000 positions cut, according to state documents reviewed by Bloomberg. Microsoft on Tuesday said it would cut about 6,000 workers across the company. The Washington state data represents about a third of the total. As Microsoft and its rivals make steep investments in AI, they are scrutinizing costs and reprioritizing budgets. In recent weeks, Microsoft executives have pledged to keep a lid on spending amid huge investments in data center construction. At the same time, AI-powered tools capable of writing or analyzing code are automating elements of software development previously done by engineers typing away on keyboards. At Microsoft, as much as 30% of some projects' code is now written by AI, Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said in April. Several tech companies are reshaping their workforces as they focus on AI. Earlier this year, Salesforce Inc. planned to cut over 1,000 employees as it hired for AI-focused sales roles, particularly in sales. CEO Marc Benioff also said the company will reduce its hiring of engineers in 2025 due to the use of AI. When Workday Inc. announced a layoff in February, CEO Carl Eschenbach said hiring would continue in strategic areas like AI. Beyond software engineers, many of the hardest-hit Microsoft personnel ran software projects. Product management and technical program management roles together made up almost 600 of the reductions in Washington, or about 30% of the total. The job cuts also targeted some managers and workers assigned to AI projects, according to a person familiar with the cuts. Relatively few customer-facing roles, such as sales or marketing, were impacted, the data show. Microsoft declined to comment. Microsoft said the layoffs were designed to remove layers of management. But it's not clear how much delayering is actually going on. About 17% of those axed in Washington were classified as managers. The company employed about the same percentage of managers across its entire operation at the end of 2023, according to a workforce report filed with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Microsoft's Director of AI among 6,000 employees laid off, says don't know what's next

In her post, Queiroz revealed that the affected employees were asked to stop work immediately. Microsoft's recent round of layoffs has reportedly affected around 6,000 employees across various departments, and among those impacted is Gabriela de Queiroz, the company's Director of AI. She shared an emotional and thoughtful post on LinkedIn, reflecting on her time at Microsoft and how she's coping with the unexpected news. "Bittersweet news to share: I was impacted by Microsoft's latest round of layoffs," Queiroz wrote in her post. She mentioned that no matter how much someone contributes or how dedicated they are to the company, it doesn't always guarantee job security. In her post, Queiroz revealed that the affected employees were asked to stop work immediately and "set an out-of-office." She also talked about how she attended meetings and said goodbye to her team even after being asked to stop work immediately. "What's next? I don't know yet. It's too soon to say. But I trust that something good will come out of this," she added. Also read: Google Android Show 2025: Android 16 and Wear OS 6 unveiled with improved design, security and new Find Hub Here's what Gabriela de Queiroz shared on LinkedIn: Bittersweet news to share: I was impacted by Microsoft's latest round of layoffs. Was I expecting it? Maybe. These days, no matter how hard you work, how much you advocate for your company, or how much results and visibility you bring -- whether it's helping Microsoft become a trusted name among AI startups or driving initiatives to make it a better place to work for hundreds of people -- none of that makes you immune to restructuring. Am I sad? Absolutely. I'm heartbroken to see so many talented people I've had the honor of working with being let go. These are people who cared deeply, went above and beyond, and truly made a difference. But if you know me, you know I always look at the bright side. I'm an optimist at heart. That hasn't changed. My smile, my gratitude, my belief that each day is a gift -- that's all still here. We were asked to stop work immediately and set an out-of-office. But I chose to stay a little longer -- showing up for meetings, saying goodbye, wrapping up what I could. That felt right to me. What's next? I don't know yet. It's too soon to say. But I trust that something good will come out of this. To those also affected -- you're not alone. We are at least 6,000.