Microsoft's fired AI director to 6,000 laid off employees along with her: "These are people who…"
Microsoft
announced last week that it is laying off approximately 6,000 employees, nearly 3% of its global workforce—in what marks the company's second-largest job reduction in its history. Among those affected was
Gabriela de Queiroz
, Director of Artificial Intelligence for
Microsoft for Startups
, who shared the "bittersweet news" of her departure on social media.
— gdequeiroz (@gdequeiroz)
"I was impacted by Microsoft's latest round of layoffs. 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," de Queiroz wrote on X, formerly Twitter, alongside a picture of herself smiling.
The layoffs come as Microsoft aggressively pushes into artificial intelligence, with CEO
Satya Nadella
revealing in April that AI now writes up to 30% of code in some Microsoft projects. Software engineers bore the brunt of the cuts, representing over 40% of the approximately 2,000 positions eliminated in Washington state alone, according to Bloomberg analysis.
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To those also affected—you're not alone, we're at least 6,000, says Microsoft's fired AI director
Despite being asked to stop work immediately and set an out-of-office message, de Queiroz chose to stay longer. "I chose to stay a little longer—showing up for meetings, saying goodbye, wrapping up what I could. That felt right to me," she explained in her social media posts.
The irony of laying off an AI director while the company invests heavily in AI technology wasn't lost on industry observers. One Microsoft vice president recently told his team to use AI chatbots to generate half their computer code, up from the current 20-30%, before more than a dozen engineers on his team were subsequently laid off.
"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," de Queiroz wrote, maintaining her positive outlook despite the circumstances.
The cuts affect all levels, teams, and geographies as Microsoft streamlines operations and reduces management layers. "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," de Queiroz concluded, addressing fellow affected employees: "To those also affected—you're not alone. We are at least 6,000."
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