Programmers bore the brunt of Microsoft's layoffs in its home state as AI writes up to 30% of its code
Coders were hit hardest among Microsoft's 2,000-person layoff in its home state of Washington, Bloomberg reports.
Over 40% of the people laid off were in software engineering, making it by far the largest category, Bloomberg found based on state filings. Relatively few sales or marketing positions were affected, Bloomberg added.
To be fair, coders are a big chunk of Microsoft's workforce, although it doesn't disclose the exact proportion. The cuts are part of recent layoffs at Microsoft affecting about 6,000 people.
Still, these cuts come after CEO Satya Nadella said last month that up to 30% of the company's code was now written by AI.
TechCrunch asked Microsoft if the layoffs were motivated by the rise of AI-assisted coding. The tech giant declined to comment. Microsoft has said the layoffs are aimed at reducing management layers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gov. Stein signs P.A.V.E. Act into law, paving the way for transit transformation in Mecklenburg County
MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Governor Stein officially signed six new bills into law on Tuesday morning, including one that could reshape transportation in Mecklenburg County for years to come. One of the most talked-about measures is , short for Public Access to Valuable Equity. This legislation opens the door for a November ballot referendum, where Mecklenburg County voters will decide whether to approve a one-cent local sales tax to invest in a more modern, accessible, and sustainable transportation system. MORE: NC Gov. Stein hosts news conference to sign 6 bills into law 'Today is a game-changer for our region,' Shannon Binns, Executive Director of Sustain Charlotte, said in a written statement. 'For years, we've dreamed of giving residents the chance to fund more frequent buses and trains, safer bike lanes, sidewalks, and safer streets for all. With Governor Stein's signature, that dream moves from the advocacy stage to the ballot box. When Mecklenburg County prospers with better mobility, every family, no matter their zip code or income, gains access to opportunity, cleaner air, and a higher quality of life.' 'This is more than a transportation bill, it's a generational opportunity to shape how ourregion grows and connects,' Shelly Cayette-Weston, President of Business Operations forCharlotte Hornets/Hornets Sports and Entertainment said in a written statement. 'This is a powerful example of how local and state leaders can work together to create bold solutions.' The P.A.V.E. Act gives Mecklenburg County the authority to: Put a one-cent sales tax proposal before voters this November Use funds to improve roads, expand public transit, and enhance bike/pedestrian infrastructure Tackle traffic congestion while reducing air pollution from vehicles It also makes changes to local tax laws, including updates to the county's 'U-Drive-It' vehicle tax and existing transportation-related sales tax rules, to support this effort. MORE: After Mecklenburg County's transportation bill passes Senate, do Charlotte residents support the tax hike? The measure was and earned bipartisan support in the General Assembly before arriving on Governor Stein's desk. If voters say yes this fall, the new tax could generate hundreds of millions of dollars for projects aimed at: Expanding bus and light rail service Building sidewalks and protected bike lanes Supporting Vision Zero initiatives to make streets safer Reducing tailpipe emissions, the leading source of local climate pollution For Mecklenburg County residents, that means shorter commutes, cleaner air, and more transportation options, especially in underserved neighborhoods. MORE: Officials detail plans to improve Mecklenburg County bus stops, but they need a one-cent sales tax to do it Now that the P.A.V.E. Act is law, it's up to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners to place the referendum on the November 2025 ballot. If they do, voters will have the final say on whether to approve the sales tax and launch what advocates call a 'transformational investment.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump slams Elon Musk as megabill drops AI protections and hits snags in Senate
President Trump slammed Elon Musk's subsidies, and Republican senators struck down a plan to shield artificial intelligence from state regulations. These two middle-of-the-night developments on Tuesday reinforced a growing schism between Trump and Silicon Valley supporters over his "big, beautiful bill." The first development came at 12:44 a.m. ET, when Trump responded to Tesla (TSLA) CEO Musk's ongoing critiques of the package, focusing on the government grants that Musk's companies receive. "Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa," wrote the president in a Truth Social post, adding, "perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this?" The president was referring to the government efficiency group that Musk ran until recently. The president's missive came after Trump's signature legislation underwent key changes in recent days that set off many in the tech industry, Musk most of all, with new measures to tax green energy companies and further support for fossil fuels, as well as a growing price tag. The divide between many in Silicon Valley and the "big, beautiful bill" has been evident for over a month. It appeared set to deepen further when, a few hours later, a closely watched artificial intelligence provision was stripped from the bill itself. This plan, which had many Silicon Valley supporters, was meant to shield the quickly growing AI industry from state and local regulations. But the idea now appears to be dead after Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee turned against a compromise plan Monday evening and stripped it from the bill. It wasn't close in the end, with the Senate voting 99-1 to adopt Blackburn's subsequent amendment in a count that wrapped up a little after 4:00 a.m. ET. Trump's overall package also appears to be teetering Tuesday morning after a series of overnight developments saw two key Republican senators — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine — uncommitted to vote yes. Those two senators could join two Republicans already committed to voting no, which would be enough to sink the package. The drama between the president and the world's richest man has been up and down for weeks, but it escalated Monday afternoon when Musk offered new electoral threats against Republicans. Musk had already amplified Democrats' critiques and talked about the need for a new political party. He offered a striking promise Monday afternoon that lawmakers who vote for the bill "will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth." Musk, of course, was the biggest donor during the 2024 campaign, spending at least $288 million, most of which was offered in support of Trump. Trump reiterated his critiques of Musk Tuesday morning, speaking to reporters and saying of Musk's objection to losing EV subsidies, "Elon can lose a lot more than that." The president also called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) a "monster that might have to go back and eat Elon." And when asked by a reporter if he would consider deporting Musk, he demurred: "We'll have to take a look." What is unclear for the days ahead is how much the Trump-Musk fight will impact the actual chances of the bill's passage, with Senate amendment votes ongoing. Musk is clearly focused on a debate likely coming later this week, when the House is set to take up the amended measure if it passes. The House is where a vocal bloc of fiscal conservatives — who often vote as part of the "Freedom Caucus" — warily supported a previous version of the bill, saying a previous smaller price tag was too big. Musk even tagged some of these House Republican lawmakers in some of his latest posts, which continued throughout the night with dozens of messages. Musk also responded to Trump's comments about his subsidies by saying his companies like Tesla and SpaceX ( would be fine and that oil and gas subsidies should be removed as well. The back-and-forth over AI also came to a head overnight after the House passed a plan in May that included a complete ban on state regulations of AI for a decade. The little-noticed measure gained wider attention in the weeks that followed, with many of Trump's most loyal supporters opposing it. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene even admitted that she hadn't been aware of the provision when she voted yes. The Georgia lawmaker then announced her opposition and plans to vote no if this "violation of state rights" stayed in the bill. Trump himself doesn't appear to have taken a position on the measure, but it had the backing of his Silicon Valley-aligned aides, most notably the vocal support of AI and crypto czar (and longtime venture capitalist) David Sacks. But Republican opposition grew, and Sen. Blackburn of Tennessee became a leading voice of opposition in the Senate. She entered into negotiations over the issue and appeared to have found a compromise in recent days around the idea that instead of a decade-long ban, the provision would be amended to be a "temporary pause" of five years. States would be strongly discouraged from regulating AI, as lawmakers linked it to access to millions of dollars in AI infrastructure and deployment funding. But even that wasn't enough. Blackburn renounced the compromise, said a moratorium "could allow Big Tech to continue to exploit kids, creators, and conservatives," and teamed with a top Democrat to strike the provision entirely. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (a former Trump press secretary) congratulated Blackburn on the move in a post the senator quickly reposted. "This is how you take on big tech!" Sanders wrote. This story has been updated with additional developments. Ben Werschkul is a Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance. Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
19 minutes ago
- Business Wire
Deadline Approaching: Reddit, Inc. (RDDT) Investors Who Lost Money Urged To Contact Law Offices of Howard G. Smith
BENSALEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Law Offices of Howard G. Smith reminds investors of the upcoming deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the case filed on behalf of investors who purchased Reddit, Inc. ('Reddit' or the 'Company') (NYSE: RDDT) securities between October 29, 2024 and May 20, 2025, inclusive (the 'Class Period'). IF YOU ARE AN INVESTOR WHO SUFFERED A LOSS IN REDDIT, INC. (RDDT), CONTACT THE LAW OFFICES OF HOWARD G. SMITH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING SECURITIES FRAUD LAWSUIT. Contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss your legal rights by email at howardsmith@ by telephone at (215) 638-4847 or visit our website at What Happened? On May 1, 2025, after market hours, Reddit released its first quarter 2025 financial results, marking a third consecutive quarter with slowdown in daily active user growth. On this news, Reddit's stock price fell $4.96, or 4.2%, to close at $113.83 per share on May 2, 2025, thereby injuring investors. Then, on May 19, 2025, Wells Fargo analysts downgraded Reddit's stock, stating that Google's AI features would likely cause 'permanent' disruptions to user traffic for Reddit, and that traffic to Reddit from Google Search would continue to decline and ultimately hurt Reddit's advertising revenue. On this news, Reddit's stock price fell $5.24, or 4.6%, to close at $107.99 per share on May 19, 2025. Then, on May 21, 2025, Baird analysts downgraded Reddit's stock, citing similar concerns as Wells Fargo. On this news, Reddit's stock price fell $9.79, or 9.3%, to close at $95.85 per share on May 21, 2025, thereby injuring investors further. What Is The Lawsuit About? The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) changes in Google Search's algorithm and features like AI Overview were causing users to stop their query on Google Search; (2) these algorithm changes were materially different than prior instances of reduced traffic to the Reddit website; (3) Defendants were aware that the increase in the query term 'Reddit' on search engines was because users were getting the sought after answer from Google Search without having to go to Reddit, and not because they intended to visit Reddit; (4) this zero-click search reality was dramatically reducing traffic to Reddit in a manner the Company was unable to overcome in the short term; (5) Defendants, therefore, lacked a reasonable basis for their outlook on user rates and advertising revenues; and (6) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Reddit securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than August 18, 2025 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff if you meet certain legal requirements. Contact Us To Participate or Learn More: If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact us: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020, Telephone: (215) 638-4847 Email: howardsmith@ Visit our website at: To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
