Microsoft shares $500M in AI savings internally days after cutting 9,000 jobs

Core Insights - Microsoft is leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity in sales, customer service, and software engineering, resulting in over $500 million in savings in its call center alone [1] - The company has recently laid off more than 9,000 employees, totaling around 15,000 layoffs this year, which raises concerns about the timing of these layoffs amidst record profitability [2][4] - Microsoft reported a profit of $26 billion and revenue of $70 billion in the first quarter, with a market capitalization of approximately $3.74 trillion [5] Financial Investments - Microsoft plans to invest $80 billion into AI infrastructure by 2025, indicating a strong commitment to AI development [6] - The company is focusing on hiring top AI researchers rather than middle management, suggesting a strategic shift towards enhancing its AI capabilities [6]