Microsoft is going to invest $80 billion in data centers in 2025. It will spread its investments throughout the world, although more than half of this amount will be allocated to facilities on US soil. Those from Redmond have specified, however, that these data centers will be both prepared to work with AI in training and deployment of models, and to work with cloud-based applications.
In the post in which the investment is confirmed, signed by the Company President, Brad Smithit is clear that they see AI as «the next industrial revolution«, and they make it clear that they want to be part of it. Without a doubt, the announced investment will contribute to strengthening its leadership position in the sector, something to which its exclusive agreement with OpenAI also greatly contributes. This also implies that OpenAI is going to benefit from this investment.
There is, however, something that is not clear about this investment. Microsoft has generically communicated that it will be used for data centers, but has not commented on whether it also includes the energy infrastructure necessary for them. On several occasions they have highlighted that they intend to launch nuclear plants, both small and large, capable of supplying energy for their operation, but there is no news on whether or not these plans will become a reality.
Everything indicates that this investment will make the company grow and advance, but not in the same way on all fronts. Regarding template, for example, Microsoft is going to start the year continuing with layoffs which he has been undertaking for the last two years. In this case the outputs will affect less than 1% of your workersand as they have confirmed they will be based on your performance.
As confirmed by a company spokesperson to several media outlets, including Business Insider, they focus on “in high-performance talent. We are always working on helping people learn and grow. When people are not performing, we take appropriate action«. The departures will occur in all sections and departments, including security.
It must be taken into account, however, that when layoffs at Microsoft occur due to poor performance, it is unlikely that they will be covered again with new hires, so it is unlikely that its workforce will be reduced as a result of these departures. At the end of last June, it was made up of about 228,000 full-time workers.
Compared to its previous rounds of layoffs, the company’s latest round of layoffs is significantly smaller. At the beginning of 2023, it laid off 10,000 workers, and in January 2024, its gaming division was reduced by 1,900 positions, with the aim of reducing duplication resulting from the purchase of Activision Blizzard. A few months later, another 1,500 left the Hololens and Azure areas.
