High confidence
Jul 2, 2025
Microsoft
−9,000 ~9,000
Attribution · verbatim quote
“By every objective measure, Microsoft is thriving — our market performance, strategic positioning, and growth all point up and to the right. And yet, at the same time, we have undergone layoffs. This is the enigma of success in an industry that has no franchise value.”
— Satya Nadella (ceo)
Summary
Microsoft cut ~9,000 employees in July 2025 — its second major round of the year. Satya Nadella's follow-up memo described the cuts as the 'enigma of success' as the company invested record sums in AI infrastructure while letting people go.
Evidence notes
- · Quote from Nadella memo dated 2025-07-24, reproduced in Fortune and GeekWire.
- · Microsoft's total 2025 cuts exceeded 15,000.