News Microsoft May Cut 10,000 Jobs This Week

[Admin]

Microsoft isn't immune to the realities of an economic slowdown.

Microsoft May Cut 10,000 Jobs This Week : Read more

 

[ezst036]

A company I recently worked for was migrating (I would say upgrading) some of its Windows servers to Linux, for greater flexibility, performance, as well as reduced licensing costs.

I suspect that a down economy will be a boon for Linux usage.

 

[bigdragon]

I keep seeing economists warn of impending recession while the news talks about a "soft landing" instead. I think all these big corporate layoffs are going to guarantee a recession happens. Seems like a lot of layoffs for companies having little problem generating tons of profits. Trimming the fat is necessary sometimes. This time seems different given where tech profits have been recently.

 

[DavidLejdar]

Somewhat difficult for me to understand that Microsoft is like: "We need to lay off staff, to increase our profit.", and for Mr Gates to then be like: "And part of that profit we will spend on finding innovative ways to fight poverty."

At least in my view, having a job helps me more than to just attend a workshop talking about how they want to empower me. Which isn't to say that there is no point in research etc. But with i.e. $7bn a year, there could be more than a million jobs e.g. in Africa, including quite some tax funds some countries might use for universities, which itself allocate research grants (instead of a system where some private foundation picks some labs to work on the behalf of the people, who don't have any part in it at all).

 

[PlaneInTheSky]

Microsoft invested a lot in "VR", "MetaVerse" and "AI". Buzzword technologies that seem to be going nowhere fast.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

I hate the term AI, because there is no semblance of intelligence whatsoever. Computers cannot, and never will be able to feel or understand, or be conscious. Therefore, there is no intelligence.

consciousness is not computable. And it never will be. It’s in the realm of human beings and animals, but not computers. AI will never get anywhere useful

 

[sizzling]

I hate the term AI, because there is no semblance of intelligence whatsoever. Computers cannot, and never will be able to feel or understand, or be conscious. Therefore, there is no intelligence.

consciousness is not computable. And it never will be. It’s in the realm of human beings and animals, but not computers. AI will never get anywhere useful

I’ve not been keen on the term either. I work in finance and often work on projects for improving their processes and systems. How many times a salesperson will say their software AI is going to save X but their definition of AI is far from mine. Often when you dig into it the company/users have to create and maintain the rules that will be used and there is minimal to no actual learning. To me that’s not AI. However, the decision makers just love the term AI and usually don’t look past it.

 

[eye4bear]

Somewhat difficult for me to understand that Microsoft is like: "We need to lay off staff, to increase our profit.", and for Mr Gates to then be like: "And part of that profit we will spend on finding innovative ways to fight poverty."

At least in my view, having a job helps me more than to just attend a workshop talking about how they want to empower me. Which isn't to say that there is no point in research etc. But with i.e. $7bn a year, there could be more than a million jobs e.g. in Africa, including quite some tax funds some countries might use for universities, which itself allocate research grants (instead of a system where some private foundation picks some labs to work on the behalf of the people, who don't have any part in it at all).

Mr. Gates? Bill Gates has had nothing to do with Microsoft for years...

 

[Deleted member 14196]

Hopefully the best of the best that get laid off might start their own companies that become successful

I support independent software developers. Like the folks who make Fork. One of the best git clients around on any platform. They got my license fee because they deserve it with a great product

 

[bit_user]

Amazon gotten the message already a few months ago by furloughing as much as 18,000+ workers.

That wasn't a furlough, it was a layoff. Furlough is when you remain employed, but it's essentially like being on unpaid leave.