SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, the company said on Monday, roughly a quarter of its workforce, as the tech giant seeks to cut costs while pouring money into artificial intelligence.

Staff on select teams in the US, Canada, India and Britain at vice president level and below will be eligible, a Microsoft spokesperson said, while some groups of employees, including some workingon data centres, sales and marketing, are excluded.

`The Voluntary Exit Offer reflects an important part of how we`re evolving our approach to change: creating greater flexibility and, where possible, more ways for employees to shape their next chapter,` Amy Coleman, an executive vice president and chief people officer, told employees in a memo.

It`s the second voluntary buyout offer that Microsoft has offered employees this year.-AFP