Microsoft's Buyout, Bengaluru's Hiring Row and the AI Sell-Off

ISSUE 08: Three stories dominated Indian tech news this week.

1. Microsoft offers buyouts to about 60,000 people

On Monday 26 October, Microsoft's chief people officer, Amy Coleman, sent employees a memo announcing a Voluntary Exit Offer. The company told GeekWire it is open to about 60,000 people in participating teams in the US, Canada, the UK and India. That's roughly a quarter of Microsoft's 223,000 employees.

Some coverage has called this a retirement scheme. It's a buyout. Microsoft did run a voluntary retirement programme in April, for US staff only, and about 30% of the roughly 8,750 eligible employees took it. The new offer has no age or tenure requirement, and Microsoft says performance isn't a factor.

According to the company, the package matches its standard severance. Employees have until the first week of December to decide.

Coleman wrote that the offer "gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support."

Microsoft also told GeekWire the offer does not replace layoffs. It cut 4,800 jobs in July and more than 15,000 in 2025. It hasn't said how many people in India are eligible.

2. Bengaluru and jobs for Kannadigas

A video went viral last week in which a woman alleged that some IT companies in Bengaluru don't hire candidates who mention Kannada on their CV. Business Today noted the claims have not been independently verified, and no company was named in the reports I read.

On 25 October, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar posted on X, in Kannada, that the government would take action against private institutions found to be deliberately sidelining Kannadigas. The News Minute reported that he did not say what kind of action.

So is hiring in Bengaluru now being monitored? I couldn't find any new rule, portal, quota or reporting requirement. What exists is the 2024 local candidates Bill. Under it, 50% of management roles and 75% of non-management roles would have been reserved for local candidates. The state cabinet approved it in July 2024, and it was put on hold after objections from industry. The New Indian Express reported on 27 October that it is still in limbo.

If you hire in Bengaluru, now is a good time to write down your selection criteria and tie them to the job. It's fair to candidates, and it gives you something to point to if questions come up.

3. The AI sell-off in the US

Has the AI bubble burst? The market numbers say no, at least so far.

On 22 October the Nasdaq fell 2.6% to 26,008.86, its biggest one-day drop since June. Reuters linked the sell-off to Meta's results and the rising cost of the AI build-out. On 13 October the IMF warned that an AI market correction was one of the risks facing the global financial system. Investors are split. Some call this a normal correction, and others think the bubble has further to fall.

The part that reaches India sooner is pricing. Infosys cut its FY27 revenue growth guidance to 1-2% from 1.5-3% last week, and the Economic Times reported that it cited pricing pressure. In August, Reuters reported that clients of Indian IT firms are asking for the same work for 25% to 30% less. Clients expect AI to make the work cheaper, and that pressure doesn't depend on what the stock market does next.

What I'd do now

Some numbers:

• The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 expects 39% of workers' core skills to change by 2030. For India, the figure is 38%, and for the UAE it's 41%.
• The same report says that out of every 100 workers, 59 will need training by 2030. AI and big data is the fastest-growing skills, followed by networks and cybersecurity. Project managers and product managers are both among the fastest-growing roles.
• In India, white-collar hiring rose 2% year on year in September, while AI and machine learning roles rose 20% (Naukri JobSpeak).

Here's what I'd do with that:

• Keep a record of what you've delivered, with numbers. Lead time cut, releases shipped, costs saved. If a buyout or layoff reaches your team, you can update your CV in an evening.
• Use AI tools on your own work and measure the difference. Clients are asking suppliers to show AI savings. If you can show hours saved on your own reports, test cases or plans, you can speak to that in an interview or a bid.
• Learn one skill next to what you already have. A delivery lead could pick up forecasting from team data. A Scrum Master could learn how AI tools fit into the team's workflow. A product manager could learn the basics of building with AI.
• Know your own runway. Work out how many months of expenses you could cover without a salary. A buyout looks very different when you know that number.
• Talk to people before you need them. Former colleagues, clients and your local Agile or PM community. It's much easier to ask for a referral from someone you've kept in touch with.
• If you're offered a buyout, read the terms slowly. Check the tax treatment with an adviser, and if you're in the US on an H-1B visa, check what leaving does to your status before you sign.

I'd use these calmer weeks to get your record, your skills and your savings in order.

Which of these three stories affects your team most right now? Tell me in the comments.

At ProvCraft I work with delivery leads and product managers on forecasting, flow and using AI in delivery. For accredited SAFe®, Kanban and ICAgile training, our partner is EasyLearningTre.

www.provcraft.com