Microsoft's Chief Commercial Officer Judson Althoff recently stated that artificial intelligence (AI) technology is significantly improving the operational efficiency of various departments within Microsoft, including sales, customer service, and software engineering. By implementing AI tools, Microsoft saved over $500 million in call center operations last year. This change not only improved employee efficiency but also enhanced customer satisfaction.
In addition, Microsoft has started applying AI technology to interactions with small customers. Although this project is still in its early stages, it has already generated tens of millions of dollars in new revenue for the company. According to Althoff, approximately 35% of the code in Microsoft's new products is now generated by AI, which has significantly accelerated product launch speeds. Microsoft's AI coding tool GitHub Copilot currently has 15 million users, reflecting a strong market demand for AI technology.
However, the rapid adoption of AI has also brought structural changes. Microsoft recently announced a new round of layoffs involving about 9,000 employees, which accounts for nearly 4% of its total workforce. The company stated that this layoff is aimed at controlling investment costs in the AI infrastructure field. This decision continues Microsoft's trend of layoffs this year, which have already affected about 15,000 employees, with recent layoffs mainly concentrated in customer-facing roles such as sales.
Technology industry executives are increasingly discussing the automation changes brought by AI. For example, Salesforce stated that 30% of its internal work is now completed by AI, reducing the need for hiring in certain positions. Executives from Google's parent company Alphabet and Meta Platforms have also confirmed that AI is being used to write large amounts of code. This trend has caused employees to worry about the security of their future jobs, especially in the technology industry.
While actively showcasing how AI improves work efficiency, Microsoft is also facing "replacement anxiety" from its employees, which indicates that the future of the industry will be full of challenges and opportunities.
Key Points:
📈 Microsoft used AI technology to save over $500 million in call center costs.
👥 The company announced layoffs of about 9,000 people to continue controlling investment costs in the AI field.
💻 35% of the code in new products is generated by AI, accelerating the product launch process.