Microsoft has reportedly begun a fresh round of global job cuts affecting just under 2.5% of its workforce, as the tech giant restructures operations while continuing to invest heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The layoffs, expected to impact thousands of employees across multiple divisions, are part of broader cost-cutting efforts taking place across the technology sector.
According to reports, the restructuring will primarily affect teams in sales, consulting and gaming, although Microsoft has not officially disclosed the exact number of roles being eliminated. The move comes at the start of the company’s new fiscal year, a period when Microsoft has historically reviewed staffing and operational priorities. Analysts say the company is balancing workforce reductions with billions of dollars in AI-related investments.
In a separate development, the U.S. Commerce Department has officially lifted export restrictions on Anthropic’s advanced Fable 5 and Mythos 5 artificial intelligence models. The restrictions were introduced earlier this month over national security concerns after reports that the models could be manipulated through sophisticated jailbreak techniques.
Anthropic confirmed it will begin restoring global access to Fable 5, while Mythos 5 will initially be available to approved U.S. organizations before a broader rollout. As part of the agreement, the AI company has committed to tighter security safeguards, closer collaboration with U.S. authorities and the development of industry standards to prevent misuse of powerful AI systems.
The two developments underscore the rapidly evolving technology landscape, where companies are aggressively reshaping their workforces while governments tighten—and in some cases ease—oversight of next-generation artificial intelligence. Experts say AI investment will remain a defining priority for major technology firms despite ongoing restructuring across the sector.
