Inside Microsoft’s AI Revolution: How Automation Reshaped Culture and Careers

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5 Key Takeaways

• Microsoft laid off around 15,000 employees in 2025 and is now requiring remaining staff to use AI tools and workflows daily.
• An ex-employee claims Microsoft’s culture shifted from a holistic, people-focused environment to one driven by AI monetization and performance metrics.
• Career progression now emphasizes measurable output and AI tool usage, making it harder for DevOps-focused teams to show value.
• Employees are closely monitored on their AI adoption, with managers tracking metrics like pull requests and encouraging public sharing of AI experiences.
• The ex-employee expressed disappointment over lost stock compensation and noted that AI tools, like Copilot, are now capable of replacing entry-level developer tasks.

How AI Changed Microsoft’s Culture: A Laid-Off Employee’s Story
Recently, Microsoft made headlines by laying off around 15,000 employees in 2025. But beyond the numbers, there’s a bigger story about how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way people work at one of the world’s biggest tech companies. A former Microsoft employee, who shared his experience on Reddit under the name “BlackExcellence19,” gives us a peek into what’s really happening inside the company.
A Shift in Company Culture
This ex-employee joined Microsoft in 2022 and worked on the Copilot Data Platform, which is the backbone for Microsoft’s AI assistant, Copilot. He says that when he first started, Microsoft felt like a place that cared about both technical skills and people skills. Managers supported career growth, and promotions were based on a mix of teamwork, learning, and technical ability.
But things changed quickly when AI became a big money-maker for Microsoft. Suddenly, the company started focusing much more on numbers—like how many tasks you completed, how often you used AI tools, and how much code you wrote. Managers began tracking employees’ use of AI, asking them to give talks about it, and pushing everyone to use these new tools in their daily work.
Pressure to Use AI Tools
According to “BlackExcellence19,” teams were expected to show how they were using Copilot and other AI tools, even if their work didn’t really fit with these new metrics. For example, his team did a lot of DevOps work (keeping systems running smoothly), which isn’t easy to measure with the same numbers as writing new code. Still, they were judged by these new standards.
He also mentioned that some AI tools had become so advanced that they could do the work of an intern, like creating code from just a task description. This made some employees worry about being replaced by the very technology they were helping to build.
Personal Impact
On top of losing his job, the ex-employee lost $30,000 in stock compensation that he would have received if he’d stayed longer. He said he enjoyed his time at Microsoft, but felt sad that the company had become less focused on people and more focused on performance numbers.
What Does This Mean for Tech Workers?
The story sparked a lot of discussion online. Some people said their own companies were also becoming obsessed with AI and performance metrics. Others wondered if AI tools are really ready to replace human workers, especially those just starting out.
In the end, this story shows how the rise of AI is not just about new technology—it’s also changing the way companies work, and how employees feel about their jobs. For many, it’s a time of uncertainty, but also a chance to adapt and learn new skills in a rapidly changing world.

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