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Google voluntary buyouts: What's the exit package, which teams qualify and how many employees are eligible after Microsoft's similar offer?
Google Voluntary Exit Programme Details: Google has expanded its voluntary buyout programme to selected employees in five countries. The offer comes as Microsoft rolls out a similar voluntary exit scheme covering around 60,000 employees. Here's a look at Google's severance package, eligible teams and the number of employees who could opt for the offer.
Why is Microsoft borrowing $25 billion after offering buyouts to 60,000 employees?
Microsoft 25 billion bond sale: Microsoft is raising $25 billion through a bond sale as AI infrastructure costs rise, days after offering voluntary buyouts to nearly 60,000 employees. The company expects up to 3,000 employees to accept the exit offer as it prepares to spend $175 billion on capital expenditure in 2026.
Obsession director Curry Barker releases short horror film 'Mama Bear' ahead of Halloween; Where can you watch it?
After the success of his previous work, Obsession, Curry Barker has unveiled a terrifying short film entitled Mama Bear. This eerie film revolves around Floyd, who is plagued by unsettling late-night phone calls. Released on October 29, 2026, it's available for free. Mama Bear allows Barker to reconnect with former team members, while he simultaneously prepares for his upcoming horror-comedy, Anything But Ghosts.
Microsoft buyouts 2026: Which teams qualify, which departments are excluded and how many MSFT employees are eligible for the voluntary exit offer?
Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to around 60,000 employees across the US, UK, India and Canada. Find out which teams qualify, which departments are excluded, what employees could receive and when they must decide whether to leave the company.
Nitin Gadkari says no challan for speeding up to 20% over the limit: What he told officials, when challans should be issued & what motorists must know
Nitin Gadkari has said motorists should not receive speeding challans for exceeding the applicable speed limit by up to 20%, while those crossing the threshold should be penalised. He also warned contractors over poor-quality highways, defended E20 petrol blending and called for domestic manufacturing of tunnel-boring machines as India plans major investments in tunnel infrastructure.
Satya Nadella owns only a tiny stake in Microsoft; how the CEO built an estimated $1.4 billion fortune
Satya Nadella’s $1.4 billion fortune did not come from owning a large part of Microsoft. The CEO built his wealth mainly through company shares, bonuses and salary over the years. While his personal stake remains small, Microsoft’s growth under his leadership has made him one of the wealthiest executives in technology. Here’s how his compensation helped build his fortune.
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Microsoft employees considering the buyout should check these health insurance rules before leaving their jobs
Thinking of taking Microsoft’s buyout? Pause before you sign anything. Once your job ends, your health insurance may stop too, but COBRA lets some workers and families continue the same group plan for a limited time. Unemployment benefits depend on your state’s rules, and discrimination laws still protect you. Also read your contract carefully, because it governs how you exit.
Microsoft, Amazon and Google may spend $600 billion on AI in 2026. Will investors see returns?
Microsoft, Amazon and Google could spend as much as $600 billion on AI in 2026, but investors want to know whether the massive investment will deliver returns. As the tech giants prepare to report earnings, cloud growth, cash flow and rising infrastructure costs are coming into focus.
Big Tech earnings a test of the AI boom amid market turmoil
Investors are pressing for evidence that the AI boom can deliver swift returns to justify its enormous price tag. Rising bond yields at AI cloud providers such as CoreWeave and record costs to insure Meta Platform's debt have amplified concerns about how the massive AI infrastructure buildout is being funded, particularly as higher US interest rates loom.
Microsoft buyouts: Which 60,000 employees in the US, UK and Canada qualify, benefits, severence package and more. Read the full memo
Microsoft buyouts: Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to eligible employees in the US, UK, Canada and India. Employees have until early December to decide whether to accept the offer and leave the company by year-end. Here’s who qualifies, what employees need to do and how the latest programme compares with Microsoft’s earlier retirement buyout.
No layoffs in 101 years: CEO of a company that has never laid off workers says businesses should cut costs elsewhere instead of firing employees
As Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to around 60,000 employees amid heavy AI investment, the CEO of a 101-year-old syrup maker says businesses should look for savings beyond job cuts. Torani says it has never laid off workers, including during the pandemic, when revenue fell 20% in a single month.
What is the difference between buyout and layoff? Microsoft offers buyout to 60,000 employees; check what it means for workers
Microsoft buyout offer to 60,000 workers: Microsoft has introduced a Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) for eligible employees in India, the US, Canada and the UK, with reports suggesting around 60,000 workers could qualify. The programme allows employees to leave voluntarily with financial support, unlike layoffs, where the company decides to cut jobs. The move comes as Microsoft ramps up AI investments while managing workforce costs.
In 2003, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates paid $1.31 million for a home beside his Washington estate; 21 years later, he sold it for $4.85 million, nearly 4 times as much
Bill Gates sold a mid-century modern home in Medina for $4.85 million recently. The house was purchased by him in 2003 for $1.31 million, demonstrating significant appreciation. Located near his main estate, Xanadu 2.0, it attracted a buyer quickly after being listed. The home featured multiple amenities and waterfront access, appealing to buyers in the area. Gates' property transactions highlight the financial potential of real estate in this expensive neighborhood.
Unemployed BTech graduate misses job assessment email arranged through family referral, says parents now bearing relative's anger
A BTech graduate's account of missing a time-sensitive job assessment after receiving a referral for a software engineer position at Zensar Technologies has sparked discussion on Reddit. The graduate said the missed deadline led to criticism from relatives and left his parents facing blame. Responding users shared similar recruitment experiences, questioned the family's reaction and praised him for accepting responsibility.
Snapdragon X2 Plus puts AI at the heart of Lenovo’s new Yoga Slim 7x
Qualcomm’s mainstream AI silicon meets Lenovo’s flagship thin-and-light design and Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC software, sharpening the case for Arm-based Windows PCs. The result is a slick, smart, and savvy Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x.
Microsoft pushes AI vision with new, expensive Surface laptop
Microsoft is pushing a "hybrid intelligence" future with a new Surface Ultra laptop that runs on Nvidia artificial intelligence (AI) chips and will cost more than $2,500, the company announced Wednesday. The new Surface Ultra will use Nvidia's state-of-the-art AI chip, RTX Spark, which the semiconductor giant announced earlier this year.
Microsoft brings more AI to PCs as it challenges Apple
Microsoft said it was releasing Microsoft Execution Containers, a tool to prevent agents from accessing data and doing unauthorized tasks when running on a laptop or desktop machine. Anthropic, OpenAI and Nvidia will use the tools, Pavan Davuluri, executive vice president for Windows and devices, said at the event in San Francisco.
Microsoft, Nvidia CEOs to unveil new AI laptop at San Francisco event
Microsoft is set to unveil a groundbreaking laptop featuring Nvidia's chips, aimed at bolstering local AI functionalities. This ambitious move intends to transfer previously cloud-dependent complex tasks to individual devices, streamlining operations. However, both Microsoft and Apple face hurdles due to escalating hardware expenses in the competitive AI landscape. This event symbolizes a longstanding partnership between Microsoft and Nvidia, which is crucial for the future of advanced computing.
In 1996, Tim Draper bought Hotmail shares for $300,000. 2 years later, Microsoft acquired the startup for $400 million
Microsoft announced the Hotmail acquisition on December 31, 1997. It did not reveal how much it paid for the company. A later securities filing provided more detail. Hotmail’s owners received 2,769,148 Microsoft shares in the deal. Wired estimated those shares were worth about $400 million at the time.
Lessons from Chinese AI Firms on Owning Customers’ Habits
As U.S. AI firms compete in an escalating race for superior models, bigger benchmarks, and more advanced features, Chinese companies are pursuing a fundamentally different strategy: embedding AI into users’ everyday habits. The authors argue that this “habit moat” approach may prove more durable than competing on raw capability alone. Whereas Western firms position AI as a destination consumers consciously visit, companies like Alibaba integrate AI into existing routines such as shopping, payments, food delivery, and travel booking, reducing friction until using AI becomes automatic behavior. Once AI capabilities become “good enough,” marginal technical improvements matter less than becoming the default path through recurring customer tasks. The authors outline four strategic imperatives for Western leaders: focus on behavioral cues rather than feature gaps, subsidize customer behavior instead of subscriptions, embed AI invisibly into existing workflows, and optimize for repeat usage rather than first-time adoption. The central warning is stark: AI may not replace employees first—it may instead capture the critical customer moments businesses currently own.
Minecraft Dungeons II is out now in the US and Canada: Release time, price, platforms, crossplay and what players get
Minecraft Dungeons II launch: Minecraft Dungeons II has launched in the US and Canada, bringing a new action-RPG adventure with a larger connected world, The Sift dimension, expanded combat and gear systems, multiplayer and crossplay. Here’s everything to know about the release date, price, Deluxe Edition, supported platforms and key gameplay features.
Indian IT sheds H-1B habit, FY27 filings plunge 92%
India's software exporters--Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, HCLTech, Wipro, LTM and Tech Mahindra--filed for 1,763 visas against a combined 21,919 registrations in FY26, amid tighter rules, a $100,000 fee for new visas and an overhaul of the lottery system to prioritise highly paid and skilled workers.
Microsoft revamps Copilot with code generation, agentic AI tools
Microsoft is racing to expand Copilot beyond its chat-based roots to boost adoption as itcompetes with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude.
AI agents could rewrite the rules of office work: Dell’s Rob Bruckner
AI agents have the potential to transform the division of labor within companies and streamline workflows significantly. As businesses integrate AI, they can reduce the need for meetings, emails, and other coordination tasks. This shift allows employees to focus on judgment and approvals while agents handle execution tasks.
With new Macs, Apple aims to take on Microsoft, Nvidia in a rush to lower AI costs
Apple's upgraded Mac Minis and Mac Studios which can cost nearly $20,000 and handle AI tasks locally will go head-to-head against new desktop machines that Nvidia and PC makers are rolling out, expected to be the focus of a Microsoft Windows event in San Francisco next month.
With new Macs, Apple aims to take on Microsoft, Nvidia in a rush to lower AI costs
Apple's upgraded Mac Minis and Mac Studios which can cost nearly $20,000 and handle AI tasks locally will go head-to-head against new desktop machines that Nvidia and PC makers are rolling out, expected to be the focus of a Microsoft Windows event in San Francisco next month.
ETMarkets Smart Talk | From SpaceX to Anthropic: Subho Moulik decodes a step-by-step guide for Indian investors
In this edition of ETMarkets Smart Talk, Subho Moulik, Founder & CEO of Appreciate, breaks down the US investing opportunity for Indian investors.
Nokia began in 1865 as a paper mill, expanded into rubber and cables, launched its first handheld in 1987 and led mobile phones by 1998; after 149 years, its handset business was sold to Microsoft in 2014
Nokia's move toward telecommunications developed gradually rather than happening overnight. The company entered telecommunications equipment through Finnish Cable Works, whose electronics activities included radio-transmission equipment.
There is nothing soft about soft skills: They are human skills, and they matter more the higher you rise
Technical skills are often deemed hard, while human interaction is classified as soft. Persuading intelligent people with competing agendas proves challenging and complex. These human skills are crucial for effective leadership and team management. Organisations often promote technical experts without assessing their people management capabilities. Ultimately, these human skills are vital for success in any organisation.
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