Microsoft is making a $4 billion, five-year commitment to support schools and nonprofits with AI tools and training through a new initiative called Microsoft Elevate, even as its own workforce grapples with the impact of artificial intelligence and the company’s efficiency-driven cutbacks.
The announcement Wednesday morning, during a special event at Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry, underscores the tech giant’s dual role as both a leading force in AI development and a company navigating the disruptive consequences of the technology it’s creating.
“The goal isn’t to build machines that replace us — it’s to build machines that help us do more and do it better,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith in a post announcing the initiative.
Speaking at the special event, Smith described Microsoft Elevate as the next generation of Microsoft Philanthropies, bringing together the company’s longstanding charitable and community engagement initiatives.
The announcement comes a week after Microsoft confirmed it would cut another 4% of its workforce — about 9,000 jobs globally — as part of a broader efficiency push. Since mid-May, the company has cut about 15,000 jobs worldwide, including over 3,100 in Washington state.
Microsoft hasn’t specifically connected the layoffs to AI, but they come as artificial intelligence reshapes roles across engineering, sales and product teams, and as the company ramps up spending on cloud and AI infrastructure — a record $80 billion in the last fiscal year.
Microsoft Elevate will consolidate the company’s technology support, donations, and sales for K–12 schools, community colleges, technical colleges and nonprofits under one umbrella.
The company says the $4 billion commitment includes both cash and donations of cloud and AI technology, distributed globally over five years.
The initiative expands on the company’s prior philanthropic work, including its Tech for Social Impact program, with a commitment to reinvest a portion of its profits into nonprofit programs.
As part of the program, Microsoft plans to launch the Elevate Academy, which aims to help 20 million people worldwide earn credentials in AI over the next two years in partnership with LinkedIn, GitHub, and other internal teams. Microsoft says the education and credential programs will range from basic fluency to advanced technical training.
Microsoft’s Naria Santa Lucia said the Elevate Academy will partner with major education organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association to provide AI training.
The company also announced its new AI Economy Institute, a think tank launched in January to study how AI is reshaping work, education and productivity around the world.
Microsoft says Elevate will support public policies that promote AI education and workforce development, and deepen partnerships with governments, unions, and education providers.
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