Microsoft’s decision to offer voluntary buyouts to roughly 8,750 U.S. employees—7% of its domestic workforce—marks a sharp turn. No mass firings this time. Instead, a formula: age plus years of service totaling 70 or more. Senior director level and below qualify. Notifications hit May 7. It’s the software giant’s first such program in 51 years, as CNBC first detailed. Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s chief people officer, framed it gently in an internal memo. “Our hope is that this program gives those eligible the choice to take that next step on their own terms, with generous company support.” The words soothe. Reality bites harder. This comes after 15,000 layoffs in 2025, rounds that hit software and gaming hardest, per The New York Times . Now, buyouts dodge the PR storm of pink slips. But why now? Follow the money. Microsoft plans $145 billion in capital expenditures this fiscal year, fueling AI data centers and chips.…