Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights

Microsoft Cuts 9,000 Jobs, Boosts AI Partner Incentives; OpenAI Expands Multi-Cloud E-Commerce Tools

Jul 17, 2025

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Microsoft is undergoing a significant restructuring, placing artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront of its strategy. The company has announced the layoff of approximately 9,000 employees, primarily targeting generalist sales roles, as it shifts towards a model that prioritizes technical expertise over traditional relationship-building in sales. This move is part of a broader initiative to enhance its AI offerings, particularly through its Copilot program, which has seen a 50% increase in funding and a 70% rise in partner incentives. Microsoft aims to eliminate product silos and align its go-to-market strategy with customer priorities, emphasizing the importance of AI integration in sales and service delivery.

OpenAI is also making waves by diversifying its cloud infrastructure, now utilizing Google Cloud alongside Microsoft, CoreWeave, and Oracle. This strategic shift comes as OpenAI prepares to introduce new features in its ChatGPT platform, including a checkout function for e-commerce, which will allow users to make purchases directly through the chatbot. The company is positioning itself to compete more directly with Microsoft’s Office suite by enhancing productivity tools and integrating e-commerce capabilities, signaling a move from being a model provider to an end-user platform.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched a new platform called Amazon Bedrock Agent Core, designed to facilitate collaboration among AI agents across organizations. This platform aims to address concerns about job security in the face of AI advancements, as it allows for the construction of interconnected AI agents capable of performing various tasks. Unlike competitors, AWS's offering is designed to be flexible and support multiple AI frameworks, positioning it as a neutral infrastructure provider in the AI landscape.

In a rapid-fire segment, several companies have announced new partnerships and product updates. iRACA has teamed up with TD Cynics to extend its secure access services, while cgen.ai has launched a platform to streamline AI workloads. Nutrien has improved its Document AI software, and Cohesity has integrated its data management platform with Microsoft 365 Copilot, enabling users to leverage backup data for informed decision-making. These developments highlight a trend towards enabling service providers to evolve from mere technical support to delivering measurable business outcomes.

Four things to know today

00:00 Microsoft Shakes Up Partner Strategy with AI Funding Boost and Workforce Realignment

05:42 OpenAI’s Cloud Diversification and Agent Ambitions Could Upend SMB Workflows

08:35 AWS Launches AgentCore to Build Networks of Interconnected AI Agents

11:15 Aryaka, C-Gen.AI, Nutrient, Cohesity Roll Out Innovations Targeting Business Value

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