Microsoft responds to 20,000 layoffs report, Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw calls it “100 percent…

Microsoft has aggressively pushed back against reports claiming the company plans to slash up to 22,000 jobs this month, with chief communications officer Frank Shaw directly calling the speculation completely false. The rumors started when investment site TipRanks reported Microsoft was preparing for widespread January layoffs affecting Azure Cloud, Xbox, and global sales teams—potentially cutting anywhere from 11,000 to 22,000 positions. As the claims spread across social media, Shaw stepped in with a definitive response: “100 percent made up / speculative / wrong,” on X.