Microsoft employees reveal how much cash they're burning on AI
Business Insider · 2026-08-24
An internal Microsoft spreadsheet, reviewed by Business Insider, reveals that hundreds of US employees are voluntarily tracking and reporting their monthly spending on internal AI tools. This initiative, launched recently by Microsoft, allows employees to self-report their "AI $ Usage Per Month" over a 28-day period using a new internal tool, which the company states is still in early testing. The data offers an unusual look into the practical application and cost of AI within Microsoft, a company aggressively competing in the AI sector against rivals like Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
From nearly 600 total entries detailing compensation, approximately 350 employees had reported their AI usage. The median reported AI usage amounted to about $300 over 28 days, with the highest individual figure reaching $28,000 from an employee in the Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions organization. While the data is self-reported and represents a small fraction of Microsoft's 223,000 employees as of June 30, it indicates significant internal adoption and expenditure on AI. Business Insider's analysis found no correlation between higher AI usage and increased bonuses, merit increases, or promotion likelihood among the reported data.
*The full article also explores specific AI usage figures across various Microsoft organizations like Azure, Cloud + AI, and CoreAI, highlighting the range of spending within each department.*