科技巨头微软表示，其截至9月底的三个月利润跃升至超过366亿美元（合275亿英镑），而就在几天前，该公司宣布计划裁减超过四分之一的员工。
Technology giant Microsoft says its profits for the three months to the end of September jumped to more than $36.6bn (£27.5bn), just days after announcing plans to cut its workforce by more than a quarter.
周一，这家Windows系统开发商表示，将向约6万名员工提供买断方案以削减成本，公司目前正向人工智能（AI）投入数十亿美元。
On Monday, the Windows developer said it would offer buyouts to around 60,000 of its workers to cut costs as it pours billions of dollars into artificial intelligence (AI).
与许多其他大型科技公司一样，微软正大力投资于支撑人工智能的基础设施，尽管对于如此巨额投入能否获得回报仍存疑问。周三，微软股价在纽约盘后交易中上涨近2.9%。
Like many other major tech firms, Microsoft is investing heavily in the infrastructure that powers AI even as questions remain over whether such huge spending will pay off. Microsoft shares rose by almost 2.9% in after hours trading in New York on Wednesday.
科技公司近期的财务业绩一直受到投资者密切关注，他们正在评估人工智能上的巨额支出是否可持续。
The recent financial results of tech companies have been closely watched by investors as they gauge whether the heavy spending on AI is sustainable.
亚马逊、Meta和Alphabet等大型科技公司预计今年将在人工智能芯片和数据中心等基础设施上投入超过7000亿美元。微软周三表示，其季度营收增至923亿美元，较上年同期增长19%，这主要得益于云计算业务的强劲增长。
Big tech companies like Amazon, Meta and Alphabet are expected to spend more than $700bn this year on AI chips and infrastructure like data centres Microsoft said on Wednesday that its quarterly revenue rose to $92.3bn - up 19% from a year earlier - driven by strong growth in its cloud computing business.
微软云是该公司的一系列企业技术服务，其收入增长30%，带动了盈利提升。
Its earnings were lifted by a 30% increase in revenue for Microsoft Cloud - its range of enterprise technology services.
该公司还指出了风险，包括对人工智能的“巨额投资”以及其他可能影响其财务的不确定性。
The firm also flagged risks, including "substantial investments" in AI, among other uncertainties that could impact its finances.
该公司首席执行官萨蒂亚·纳德拉表示，人工智能的发展促进了这项技术的应用，并在“每个行业都产生了实际影响”。本周，该公司表示，将向加拿大、印度、英国和美国各团队中符合条件的员工提供自愿离职方案，以适应“不断变化的需求”。
The firm's chief executive Satya Nadella said AI development has helped grow the adoption of the technology and has delivered "real-world impact across every industry." This week, the company said it would extend a voluntary redundancy offer to eligible employees in teams across Canada, India, the UK and US to adapt its workforce to "changing needs".
微软表示，这将为公司带来“更大的灵活性”，并允许员工在获得经济支持和职业规划资源后离职。该公司目前在全球拥有超过22万名员工。
It will create "greater flexibility" for the firm and allow workers to leave with financial support and career planning resources, Microsoft said. The company currently employs more than 220,000 people around the world.
微软的财报优于预期，与谷歌母公司Alphabet形成对比，后者周三公布的财报令投资者失望。
Microsoft's stronger-than-expected earnings contrasted with Alphabet, as the owner of Google disappointed investors with its financial results on Wednesday.
该公司公布季度净利润较去年同期下降25%，并表示将继续大力投入人工智能，其股价随即下跌9.75%。
The firm's shares fell by 9.75% after it reported a 25% drop in quarterly net profit from a year earlier and said it will continue to spend heavily on AI.