Microsoft Doles Out $1.4 Million Stock Awards to Top Cloud Talent
Microsoft's internal compensation spreadsheet has revealed that employees in its Cloud + AI organization can receive stock awards as high as $1.4 million, according to a report from Business Insider.
The data, based on nearly 600 voluntary submissions, showed Cloud + AI base salaries ranging from $111,000 to $450,000 and bonuses up to $300,000.
However, the most striking aspect of the data is the significant disparity in stock awards across different divisions. Azure employees reported maximum stock awards of $294,000, while Xbox workers received a mere $65,000.
The wide gap between Cloud + AI and other units reflects Microsoft's strategy of using equity to retain scarce AI talent amid intense competition from Meta, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic.