Leaked spreadsheet shows engineers at Microsoft's new AI organization are the highest paid, with salaries significantly higher than employees at its Azure division – Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

A spreadsheet that allegedly contains the salary data of software developers at Microsoft Corporation MSFT has reportedly leaked and sheds light on the tech giant's compensation structure.

What happened: After performance reviews earlier this year, hundreds of Microsoft employees shared their salary and promotion details in a spreadsheet. Most employees only learned of their new compensation this month, Business Insider reported.

The unofficial Microsoft document contains data such as salaries, performance-based raises, promotions, and bonus percentages. The report analyzed over 500 submissions from people claiming to be Microsoft employees in the United States.

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Microsoft's compensation structure, similar to most technology companies, consists of a base salary, cash bonuses, and stock awards.

Here is a comparison of the compensation structure of the two top-level software developers, shown in the screenshot shared in the report:

The report also examined the average salaries, raises, cash bonuses and stock awards of Microsoft software developers in various departments.

The highest salaries were found among engineers in Microsoft's newly formed AI organization, which was founded in March when the technology giant Mustafa SuleimanCo-founder of DeepMindsaid the CEO, the report states.

Suleyman's team focuses on developing AI products for consumers such as Microsoft Copilot AI Chatbot and the Google search engine.

Here is a table comparing Microsoft AI and Azure unit compensation:

Microsoft did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment.

Why it is important: Last month, Microsoft reported its fourth-quarter results, pointing to a 15% increase in revenue compared to the same period last year, reaching $64.7 billion. The company's focus on leadership in the AI ​​era was also emphasized, which goes hand in hand with the high compensation of software developers in the new AI organization.

The tech industry is now under scrutiny because of its demanding work culture. For example, Elon Musk has been criticized for expecting its employees to work unusual hours over long periods of time.

An earlier BI report suggested that Musk's EV company Tesla pays most of its employees a salary between $85,000 and $175,000.

The situation is similar with Musk’s rocket company SpaceXProduction managers reportedly earn an average of $102,000 per year, software developers receive around $172,000 per year, and startup engineers can earn up to $238,000.

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock.com

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Disclaimer: This content was created in part using AI tools and reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.