Microsoft internal data exposed: Median monthly AI spending per employee is $300, with the highest individual reaching $28,000.

An internally maintained salary spreadsheet at Microsoft, created voluntarily by employees, has for the first time included the cost of AI tool usage in its statistics, offering a rare window for outsiders to observe the extent of AI integration within this tech giant.

On August 25, Business Insider reported that this spreadsheet shows the median AI usage amount among Microsoft employees over the past 28 days was about $300, with the highest reaching $28,000. Additionally, the intensity of AI usage varies significantly between teams, ranging from a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars per month.

More noteworthy, Business Insider’s analysis found no clear correlation between AI usage volume and bonus ratings, salary increases, or promotion probabilities. In other words, at least from the current limited sample, heavy AI usage has not yet directly translated into pay rewards for employees.

Internal Salary Spreadsheet Tracks AI Usage for the First Time, Huge Discrepancies in Usage Costs

According to information obtained by Business Insider, this internal spreadsheet has been voluntarily and anonymously maintained by Microsoft employees over the years, primarily recording base salary, bonuses, and stock awards to promote pay transparency. This year, the spreadsheet added a “monthly AI usage amount” column, requesting employees to report their AI spending from Microsoft internal tools over the past 28 days. A Microsoft spokesperson stated that this AI usage tracking tool is still in early testing stages.

As of Business Insider’s analysis, the spreadsheet contained nearly 600 U.S. employee records, about 350 of whom reported their AI use. Among the roughly 350 AI usage entries, the median AI spending over the past 28 days was about $300, with the highest reported value reaching $28,000 from an employee in Microsoft’s Customer and Partner Solutions division.

The intensity of AI usage among different teams is also significant; some employees spend only a few dollars per month, while others spend thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars, reflecting a wide disparity in dependency on AI tools across different Microsoft business units.

Heavy AI Spending Not Yet Corresponding to Higher Salary Returns

Microsoft has been increasing investment in AI infrastructure and encouraging employees to integrate AI tools into their daily work. However, from the internal spreadsheet, there is so far no clear correlation between AI usage and salary incentives.

Business Insider’s analysis shows that employees with higher AI usage amounts did not exhibit higher bonus ratings, greater salary increases, or higher promotion probabilities. At least for now, frequent use of AI tools has not shown a direct financial return in Microsoft’s performance and compensation system.

However, this conclusion should be treated with caution. As of June 30, Microsoft had about 223,000 employees worldwide. This analysis covers only around 350 AI usage records, all voluntarily and anonymously submitted, with limited representativeness, and Microsoft has not officially confirmed the contents of the spreadsheet.

Business Insider says Microsoft is not the only major tech company beginning to track employee AI usage. As tech giants continue to ramp up AI efforts, how to measure employee AI usage and whether these inputs can be further converted into productivity and business growth has become an issue of concern for enterprises.

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