Microsoft has been doubling down on artificial intelligence for several months. Amid this transformation, the company conducted massive layoffs last year, cutting 15,000 jobs. Now, reports have emerged that the Redmond-based giant is also cutting library and newspaper access for its employees, focusing more on AI-based learning.

Microsoft is canceling its news subscriptions

According to The Verge, Microsoft began withdrawing subscriptions to News & Reports services in November 2025, sending automatic contract cancellations to many publishers. The report cites an email from Microsoft’s vendor management team that reads, “This correspondence serves as official notification that Microsoft will not renew any existing contracts upon their expiration date.”

One of the most notable changes is the end of Microsoft’s relationship with Strategic News Service (SNS), a publisher that has provided global reports to the company’s approximately 220,000 employees for more than two decades. In a message to Microsoft users, SNS reported, “Microsoft has just issued an automated announcement that all library contracts, of which SNS Global Report is probably the most strategic for your use, are being discontinued.”

The report said employees shared that they no longer had digital access to certain business publications, such as information, or the ability to check out business books from the Microsoft Library. While Microsoft has traditionally rotated its library offerings, this round of changes is being seen as part of a much larger shift that combines cost-cutting measures with an increased emphasis on artificial intelligence.

Why is Microsoft canceling employees’ subscriptions?

Microsoft’s internal FAQ states that these subscription cuts are “part of Microsoft’s shift to a more modern, AI-powered learning experience through the Skilling Hub.” The FAQ also states that the physical library has been closed. “The library closed as part of Microsoft’s move toward a more modern, connected learning experience through the Skills Hub,” and acknowledges, “We know this change impacts the space that many people value.”

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reportedly leading a shift towards a more AI-centric approach at the company. It is believed that senior executives have been given an ultimatum to either join the change or consider leaving the company.

The fate of the now-closed library space on Microsoft’s Redmond campus is unclear. The library, formerly part of a now-demolished area called Building 4, was once the center of an employee legend. Veteran Windows developer Raymond Chen told the story on his blog in 2020, “The weight of the books took its toll on Building 4,” and “Some people said the building was sinking. Maybe. But everyone agreed that the pillars in the underground parking lot were beginning to crack.”

Currently, Microsoft is navigating the transition period, and it is unclear which, if any, digital subscriptions will remain available once the changes to Library and News access are fully implemented.