Microsoft plans to replace dozens of journalists with robots

Microsoft is laying off dozens of in-house journalists and replacing them with artificial intelligence bots, a decision the company described as a "re-deployment" of its resources. 

Nearly 80 workers will lose their jobs in the United States and the U.K. as the company moves to have automated algorithms curate its news pages. 

"Like all companies, we evaluate our business on a regular basis. This can result in increased investment in some places and, from time to time, re-deployment in others," the company said in a statement this week. 

The layoffs "are not the result of the current pandemic," the company added. 

The company began curating news for users in 1995 with the launch of its Microsoft Network, or MSN, service.