Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) slipped 2% in early Wednesday trading after The Information reported that the company has scaled back its sales quotas for certain AI software products amid slower-than-expected customer adoption.
According to the report, Microsoft has tempered expectations for revenue growth from its newest AI “agents” — tools intended to automate multi-step workflows. Several business units have reportedly lowered their internal sales objectives after many teams failed to meet targets in the fiscal year that ended in June.
The publication noted that such quota reductions are rare for Microsoft and point to unexpected friction as the company tries to persuade corporate clients to spend more on its AI portfolio. The Information also said the shift reflects mounting pushback from buyers reluctant to pay premium prices for advanced AI functionality.
The update weighed on the broader tech sector, with AI-focused stocks reacting to concerns about a slower ramp-up. The Nasdaq 100 was down 0.6% in premarket trading as investors reassessed the near-term growth outlook for artificial intelligence offerings.
Microsoft had previously framed 2025 as a pivotal year for rolling out agent-style AI capabilities capable of automating sophisticated tasks — such as generating sales dashboards directly from internal datasets. The latest report, however, suggests that widespread adoption may take longer to materialize than initially projected.