Three tech giants - Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple are racing towards an unprecedented 4 trillion dollar market cap, each fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence. Watch in for more details!

Who will hit $4 trillion market cap first?

Nvidia becomes the world's most valuable company, surpassing tech giants Microsoft and Apple. Nvidia's market capitalization reached $3.33 trillion, driven by a 3.2 percent rise in its stock price. To put that into perspective, the valuation of the tech giant now equals that of India's GDP.

Gravitas: Nvidia's market value surpasses Microsoft & Apple

Nvidia has stormed the technology market, surging past giants Apple and Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company. That marks a new high point for the dominance of AI in the investor landscape. Nvidia's shares advanced as much as 3.6 per cent on June 18 to lift its market cap to a record $3.34 trillion, pushing it past Microsoft's $3.32 billion and Apple's $3.29 trillion.&nbsp;

Nvidia's meteoric rise is mostly due to surging demand for AI technology. The firm took a nearly 80 per cent share in the AI chip market, particularly in data centres. Its H100 accelerators play a huge part in running complex AI computations and conclusively led to Nvidia strengthening its sales. That also means that the revenues have increased by more than 125 percent just last year. Nvidia's data centre business posted astonishing 427 per cent year-over-year growth last quarter and delivered $22.6 billion, that is 86 per cent of its total sales.&nbsp;

According to Bloomberg, this ranking shift is a testament to AI's paramount significance for investors. With technology at the core of powering data centres and facilitating complex AI tasks, Nvidia is truly at the very frontline in this revolution of AI technology. This surge in AI-driven demand has taken the stock price by more than 170 per cent in 2024 alone, adding over $2 trillion to its market cap.&nbsp;

Success doesn't come just from chip sales at Nvidia-it comes from panoramic systems; company-proprietary software and a complete development ecosystem. "They're not just selling chips, they're selling systems," says Michael Lippert, vice president and portfolio manager at Baron Capital Inc.&nbsp;

More than that, however, such a shift by Nvidia from merely being a niched chipmaker for gamers to dominating AI hardware demonstrates the strategic agility this company possesses. Earlier known for its graphics chips that powered elaborate gaming, Nvidia diversified into AI, cryptocurrency mining chips, and cloud gaming subscriptions. &nbsp;

While Nvidia continues to dominate the AI hardware market, Microsoft and Apple are leading in terms of actually putting AI to work. Microsoft, which made a massive bet on OpenAI, has been pushing AI models into its core products, including Office and Windows. Microsoft is also one of the biggest buyers of Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs) for its Azure cloud service. Apple has just announced its AI plans, and this has stirred investors' interest, sending its stock briefly higher.&nbsp;

Estimates from analysts such as Wedbush Securities' Daniel Ives peg Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft to be embroiled in a hot contest toward becoming the first to hit $4 trillion in market cap in the technology sector. Each is digging deep into its competitive advantages with AI expertise in hopes of gaining investor sentiment.&nbsp;

Nvidia's climb to the top has been steep and record. Its share price has more than increased ninefold since the end of 2022, the time of the AI explosion. The rise catapulted the net worth of its co-founder CEO Jensen Huang to about $117 billion, easily making him the 11th wealthiest person in the world.&nbsp;

With Nvidia on a continuous rise, the million-dollar question on everyone's mind seems to be whether it can really hold on to its upward trajectory to be the first tech company with $4 trillion in market capitalisation. Its ingenious handling of the fact that AI has stormily taken over the world of technology and investor interest does give Nvidia an edge over other companies in the digital space. In the dynamic technology sphere of competition, Apple and Microsoft will also be strong contenders for the race.&nbsp;

Nvidia has stormed the technology market, surging past giants Apple and Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company. That marks a new high point for the dominance of AI in the investor landscape.

Nvidia has stormed the technology market, surging past giants Apple and Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company. That marks a new high point for the dominance of AI in the investor landscape. Nvidia's shares advanced as much as 3.6 per cent on June 18 to lift its market cap to a record $3.34 trillion, pushing it past Microsoft's $3.32 billion and Apple's $3.29 trillion. Nvidia's meteoric rise is mostly due to surging demand for AI technology. The firm took a nearly 80 per cent share in the AI chip market, particularly in data centres. Its H100 accelerators play a huge part in running complex AI computations and conclusively led to Nvidia strengthening its sales. That also means that the revenues have increased by more than 125 percent just last year. Nvidia's data centre business posted astonishing 427 per cent year-over-year growth last quarter and delivered $22.6 billion, that is 86 per cent of its total sales. According to Bloomberg, this ranking shift is a testament to AI's paramount significance for investors. With technology at the core of powering data centres and facilitating complex AI tasks, Nvidia is truly at the very frontline in this revolution of AI technology. This surge in AI-driven demand has taken the stock price by more than 170 per cent in 2024 alone, adding over $2 trillion to its market cap. Success doesn't come just from chip sales at Nvidia-it comes from panoramic systems; company-proprietary software and a complete development ecosystem. "They're not just selling chips, they're selling systems," says Michael Lippert, vice president and portfolio manager at Baron Capital Inc. More than that, however, such a shift by Nvidia from merely being a niched chipmaker for gamers to dominating AI hardware demonstrates the strategic agility this company possesses. Earlier known for its graphics chips that powered elaborate gaming, Nvidia diversified into AI, cryptocurrency mining chips, and cloud gaming subscriptions. While Nvidia continues to dominate the AI hardware market, Microsoft and Apple are leading in terms of actually putting AI to work. Microsoft, which made a massive bet on OpenAI, has been pushing AI models into its core products, including Office and Windows. Microsoft is also one of the biggest buyers of Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs) for its Azure cloud service. Apple has just announced its AI plans, and this has stirred investors' interest, sending its stock briefly higher. Estimates from analysts such as Wedbush Securities' Daniel Ives peg Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft to be embroiled in a hot contest toward becoming the first to hit $4 trillion in market cap in the technology sector. Each is digging deep into its competitive advantages with AI expertise in hopes of gaining investor sentiment. Nvidia's climb to the top has been steep and record. Its share price has more than increased ninefold since the end of 2022, the time of the AI explosion. The rise catapulted the net worth of its co-founder CEO Jensen Huang to about $117 billion, easily making him the 11th wealthiest person in the world. With Nvidia on a continuous rise, the million-dollar question on everyone's mind seems to be whether it can really hold on to its upward trajectory to be the first tech company with $4 trillion in market capitalisation. Its ingenious handling of the fact that AI has stormily taken over the world of technology and investor interest does give Nvidia an edge over other companies in the digital space. In the dynamic technology sphere of competition, Apple and Microsoft will also be strong contenders for the race.

Nvidia's unstoppable ascent: Forces behind its rise and its quest for a $4 trillion market cap

Nvidia has risen to the pinnacle of global market value, dethroning Microsoft, as advanced processors become increasingly important in the competitive quest to control artificial intelligence technologies. On Tuesday, shares of the chipmaker rose 3.5 per cent to $135.58, bringing its market capitalisation to an all-time high of $3.335 trillion.<o:p></o:p>

This achievement comes just after Nvidia eclipsed Apple, the iPhone powerhouse, to become the world's second most valuable corporation. Microsoft's stock fell 0.45 per cent, bringing its market capitalization to $3.317 trillion. Apple's stock also fell by more than 1 per cent, reducing its market worth to $3.286 trillion.

<o:p>To put the chipmaker’s rally into context, the firm’s market value is more than the gross domestic product of India, which is the world’s fifth-largest economy.</o:p>

Nvidia's spectacular surge in market value over the last year exemplifies Wall Street's passionate confidence in the possibilities of AI technology. This euphoria has driven the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq to new highs. However, other investors warn that the enthusiasm may fade if there are signs of a slowdown in AI technology spending.<o:p></o:p>

"It's Nvidia's market; we're all just trading in it," said Steve Sosnick, Interactive Brokers' chief market strategist.<o:p></o:p>

According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), Nvidia has emerged as the most traded business on Wall Street by a large margin, with a recent daily turnover of $50 billion, compared to about $10 billion for Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. The chipmaker currently accounts for nearly 16 per cent of all trade in S&amp;P 500 companies.<o:p></o:p>

As the race for AI supremacy heats up, Nvidia's dominance and crucial role in the industry illustrate the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the future of technology and investment landscapes.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Nvidia has risen to the pinnacle of global market value, dethroning Microsoft, as advanced processors become increasingly important in the competitive quest to control artificial intelligence technologies.

Nvidia has risen to the pinnacle of global market value, dethroning Microsoft, as advanced processors become increasingly important in the competitive quest to control artificial intelligence technologies. On Tuesday, shares of the chipmaker rose 3.5 per cent to $135.58, bringing its market capitalisation to an all-time high of $3.335 trillion. This achievement comes just after Nvidia eclipsed Apple, the iPhone powerhouse, to become the world's second most valuable corporation. Microsoft's stock fell 0.45 per cent, bringing its market capitalization to $3.317 trillion. Apple's stock also fell by more than 1 per cent, reducing its market worth to $3.286 trillion. To put the chipmaker’s rally into context, the firm’s market value is more than the gross domestic product of India, which is the world’s fifth-largest economy. Nvidia's spectacular surge in market value over the last year exemplifies Wall Street's passionate confidence in the possibilities of AI technology. This euphoria has driven the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to new highs. However, other investors warn that the enthusiasm may fade if there are signs of a slowdown in AI technology spending. "It's Nvidia's market; we're all just trading in it," said Steve Sosnick, Interactive Brokers' chief market strategist. According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), Nvidia has emerged as the most traded business on Wall Street by a large margin, with a recent daily turnover of $50 billion, compared to about $10 billion for Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. The chipmaker currently accounts for nearly 16 per cent of all trade in S&P 500 companies. As the race for AI supremacy heats up, Nvidia's dominance and crucial role in the industry illustrate the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the future of technology and investment landscapes. (With inputs from Agencies)

Nvidia becomes the world's most valuable company, surpassing Microsoft in AI dominance

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, joined Nikhil Kamath, creator of Zerodha, for the first edition of Kamath's podcast, "People by WTF." During a 30-minute interview, Gates highlighted his early days at Microsoft and the revolutionary potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various fields, including software engineering.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">AI's Impact on Software Engineering<o:p></o:p></h2>

During the podcast, Gates stated that AI will not replace software programmers in the foreseeable future, despite its potential to change several industries. "What's great about this technology is that we know it can help in critical areas and generate educational tutors. We have observed various projects in India and the United States that are producing excellent outcomes. "The potential is incredible if we knew it only made jobs more productive," Gates remarked, citing the good influence AI may have on education and other critical disciplines.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Reassurance for software engineers<o:p></o:p></h2>

When asked whether AI could replace software engineers, Gates rejected them as "alarmist." He stated, "We still need those software engineers as we will not stop needing them." This statement reassures many in the software engineering field who may be concerned about job displacement as AI technology advances. Gates accepted that AI could eventually replace all employment, but he feels this will unlikely happen within the next two decades. "Although I am not sure of that," he said with a smirk, implying that projecting AI's long-term influence is not a precise science.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Early Microsoft days and Indian connections<o:p></o:p></h2>

Gates fondly recalled his company's early ties with India, adding, "I've had a fantastic relationship with India, beginning with the Microsoft experience, when we hired some very smart IT graduates and brought them to Seattle." He commended current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who is of Indian descent, and stated that, while India is "first class in so many ways," it also confronts issues like as poverty and a backlogged legal system.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">The potential of AI in legal systems<o:p></o:p></h2>

Discussing India's legal issues, Gates stated, "Believe me, the legal things done in the United States will not apply here. But, think if you could make everyone in the judicial system four times as productive; that would transform justice because the backlog is currently unimaginable." Gates addressed AI's revolutionary potential for increasing productivity and resolving systemic inefficiencies, anticipating a future in which AI may dramatically improve judicial processes and access to justice.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, joined Nikhil Kamath, creator of Zerodha, for the first edition of Kamath's podcast, "People by WTF." During a 30-minute interview, Gates highlighted his early days at Microsoft and the revolutionary potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various fields, including software engineering.

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, joined Nikhil Kamath, creator of Zerodha, for the first edition of Kamath's podcast, "People by WTF." During a 30-minute interview, Gates highlighted his early days at Microsoft and the revolutionary potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various fields, including software engineering. AI's Impact on Software Engineering During the podcast, Gates stated that AI will not replace software programmers in the foreseeable future, despite its potential to change several industries. "What's great about this technology is that we know it can help in critical areas and generate educational tutors. We have observed various projects in India and the United States that are producing excellent outcomes. "The potential is incredible if we knew it only made jobs more productive," Gates remarked, citing the good influence AI may have on education and other critical disciplines. Reassurance for software engineers When asked whether AI could replace software engineers, Gates rejected them as "alarmist." He stated, "We still need those software engineers as we will not stop needing them." This statement reassures many in the software engineering field who may be concerned about job displacement as AI technology advances. Gates accepted that AI could eventually replace all employment, but he feels this will unlikely happen within the next two decades. "Although I am not sure of that," he said with a smirk, implying that projecting AI's long-term influence is not a precise science. Early Microsoft days and Indian connections Gates fondly recalled his company's early ties with India, adding, "I've had a fantastic relationship with India, beginning with the Microsoft experience, when we hired some very smart IT graduates and brought them to Seattle." He commended current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who is of Indian descent, and stated that, while India is "first class in so many ways," it also confronts issues like as poverty and a backlogged legal system. The potential of AI in legal systems Discussing India's legal issues, Gates stated, "Believe me, the legal things done in the United States will not apply here. But, think if you could make everyone in the judicial system four times as productive; that would transform justice because the backlog is currently unimaginable." Gates addressed AI's revolutionary potential for increasing productivity and resolving systemic inefficiencies, anticipating a future in which AI may dramatically improve judicial processes and access to justice. (With inputs from Agencies)

Bill Gates discusses AI's impact and Microsoft's legacy on Nikhil Kamath's podcast

Major technology companies are increasing their focus on artificial intelligence (AI) as they seek to boost growth in a difficult economic climate typified by geopolitical uncertainty and unpredictable market conditions. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are increasing their expenditures in AI, citing its transformative potential to improve efficiency and creativity.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Investments surge in AI capabilities<o:p></o:p></h2>

According to a recent analysis by market research firm IDC, global investment in&nbsp;AI systems is predicted to increase to $300 billion by 2024, from $200 billion in 2023. This spike is being driven by the increasing usage of AI in a variety of industries, including healthcare, banking, and retail. Tech giants are leading the push, with major AI research and development investments.<o:p></o:p>

Alphabet Inc., Google's parent firm, has announced a $20 billion investment in AI-related initiatives over the next two years. This includes improving Google Cloud AI capabilities and incorporating advanced AI features into its array of products, including Google Workspace and Google Search.<o:p></o:p>

"AI is not just an area of expertise for us; it's a core driver of our business strategy," said Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai during the company's most recent earnings call.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">AI as a catalyst for innovation<o:p></o:p></h2>

Microsoft is also boosting its AI efforts, particularly through its cloud platform, Azure. The business announced plans to invest $18 billion in AI research, with a focus on strengthening Azure's machine learning capabilities and developing new AI-powered products for enterprise clients.<o:p></o:p>

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, underlined the importance of AI in promoting company resilience and innovation. "AI is at the heart of digital transformation, enabling companies to do more with less, innovate faster, and better serve their customers," stated Nadella.<o:p></o:p>

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is also competing in the AI race, with plans to invest $15 billion to improve its AI capabilities. AWS's AI and machine learning technologies are already critical in fields ranging from driverless vehicles to personalized customer experiences.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Economic challenges and strategic shifts<o:p></o:p></h2>

These industry giants are making an aggressive push toward AI as they navigate an uncertain economic landscape. Global economic challenges include continued geopolitical conflicts, inflationary pressures, and supply chain disruptions.<o:p></o:p>

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global growth is expected to decline to 2.9% in 2024, down from 3.2% in 2023. These economic concerns are leading businesses to investigate artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiencies and generate new income.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Balancing innovation with ethical considerations<o:p></o:p></h2>

While AI presents numerous opportunities, it also raises ethical and regulatory concerns. Data privacy, algorithmic biases,&nbsp;and employment displacement are all becoming increasingly contentious issues. These concerns are recognized by technology corporations, and they are actively attempting to overcome them.<o:p></o:p>

Google has committed to putting in place strong ethical principles for AI development that prioritise fairness, openness, and responsibility. Similarly, Microsoft and Amazon have created AI ethics committees to oversee their AI programs and guarantee they follow responsible AI principles.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Outlook<o:p></o:p></h2>

Experts believe that AI integration will continue to change the competitive landscape in technology and beyond. As businesses attempt to realise AI's full potential, a delicate mix of innovation, ethical considerations, and regulatory compliance will be required.<o:p></o:p>

"AI is set to be the most significant technical advancement of our time. Companies that effectively negotiate the ethical and operational difficulties will lead the next wave of digital transformation,” according to Gartner analyst John Smith.<o:p></o:p>

Google, Microsoft, and Amazon's continued expenditures demonstrate the strategic importance of AI in today's economic environment. As these tech giants use AI to drive development and innovation, they must also navigate the complicated ethical and regulatory landscape that surrounds this powerful technology.<o:p></o:p>

Major technology companies are increasing their focus on artificial intelligence (AI) as they seek to boost growth in a difficult economic climate typified by geopolitical uncertainty and unpredictable market conditions.

Major technology companies are increasing their focus on artificial intelligence (AI) as they seek to boost growth in a difficult economic climate typified by geopolitical uncertainty and unpredictable market conditions. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are increasing their expenditures in AI, citing its transformative potential to improve efficiency and creativity. Investments surge in AI capabilities According to a recent analysis by market research firm IDC, global investment in AI systems is predicted to increase to $300 billion by 2024, from $200 billion in 2023. This spike is being driven by the increasing usage of AI in a variety of industries, including healthcare, banking, and retail. Tech giants are leading the push, with major AI research and development investments. Alphabet Inc., Google's parent firm, has announced a $20 billion investment in AI-related initiatives over the next two years. This includes improving Google Cloud AI capabilities and incorporating advanced AI features into its array of products, including Google Workspace and Google Search. "AI is not just an area of expertise for us; it's a core driver of our business strategy," said Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai during the company's most recent earnings call. AI as a catalyst for innovation Microsoft is also boosting its AI efforts, particularly through its cloud platform, Azure. The business announced plans to invest $18 billion in AI research, with a focus on strengthening Azure's machine learning capabilities and developing new AI-powered products for enterprise clients. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, underlined the importance of AI in promoting company resilience and innovation. "AI is at the heart of digital transformation, enabling companies to do more with less, innovate faster, and better serve their customers," stated Nadella. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is also competing in the AI race, with plans to invest $15 billion to improve its AI capabilities. AWS's AI and machine learning technologies are already critical in fields ranging from driverless vehicles to personalized customer experiences. Economic challenges and strategic shifts These industry giants are making an aggressive push toward AI as they navigate an uncertain economic landscape. Global economic challenges include continued geopolitical conflicts, inflationary pressures, and supply chain disruptions. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global growth is expected to decline to 2.9% in 2024, down from 3.2% in 2023. These economic concerns are leading businesses to investigate artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiencies and generate new income. Balancing innovation with ethical considerations While AI presents numerous opportunities, it also raises ethical and regulatory concerns. Data privacy, algorithmic biases, and employment displacement are all becoming increasingly contentious issues. These concerns are recognized by technology corporations, and they are actively attempting to overcome them. Google has committed to putting in place strong ethical principles for AI development that prioritise fairness, openness, and responsibility. Similarly, Microsoft and Amazon have created AI ethics committees to oversee their AI programs and guarantee they follow responsible AI principles. Outlook Experts believe that AI integration will continue to change the competitive landscape in technology and beyond. As businesses attempt to realise AI's full potential, a delicate mix of innovation, ethical considerations, and regulatory compliance will be required. "AI is set to be the most significant technical advancement of our time. Companies that effectively negotiate the ethical and operational difficulties will lead the next wave of digital transformation,” according to Gartner analyst John Smith. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon's continued expenditures demonstrate the strategic importance of AI in today's economic environment. As these tech giants use AI to drive development and innovation, they must also navigate the complicated ethical and regulatory landscape that surrounds this powerful technology.

Global tech giants eye AI-powered growth despite economic turmoil

Let's look at Apple stocks' blistering rally this week. Apple marked its biggest three-day advance since august 2020. As a result, apple overtook Microsoft to regain its title as the world's most valuable company.

Apple tops Microsoft in market value

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Apple's market valuation hits $3.29 trillion<o:p></o:p></h2>

Apple recaptured its status as the world's most valuable company on Wednesday, beating Microsoft as the iPhone maker pushed ahead in the fight to dominate artificial intelligence technology. Apple's stock jumped nearly 4 per cent to a record $215.04, bringing its market capitalisation to $3.29 trillion. In contrast, Microsoft's market value was $3.24 trillion, marking the first time in five months that it trailed Apple. This market rally coincides with the tech-heavy Nasdaq reaching a new high, aided by hints of slowing inflation.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">AI advances fuel stock surge<o:p></o:p></h2>

The recent leap in Apple's shares followed a 7 per cent increase in the previous session, in response to the company's announcement of AI-enabled features and software upgrades for its devices. Analysts predict that these developments will considerably increase iPhone sales. At Apple's annual developer conference on Monday, CEO Tim Cook and other executives demonstrated how the speech assistant Siri can now interact with texts, emails, calendars, and third-party apps. "All those questions about Apple's lag in AI technology were answered at the Worldwide Developers Conference," said Michael James, managing director of equity trading for Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles. The inclusion of AI capabilities in the next iPhones is expected to spark a big upgrade cycle, boosting demand for Apple's flagship product.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Apple's competitive edge in AI<o:p></o:p></h2>

Despite trailing competitors such as Microsoft and Alphabet in the AI industry, Apple's latest developments have alleviated concerns about its market performance. The computer giant's shares had trailed peers this year, but a good quarterly performance and a record $110 billion buyback plan unveiled in May have improved investor confidence. Apple's stock has climbed by around 12 per cent in 2024, while Microsoft's has increased by 16 per cent and Alphabet's by roughly 28 per cent.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Nvidia and other competitors<o:p></o:p></h2>

In the broader IT environment, AI chip leader Nvidia, which temporarily surpassed Apple's market worth last week, has seen its shares rise by 154 per cent this year, with a market capitalisation of $3.11 trillion. Meanwhile, Tesla is the only other 'Magnificent Seven' stock to have performed worse than Apple this year, with a 30 per cent drop. Despite these hurdles, Apple's strategic focus on AI, as well as its ongoing product innovation, demonstrate the company's resilience and capacity to sustain its technological leadership.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Apple's market valuation hits $3.29 trillion Apple recaptured its status as the world's most valuable company on Wednesday, beating Microsoft as the iPhone maker pushed ahead in the fight to dominate artificial intelligence technology.

Apple's market valuation hits $3.29 trillion Apple recaptured its status as the world's most valuable company on Wednesday, beating Microsoft as the iPhone maker pushed ahead in the fight to dominate artificial intelligence technology. Apple's stock jumped nearly 4 per cent to a record $215.04, bringing its market capitalisation to $3.29 trillion. In contrast, Microsoft's market value was $3.24 trillion, marking the first time in five months that it trailed Apple. This market rally coincides with the tech-heavy Nasdaq reaching a new high, aided by hints of slowing inflation. AI advances fuel stock surge The recent leap in Apple's shares followed a 7 per cent increase in the previous session, in response to the company's announcement of AI-enabled features and software upgrades for its devices. Analysts predict that these developments will considerably increase iPhone sales. At Apple's annual developer conference on Monday, CEO Tim Cook and other executives demonstrated how the speech assistant Siri can now interact with texts, emails, calendars, and third-party apps. "All those questions about Apple's lag in AI technology were answered at the Worldwide Developers Conference," said Michael James, managing director of equity trading for Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles. The inclusion of AI capabilities in the next iPhones is expected to spark a big upgrade cycle, boosting demand for Apple's flagship product. Apple's competitive edge in AI Despite trailing competitors such as Microsoft and Alphabet in the AI industry, Apple's latest developments have alleviated concerns about its market performance. The computer giant's shares had trailed peers this year, but a good quarterly performance and a record $110 billion buyback plan unveiled in May have improved investor confidence. Apple's stock has climbed by around 12 per cent in 2024, while Microsoft's has increased by 16 per cent and Alphabet's by roughly 28 per cent. Nvidia and other competitors In the broader IT environment, AI chip leader Nvidia, which temporarily surpassed Apple's market worth last week, has seen its shares rise by 154 per cent this year, with a market capitalisation of $3.11 trillion. Meanwhile, Tesla is the only other 'Magnificent Seven' stock to have performed worse than Apple this year, with a 30 per cent drop. Despite these hurdles, Apple's strategic focus on AI, as well as its ongoing product innovation, demonstrate the company's resilience and capacity to sustain its technological leadership. (With inputs from agencies)

Apple surpasses Microsoft to become the world's most valuable company again

Microsoft said on Thursday that its AI-powered "Recall" feature will not be available with new laptops starting next week. Instead, the corporation will test it on a smaller population, citing privacy concerns and the need for additional feedback.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Recall feature delayed amid privacy concerns<o:p></o:p></h2>

The Recall feature, which tracks computer activities such as online browsing and voice chats, will not be widely available on Copilot+ PCs on June 18, as previously anticipated. Instead, it will be available for preview in the coming weeks via the Windows Insider Program (WIP), Microsoft announced in a blog post. The feature establishes a searchable history kept on the computer, allowing users to recall previous activity even months later.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Commitment to security and user feedback<o:p></o:p></h2>

Microsoft stated that the decision to postpone the Recall feature was "rooted in our commitment to providing a trusted, secure, and robust experience for all customers and to seek additional feedback before making the feature available to all Copilot+ PC users." The Copilot+ PCs, which were introduced in May, are a new type of personal computer that incorporates powerful AI capabilities.<o:p></o:p>

The WIP, a public software testing initiative, allows millions of Windows users to preview and provide input on new operating system enhancements. Microsoft intends to use your feedback to improve the Recall feature before its general release.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Public backlash and comparisons to 'Black Mirror'<o:p></o:p></h2>

The unveiling of the Recall tool raised serious privacy concerns, with social media users warning that it may lead to eavesdropping. Elon Musk, the billionaire technologist, compared the film to a "Black Mirror episode," referring to the Netflix series famed for probing the nightmarish repercussions of modern technology.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Future availability of Recall<o:p></o:p></h2>

Microsoft has stated that the Recall preview would be made available to all Copilot+ PCs following feedback from the WIP community. The business plans to address the privacy concerns expressed and guarantee that the functionality meets user expectations and security standards.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft said on Thursday that its AI-powered "Recall" feature will not be available with new laptops starting next week. Instead, the corporation will test it on a smaller population, citing privacy concerns and the need for additional feedback.

Microsoft said on Thursday that its AI-powered "Recall" feature will not be available with new laptops starting next week. Instead, the corporation will test it on a smaller population, citing privacy concerns and the need for additional feedback. Recall feature delayed amid privacy concerns The Recall feature, which tracks computer activities such as online browsing and voice chats, will not be widely available on Copilot+ PCs on June 18, as previously anticipated. Instead, it will be available for preview in the coming weeks via the Windows Insider Program (WIP), Microsoft announced in a blog post. The feature establishes a searchable history kept on the computer, allowing users to recall previous activity even months later. Commitment to security and user feedback Microsoft stated that the decision to postpone the Recall feature was "rooted in our commitment to providing a trusted, secure, and robust experience for all customers and to seek additional feedback before making the feature available to all Copilot+ PC users." The Copilot+ PCs, which were introduced in May, are a new type of personal computer that incorporates powerful AI capabilities. The WIP, a public software testing initiative, allows millions of Windows users to preview and provide input on new operating system enhancements. Microsoft intends to use your feedback to improve the Recall feature before its general release. Public backlash and comparisons to 'Black Mirror' The unveiling of the Recall tool raised serious privacy concerns, with social media users warning that it may lead to eavesdropping. Elon Musk, the billionaire technologist, compared the film to a "Black Mirror episode," referring to the Netflix series famed for probing the nightmarish repercussions of modern technology. Future availability of Recall Microsoft has stated that the Recall preview would be made available to all Copilot+ PCs following feedback from the WIP community. The business plans to address the privacy concerns expressed and guarantee that the functionality meets user expectations and security standards. (With inputs from Agencies)

Microsoft delays rollout of controversial 'Recall' feature

Headlines of the hour: - Moscow: Fire at Sukhoi design bureau - PM Modi, Biden likely to meet at G7 - Biden, Zelensky sign 10-year pact - South Korea, US warn ahead of Putin's North Korea visit - Plane with bodies takes off from Kuwait - Kheer Bhawani: Security beefed up in J&K - Apple overtakes Microsoft in market cap

Kheer Bhawani: Security beefed up in J&K | PM Modi, Biden likely to meet at G7

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Introduction of all-digital consoles<o:p></o:p></h2>

Microsoft began its annual Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, unveiling a new all-digital version of its Xbox Series X and S consoles. This decision is an important step in Microsoft's ambition to modernise its gaming hardware assortment and appeal to a rising digital-first audience. Along with the ordinary Series X and S models, the tech giant presented a special edition of the Series X with an astonishing 2 terabytes of storage.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Gaming industry faces challenges<o:p></o:p></h2>

The exhibition is critical for Xbox and Microsoft, as the gaming industry suffers a downturn. Publishers are grappling with lower revenues, layoffs, and studio closures. The release of disc-less versions of the Xbox Series X and S could boost much-needed sales, establishing Xbox as a formidable competitor to Sony's PS5. The updated hardware portfolio is part of Microsoft's overall plan to entice gamers in the face of adverse market conditions.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">New games and major franchises<o:p></o:p></h2>

Microsoft's event included trailers for more than a dozen games, including the highly anticipated upcoming iteration of "Call of Duty". Among the highlights was "Doom: The Dark Ages," the most recent instalment in the legendary "Doom" series. Fans were also given a first peek at the next "Gears of War" game, which marks the end of a five-year wait for one of Xbox's most popular titles. Many of these new games, including "Doom" and "Call of Duty," will be available on Xbox Game Pass from the start, demonstrating Microsoft's commitment to its subscription service.<o:p></o:p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Exclusive call of duty feature<o:p></o:p></h2>

Following the main presentation, a special feature from Activision Blizzard's studios offered an in-depth look at "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6," which is set to be released in October. Treyarch and Raven Software showed off snippets from the game's campaign, which takes place in the early 1990s. They highlighted new elements such as a movement system that allows players to sprint in any direction, as well as a glimpse of the popular "Zombies" mode. This exclusive feature highlighted Microsoft's collaboration with Activision Blizzard and their shared commitment to providing top-tier gaming experiences.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Agencies)<o:p></o:p>

Introduction of all-digital consoles Microsoft began its annual Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, unveiling a new all-digital version of its Xbox Series X and S consoles.

Introduction of all-digital consoles Microsoft began its annual Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, unveiling a new all-digital version of its Xbox Series X and S consoles. This decision is an important step in Microsoft's ambition to modernise its gaming hardware assortment and appeal to a rising digital-first audience. Along with the ordinary Series X and S models, the tech giant presented a special edition of the Series X with an astonishing 2 terabytes of storage. Gaming industry faces challenges The exhibition is critical for Xbox and Microsoft, as the gaming industry suffers a downturn. Publishers are grappling with lower revenues, layoffs, and studio closures. The release of disc-less versions of the Xbox Series X and S could boost much-needed sales, establishing Xbox as a formidable competitor to Sony's PS5. The updated hardware portfolio is part of Microsoft's overall plan to entice gamers in the face of adverse market conditions. New games and major franchises Microsoft's event included trailers for more than a dozen games, including the highly anticipated upcoming iteration of "Call of Duty". Among the highlights was "Doom: The Dark Ages," the most recent instalment in the legendary "Doom" series. Fans were also given a first peek at the next "Gears of War" game, which marks the end of a five-year wait for one of Xbox's most popular titles. Many of these new games, including "Doom" and "Call of Duty," will be available on Xbox Game Pass from the start, demonstrating Microsoft's commitment to its subscription service. Exclusive call of duty feature Following the main presentation, a special feature from Activision Blizzard's studios offered an in-depth look at "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6," which is set to be released in October. Treyarch and Raven Software showed off snippets from the game's campaign, which takes place in the early 1990s. They highlighted new elements such as a movement system that allows players to sprint in any direction, as well as a glimpse of the popular "Zombies" mode. This exclusive feature highlighted Microsoft's collaboration with Activision Blizzard and their shared commitment to providing top-tier gaming experiences. (With inputs from Agencies)

Microsoft unveils new digital Xbox consoles and games at annual Xbox Games showcase

The US Government is taking aim at the dominance of major tech companies in the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence. The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice have agreed to divide responsibilities for investigating potential anti-competitive practices by Microsoft and Nvidia.

US Antitrust probe targets Microsoft & Nvidia in AI Dominance Probe

The US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission will investigate the industry dominance of Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia in the Artificial Intelligence industry, according to The New York Times.

The US Department of Justice will lead the investigation to see if Nvidia violated antitrust laws, while the Federal Trade Commission will inspect the conduct of OpenAI and Microsoft, the NYT report said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-criticises-un-nuclear-watchdog-resolution-calls-it-unwise-729238">Iran criticises UN nuclear watchdog resolution, calls it ‘unwise’</a>

Although OpenAI's parent is a nonprofit, Microsoft has invested $13 billion in a for-profit subsidiary, for what would be a 49% stake. The Microsoft-OpenAI partnership is also under informal inquiry in other regions.

The agreement, reached last week by regulators according to sources and is expected to be finalised soon.

The FTC will look into Microsoft's $650 million deal with AI startup Inflection AI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday (June 6), citing a source familiar with the matter.

Notably, in January, the FTC ordered OpenAI, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Anthropic to provide information on latest investments and partnerships involving generative AI companies and cloud service providers.

The FTC launched a probe into OpenAI last July over concerns that its practices violated consumer protection laws and potentially compromised personal data.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-hackers-claim-cyberattack-on-spanish-defence-firm-that-is-refurbishing-leopard-tanks-for-ukraine-729139">Russian hackers claim cyberattack on Spanish defence firm that is refurbishing Leopard tanks for Ukraine</a>

US antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter said at an AI conference that structure and trends in AI should give us pause, the technology's reliance on vast amounts of data and computing power creates a significant barrier to entry.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission will investigate the industry dominance of Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia in the Artificial Intelligence industry, according to The New York Times.

The US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission will investigate the industry dominance of Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia in the Artificial Intelligence industry, according to The New York Times. The US Department of Justice will lead the investigation to see if Nvidia violated antitrust laws, while the Federal Trade Commission will inspect the conduct of OpenAI and Microsoft, the NYT report said. Also read: Iran criticises UN nuclear watchdog resolution, calls it ‘unwise’ Although OpenAI's parent is a nonprofit, Microsoft has invested $13 billion in a for-profit subsidiary, for what would be a 49% stake. The Microsoft-OpenAI partnership is also under informal inquiry in other regions. The agreement, reached last week by regulators according to sources and is expected to be finalised soon. The FTC will look into Microsoft's $650 million deal with AI startup Inflection AI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday (June 6), citing a source familiar with the matter. Notably, in January, the FTC ordered OpenAI, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Anthropic to provide information on latest investments and partnerships involving generative AI companies and cloud service providers. The FTC launched a probe into OpenAI last July over concerns that its practices violated consumer protection laws and potentially compromised personal data. Also read: Russian hackers claim cyberattack on Spanish defence firm that is refurbishing Leopard tanks for Ukraine US antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter said at an AI conference that structure and trends in AI should give us pause, the technology's reliance on vast amounts of data and computing power creates a significant barrier to entry. (With inputs from agencies)

US probes Microsoft, OpenAI, and Nvidia for AI dominance

Microsoft warns Russia is trying to undermine the Paris Olympics with fake news and violence fears, damaging the International Olympic Committee's image.&nbsp;

The operations utilise a powerful mix of fake videos, fictitious news stories, and AI-generated impersonations, including the faked voice of Hollywood star Tom Cruise.

"Russia is ramping up these slander campaigns against France and President Emmanuel Macron, the IOC, and the Paris Olympics," said Clint Watts, general manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center, in a blog post Sunday (June 2).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chinas-change-6-probe-makes-history-begins-return-journey-to-earth-with-samples-from-moons-dark-side-728484">China's Chang'e-6 probe makes history, begins return journey to Earth with samples from Moon's dark side</a>

"This disinformation campaign isn't new for Russia, but Microsoft warns their tactics are evolving. &nbsp;They're using old tricks alongside artificial intelligence, and these efforts could escalate as the Paris Olympics draw near," he added.

Two prolific Russian cyber-actor groups, Storm-1679 and Doppelganger, have pivoted operations over the past year to directly target the Olympics.

Their activities escalated in June 2023 with the release on Telegram of a feature-length fake documentary titled "Olympics Has Fallen."

Using AI-generated Tom Cruise impersonations, dazzling CGI, and a seemingly authentic marketing campaign to discredit the IOC, this elaborate effort aims to chip away at global enthusiasm for the Games.

Storm-1679 has also repeatedly manufactured and amplified fictionalised videos, news clips, and press statements falsely claiming that fears of terrorism have sparked a wave of ticket cancellations and property insurance purchases among Parisians.

Microsoft informed that it suspected that Russian groups were behind the circulation of forged graffiti images threatening a repeat of the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian militants.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-confirms-death-of-four-hostages-held-by-hamas-since-october-728467">Israel confirms death of four hostages held by Hamas since October</a>

As the July 26 Opening Ceremony looms, Microsoft predicts the Russian disinformation attack will intensify across more languages and media formats.

Notably, Macron in April said he had "no doubt" that Russia was targeting the Paris Olympics including with disinformation.

The Kremlin "is feeding every day the idea that we can't do this or that, that there's a risk," Macron said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft warns Russia is trying to undermine the Paris Olympics with fake news and violence fears, damaging the International Olympic Committee's image. The operations utilise a powerful mix of fake videos, fictitious news stories, and AI-generated impersonations, including the faked voice of Hollywood star Tom Cruise.

Microsoft warns Russia is trying to undermine the Paris Olympics with fake news and violence fears, damaging the International Olympic Committee's image. The operations utilise a powerful mix of fake videos, fictitious news stories, and AI-generated impersonations, including the faked voice of Hollywood star Tom Cruise. "Russia is ramping up these slander campaigns against France and President Emmanuel Macron, the IOC, and the Paris Olympics," said Clint Watts, general manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center, in a blog post Sunday (June 2). Also read: China's Chang'e-6 probe makes history, begins return journey to Earth with samples from Moon's dark side "This disinformation campaign isn't new for Russia, but Microsoft warns their tactics are evolving. They're using old tricks alongside artificial intelligence, and these efforts could escalate as the Paris Olympics draw near," he added. Two prolific Russian cyber-actor groups, Storm-1679 and Doppelganger, have pivoted operations over the past year to directly target the Olympics. Their activities escalated in June 2023 with the release on Telegram of a feature-length fake documentary titled "Olympics Has Fallen." Using AI-generated Tom Cruise impersonations, dazzling CGI, and a seemingly authentic marketing campaign to discredit the IOC, this elaborate effort aims to chip away at global enthusiasm for the Games. Storm-1679 has also repeatedly manufactured and amplified fictionalised videos, news clips, and press statements falsely claiming that fears of terrorism have sparked a wave of ticket cancellations and property insurance purchases among Parisians. Microsoft informed that it suspected that Russian groups were behind the circulation of forged graffiti images threatening a repeat of the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian militants. Also read: Israel confirms death of four hostages held by Hamas since October As the July 26 Opening Ceremony looms, Microsoft predicts the Russian disinformation attack will intensify across more languages and media formats. Notably, Macron in April said he had "no doubt" that Russia was targeting the Paris Olympics including with disinformation. The Kremlin "is feeding every day the idea that we can't do this or that, that there's a risk," Macron said. (With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft uncovers Russian disinformation campaign targeting Paris Olympics

Republican chairman of the US Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul has warned of national security consequences after Microsoft’s President Brad Smith announced that the company’s high-profile setup with the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed AI firm G42 may include the transfer of sophisticated processors and tools.

Smith told Reuters that the pact might enter a second phase, which would involve the export of critical AI technology components such as model weights. However, no firm deadlines have been established. Officials in the United States have expressed worry that AI systems may pose national security dangers by enabling the development of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. The Biden administration demanded in October that significant AI system developers exchange information with the US government.

The deal's progress is contingent on approval by the US Department of Commerce. Microsoft executives stated that the arrangement included controls to prevent Chinese companies from using Microsoft's technology to train AI systems, albeit these steps are still unknown. Some lawmakers in the United States question their sufficiency.

According to Reuters, McCaul, expressed his worries, saying, "Despite the substantial national security consequences, Congress has yet to receive a complete briefing from the executive branch on this arrangement."&nbsp;

He questioned whether sufficient safeguards are in place to protect vital US technology from Chinese espionage, given the CCP's interests in the UAE.

Current US regulations demand notices and export licenses for AI chip exports, but the Microsoft-G42 agreement highlights regulatory loopholes as technology advances quickly. Currently, no regulations limit the export of AI models. A bipartisan group of legislators, including McCaul, introduced legislation to provide US officials express authority to control such shipments. Microsoft supports a discussion about a new legal framework for AI technology transfer, stressing compliance with growing US regulations.

"Fundamentally, we aim to ensure that American technology can move around the world safely and securely," said Smith.

The Microsoft-G42 transaction, announced last month, was billed as increasing the United States' technology dominance in the face of strategic rivalry from China. Microsoft is investing $1.5 billion in G42, and Smith will join its board.

Details on the exact technologies to be transferred and the security precautions are few, however several are reported here for the first time. The arrangement aims for Microsoft and G42 to collaborate to promote AI technology in areas where neither could do so effectively alone, with a recent contract in Kenya exemplifying this concept.

While the deal requires both businesses to convince their home governments of security procedures, there is no direct agreement between the United States and the UAE overseeing sensitive technology transfers. According to Microsoft executives, the firms may consider expanding these technologies to other areas, such as Turkey and Egypt.

Smith stated that aspects such as protecting AI "model weights," which are critical for AI model performance, are still being finalised. Current approaches for encrypting these weights in usage are at least a year distant. Microsoft is looking into many security measures, including a "vault within a vault" concept that would physically separate data centre components.

"I suspect by the time we're done; we're going to end up with a regulatory regime or trade export control approach that will be broadly applicable, not just to Microsoft and G42," Smith stated.

According to the agreement, G42 must follow a "know your customer" policy to prevent Chinese enterprises from utilising Microsoft technology to train AI models. US officials have suggested but not yet implemented a comparable rule.

Talal Al Kaissi, who leads G42's AI collaborations, pointed out, "We made a strategic commercial decision to collaborate with US companies on sophisticated technology. We're clear about meeting regulatory obligations."

Microsoft retains the ability to impose financial penalties on G42, which are enforceable in London arbitration courts, avoiding problems with the UAE legal system and allowing asset confiscation if G42 breaks the agreement.

It is unclear how US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will approach the deal. Smith defined the conditions as "informal," citing Raimondo's clear approval or rejection of suggestions.

A Commerce Department spokeswoman stated that any technological transfers would be subject to current export controls as well as potential future laws.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Republican chairman of the US Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul has warned of national security consequences after Microsoft’s President Brad Smith announced that the company’s high-profile setup with the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed AI firm G42 may include the transfer of sophisticated processors and tools.

Republican chairman of the US Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul has warned of national security consequences after Microsoft’s President Brad Smith announced that the company’s high-profile setup with the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed AI firm G42 may include the transfer of sophisticated processors and tools. Smith told Reuters that the pact might enter a second phase, which would involve the export of critical AI technology components such as model weights. However, no firm deadlines have been established. Officials in the United States have expressed worry that AI systems may pose national security dangers by enabling the development of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. The Biden administration demanded in October that significant AI system developers exchange information with the US government. The deal's progress is contingent on approval by the US Department of Commerce. Microsoft executives stated that the arrangement included controls to prevent Chinese companies from using Microsoft's technology to train AI systems, albeit these steps are still unknown. Some lawmakers in the United States question their sufficiency. According to Reuters, McCaul, expressed his worries, saying, "Despite the substantial national security consequences, Congress has yet to receive a complete briefing from the executive branch on this arrangement." He questioned whether sufficient safeguards are in place to protect vital US technology from Chinese espionage, given the CCP's interests in the UAE. Current US regulations demand notices and export licenses for AI chip exports, but the Microsoft-G42 agreement highlights regulatory loopholes as technology advances quickly. Currently, no regulations limit the export of AI models. A bipartisan group of legislators, including McCaul, introduced legislation to provide US officials express authority to control such shipments. Microsoft supports a discussion about a new legal framework for AI technology transfer, stressing compliance with growing US regulations. "Fundamentally, we aim to ensure that American technology can move around the world safely and securely," said Smith. The Microsoft-G42 transaction, announced last month, was billed as increasing the United States' technology dominance in the face of strategic rivalry from China. Microsoft is investing $1.5 billion in G42, and Smith will join its board. Details on the exact technologies to be transferred and the security precautions are few, however several are reported here for the first time. The arrangement aims for Microsoft and G42 to collaborate to promote AI technology in areas where neither could do so effectively alone, with a recent contract in Kenya exemplifying this concept. While the deal requires both businesses to convince their home governments of security procedures, there is no direct agreement between the United States and the UAE overseeing sensitive technology transfers. According to Microsoft executives, the firms may consider expanding these technologies to other areas, such as Turkey and Egypt. Smith stated that aspects such as protecting AI "model weights," which are critical for AI model performance, are still being finalised. Current approaches for encrypting these weights in usage are at least a year distant. Microsoft is looking into many security measures, including a "vault within a vault" concept that would physically separate data centre components. "I suspect by the time we're done; we're going to end up with a regulatory regime or trade export control approach that will be broadly applicable, not just to Microsoft and G42," Smith stated. According to the agreement, G42 must follow a "know your customer" policy to prevent Chinese enterprises from utilising Microsoft technology to train AI models. US officials have suggested but not yet implemented a comparable rule. Talal Al Kaissi, who leads G42's AI collaborations, pointed out, "We made a strategic commercial decision to collaborate with US companies on sophisticated technology. We're clear about meeting regulatory obligations." Microsoft retains the ability to impose financial penalties on G42, which are enforceable in London arbitration courts, avoiding problems with the UAE legal system and allowing asset confiscation if G42 breaks the agreement. It is unclear how US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will approach the deal. Smith defined the conditions as "informal," citing Raimondo's clear approval or rejection of suggestions. A Commerce Department spokeswoman stated that any technological transfers would be subject to current export controls as well as potential future laws. (With inputs from Reuters)

Senior Republican Congressman warns of US security risks over Microsoft's UAE AI deal

<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft has introduced a suite of new tools designed to help developers integrate artificial intelligence into Windows software, as it competes with Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple to lead the promising AI sector. <o:p></o:p>

This announcement was made at the Build developer conference held in Seattle, where CEO Satya Nadella highlighted new application programming interfaces (APIs) which will simplify the adoption of AI technology in various software applications.<o:p></o:p>

Nadella highlighted the impact of developers utilising AI capabilities, noting their role in transformative technological advancements. <o:p></o:p>

He stated, "What stands out to me as I look back at this past year, is how you all as developers have taken all of these capabilities and are applying them, quite frankly, to change the world around us."<o:p></o:p>

One of the key highlights from the conference was Microsoft's generative AI tool, Github Copilot, which is now being used by 1.8 million developers to enhance coding productivity. <o:p></o:p>

This tool helps streamline the development process by generating code snippets and offering real-time assistance, thereby boosting efficiency and innovation.<o:p></o:p>

In addition to this, Microsoft detailed enhancements to its Copilot AI software, which is integrated into business productivity applications like email and Teams, the company's video and text chat platform. <o:p></o:p>

These improvements are part of Microsoft's continuing efforts to provide promising AI solutions that cater to everyday business needs, similar to the recent AI tools unveiled by Alphabet's Google.<o:p></o:p>

The tech giant also made waves in the stock market, with shares rising 1.2 per cent to $430.67 on Tuesday afternoon, following a record high of $432.97 earlier in the day. <o:p></o:p>

Microsoft's stock has surged 14 per cent in 2024, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s AI-driven future.<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft's announcement last week about offering cloud computing customers a platform of AMD AI chips, designed to compete with Nvidia's industry-leading graphics processing units, marks another significant development. <o:p></o:p>

This new platform leverages Nvidia's Infiniband networking technology to connect processors, promising enhanced performance for AI applications.<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft's chief technology officer Kevin Scott also revealed that OpenAI's new GPT-4o model, which operates on Microsoft's infrastructure, is now 12 times cheaper for developers compared to previous versions. <o:p></o:p>

Microsoft, being the largest investor in OpenAI, continues to integrate its advanced AI technologies into its own products, fostering innovation and reducing costs for developers.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft has introduced a suite of new tools designed to help developers integrate artificial intelligence into Windows software, as it competes with Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple to lead the promising AI sector.

Microsoft has introduced a suite of new tools designed to help developers integrate artificial intelligence into Windows software, as it competes with Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple to lead the promising AI sector. This announcement was made at the Build developer conference held in Seattle, where CEO Satya Nadella highlighted new application programming interfaces (APIs) which will simplify the adoption of AI technology in various software applications. Nadella highlighted the impact of developers utilising AI capabilities, noting their role in transformative technological advancements. He stated, "What stands out to me as I look back at this past year, is how you all as developers have taken all of these capabilities and are applying them, quite frankly, to change the world around us." One of the key highlights from the conference was Microsoft's generative AI tool, Github Copilot, which is now being used by 1.8 million developers to enhance coding productivity. This tool helps streamline the development process by generating code snippets and offering real-time assistance, thereby boosting efficiency and innovation. In addition to this, Microsoft detailed enhancements to its Copilot AI software, which is integrated into business productivity applications like email and Teams, the company's video and text chat platform. These improvements are part of Microsoft's continuing efforts to provide promising AI solutions that cater to everyday business needs, similar to the recent AI tools unveiled by Alphabet's Google. The tech giant also made waves in the stock market, with shares rising 1.2 per cent to $430.67 on Tuesday afternoon, following a record high of $432.97 earlier in the day. Microsoft's stock has surged 14 per cent in 2024, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s AI-driven future. Microsoft's announcement last week about offering cloud computing customers a platform of AMD AI chips, designed to compete with Nvidia's industry-leading graphics processing units, marks another significant development. This new platform leverages Nvidia's Infiniband networking technology to connect processors, promising enhanced performance for AI applications. Microsoft's chief technology officer Kevin Scott also revealed that OpenAI's new GPT-4o model, which operates on Microsoft's infrastructure, is now 12 times cheaper for developers compared to previous versions. Microsoft, being the largest investor in OpenAI, continues to integrate its advanced AI technologies into its own products, fostering innovation and reducing costs for developers. (With inputs from Reuters)

Microsoft unwraps new AI tools to empower developers: Report

Microsoft Corp on Monday, introduced a new category of personal computers with artificial intelligence (AI) characteristics to compete with Alphabet Inc. and Apple Inc.

At a Redmond campus event, CEO Satya Nadella unveiled "Copilot+" PCs, a collaborative effort with manufacturers including Acer Inc. and Asustek Computer Inc. The new AI-powered laptops, which start at $1,000, will be available from June 18.

These novel machines can do AI tasks without the need for cloud data centres. This capacity enables features such as "Recall," which logs user activities, from web browsing to voice chats, and saves it locally for convenient retrieval. Furthermore, the Copilot voice assistant serves as a real-time virtual coach, as exemplified by its use in the computer game "Minecraft."

Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's chief of consumer marketing, predicted that 50 million AI PCs would be purchased over the following year. He stated that the possibility of running quicker AI helpers directly on a PC would be "the most compelling reason to upgrade your PC in a long time." According to Gartner, global PC shipments declined by about 15 per cent last year to 242 million units, implying that Microsoft expects its new AI PCs to account for roughly one-fifth of overall sales.

"People simply need to be convinced that the device experience alone justifies this entirely new category of Copilot+ machines," said Ben Bajarin, an analyst at Creative Strategies.

The "Copilot+" marketing initiative is like Intel Corp's 2011 "Ultrabook" campaign, which attempted to undercut Apple's MacBook Air with tiny, powerful Windows laptops. Microsoft also revealed that GPT-4o, the most recent AI technology from OpenAI, will soon be integrated into Copilot.

Along with Copilot+, Microsoft introduced a new generation of Surface Pro tablets and Surface Laptops that use Qualcomm Inc. CPUs based on Arm Holdings architecture. The launch of Prism technology will provide software interoperability across Intel, AMD, and Arm processors.

Microsoft machines outperformed Apple Goods in photo editing tasks using Adobe software, according to demonstrations at the event. Apple has already announced an AI-focused CPU, which is expected to be utilised in future laptops.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips, known for their neural processing units that enhance AI applications, are critical to Microsoft's AI market leadership strategy. The product rollout comes ahead of Microsoft's annual developer conference, emphasising the company's dedication to preserving its AI advantage through its cooperation with OpenAI.

Microsoft's early adoption of AI technology puts it ahead of Alphabet in the battle to commercialise AI solutions. Last week, OpenAI and Alphabet's Google presented competing AI technologies that provide real-time, interactive voice answers, a critical requirement for AI voice assistants.

Apple's decision to bespoke Arm-based semiconductors has increased competition in the Windows PC market, which was formerly dominated by Intel processors. These CPUs have given Macs longer battery life and improved performance. Microsoft, in collaboration with Qualcomm since 2016, has led efforts to move Windows to Arm architecture, with Qualcomm's exclusivity expiring this year, opening the door to rival chip designers such as Nvidia Corp.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Microsoft Corp on Monday, introduced a new category of personal computers with artificial intelligence (AI) characteristics to compete with Alphabet Inc. and Apple Inc.

Microsoft Corp on Monday, introduced a new category of personal computers with artificial intelligence (AI) characteristics to compete with Alphabet Inc. and Apple Inc. At a Redmond campus event, CEO Satya Nadella unveiled "Copilot+" PCs, a collaborative effort with manufacturers including Acer Inc. and Asustek Computer Inc. The new AI-powered laptops, which start at $1,000, will be available from June 18. These novel machines can do AI tasks without the need for cloud data centres. This capacity enables features such as "Recall," which logs user activities, from web browsing to voice chats, and saves it locally for convenient retrieval. Furthermore, the Copilot voice assistant serves as a real-time virtual coach, as exemplified by its use in the computer game "Minecraft." Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft's chief of consumer marketing, predicted that 50 million AI PCs would be purchased over the following year. He stated that the possibility of running quicker AI helpers directly on a PC would be "the most compelling reason to upgrade your PC in a long time." According to Gartner, global PC shipments declined by about 15 per cent last year to 242 million units, implying that Microsoft expects its new AI PCs to account for roughly one-fifth of overall sales. "People simply need to be convinced that the device experience alone justifies this entirely new category of Copilot+ machines," said Ben Bajarin, an analyst at Creative Strategies. The "Copilot+" marketing initiative is like Intel Corp's 2011 "Ultrabook" campaign, which attempted to undercut Apple's MacBook Air with tiny, powerful Windows laptops. Microsoft also revealed that GPT-4o, the most recent AI technology from OpenAI, will soon be integrated into Copilot. Along with Copilot+, Microsoft introduced a new generation of Surface Pro tablets and Surface Laptops that use Qualcomm Inc. CPUs based on Arm Holdings architecture. The launch of Prism technology will provide software interoperability across Intel, AMD, and Arm processors. Microsoft machines outperformed Apple Goods in photo editing tasks using Adobe software, according to demonstrations at the event. Apple has already announced an AI-focused CPU, which is expected to be utilised in future laptops. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips, known for their neural processing units that enhance AI applications, are critical to Microsoft's AI market leadership strategy. The product rollout comes ahead of Microsoft's annual developer conference, emphasising the company's dedication to preserving its AI advantage through its cooperation with OpenAI. Microsoft's early adoption of AI technology puts it ahead of Alphabet in the battle to commercialise AI solutions. Last week, OpenAI and Alphabet's Google presented competing AI technologies that provide real-time, interactive voice answers, a critical requirement for AI voice assistants. Apple's decision to bespoke Arm-based semiconductors has increased competition in the Windows PC market, which was formerly dominated by Intel processors. These CPUs have given Macs longer battery life and improved performance. Microsoft, in collaboration with Qualcomm since 2016, has led efforts to move Windows to Arm architecture, with Qualcomm's exclusivity expiring this year, opening the door to rival chip designers such as Nvidia Corp. (With inputs from Reuters)

Microsoft unveils AI-enhanced 'Copilot+' PCs amid big tech rivalry

Microsoft announced on Thursday that it will offer its cloud computing customers access to AMD's advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, presenting a strong competitor to Nvidia's market-leading processors. <o:p></o:p>

Details of this initiative will be shared at the upcoming Build developer conference next week.<o:p></o:p>

Through its Azure cloud computing service, Microsoft will provide clusters of AMD's flagship MI300X AI chips. <o:p></o:p>

These chips are set to rival Nvidia's H100 graphics processing units (GPUs), which are currently in high demand and dominate the data centre AI chip market. <o:p></o:p>

The MI300X chips are designed to train and run large AI models, offering customers a robust alternative to Nvidia's GPUs.<o:p></o:p>

In addition to the AMD offering, Microsoft will introduce a preview of its new Cobalt 100 custom processors at the Build conference. <o:p></o:p>

These processors are reported to deliver 40 per cent better performance compared to other processors based on Arm Holdings' technology. <o:p></o:p>

Snowflake and other companies have already begun using these Cobalt processors.<o:p></o:p>

The move to integrate AMD's MI300X chips into Azure is significant as it addresses the challenge of obtaining Nvidia's high-demand H100 GPUs. <o:p></o:p>

To build and run complex AI models, companies often need to cluster multiple GPUs together, as the required data and computations exceed the capacity of a single processor. <o:p></o:p>

AMD projects $4 billion in revenue from its AI chips this year, highlighting the growing demand and capability of these processors.<o:p></o:p>

Furthermore, Microsoft's Azure cloud unit also sells access to its own in-house AI chips, named Maia, which adds to the variety of options available for customers seeking AI solutions. <o:p></o:p>

The introduction of AMD's MI300X chips and the Cobalt 100 processors demonstrates Microsoft's strategy to diversify its AI hardware offerings and enhance its competitive edge in the cloud computing market.<o:p></o:p>

The Cobalt 100 processors, which were initially announced in November, are currently being tested to power Microsoft Teams, the company's business messaging tool. <o:p></o:p>

These processors are positioned to compete with Amazon's in-house Graviton CPUs, further intensifying the competition in the cloud computing space.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft announced on Thursday that it will offer its cloud computing customers access to AMD's advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, presenting a strong competitor to Nvidia's market-leading processors.

Microsoft announced on Thursday that it will offer its cloud computing customers access to AMD's advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, presenting a strong competitor to Nvidia's market-leading processors. Details of this initiative will be shared at the upcoming Build developer conference next week. Through its Azure cloud computing service, Microsoft will provide clusters of AMD's flagship MI300X AI chips. These chips are set to rival Nvidia's H100 graphics processing units (GPUs), which are currently in high demand and dominate the data centre AI chip market. The MI300X chips are designed to train and run large AI models, offering customers a robust alternative to Nvidia's GPUs. In addition to the AMD offering, Microsoft will introduce a preview of its new Cobalt 100 custom processors at the Build conference. These processors are reported to deliver 40 per cent better performance compared to other processors based on Arm Holdings' technology. Snowflake and other companies have already begun using these Cobalt processors. The move to integrate AMD's MI300X chips into Azure is significant as it addresses the challenge of obtaining Nvidia's high-demand H100 GPUs. To build and run complex AI models, companies often need to cluster multiple GPUs together, as the required data and computations exceed the capacity of a single processor. AMD projects $4 billion in revenue from its AI chips this year, highlighting the growing demand and capability of these processors. Furthermore, Microsoft's Azure cloud unit also sells access to its own in-house AI chips, named Maia, which adds to the variety of options available for customers seeking AI solutions. The introduction of AMD's MI300X chips and the Cobalt 100 processors demonstrates Microsoft's strategy to diversify its AI hardware offerings and enhance its competitive edge in the cloud computing market. The Cobalt 100 processors, which were initially announced in November, are currently being tested to power Microsoft Teams, the company's business messaging tool. These processors are positioned to compete with Amazon's in-house Graviton CPUs, further intensifying the competition in the cloud computing space. (With inputs from Reuters)

Microsoft unveils AMD-powered AI chips to challenge Nvidia’s position

A consortium of US newspapers, led by the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, has filed a lawsuit against tech giants Microsoft and OpenAI. <o:p></o:p>

According to Reuters, the lawsuit, filed in a New York federal court, alleges that the companies have unlawfully utilised the journalistic work of reporters to train their generative artificial intelligence systems.<o:p></o:p>

The eight newspapers involved, all under the ownership of investment firm Alden Global Capital's MediaNews Group, claim that Microsoft and OpenAI have copied millions of their articles without consent. <o:p></o:p>

These articles were allegedly used to train AI products, including Microsoft's Copilot and OpenAI's ChatGPT.<o:p></o:p>

This legal action comes amidst similar ongoing lawsuits against both Microsoft and OpenAI, initiated by notable news outlets such as The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story, and AlterNet. <o:p></o:p>

Notably, OpenAI, which has received heavy financial backing from Microsoft, is facing mounting pressure over its AI training practices.<o:p></o:p>

According to Steven Lieberman, a lawyer representing the MediaNews publications, OpenAI owes much of its success to the intellectual property of others. <o:p></o:p>

Lieberman criticised the defendants for using copyrighted content without proper authorisation or compensation. <o:p></o:p>

He highlighted that while these companies readily invest in hardware and human resources, they seem to overlook the importance of respecting intellectual property rights.<o:p></o:p>

The lawsuit outlines that Microsoft and OpenAI's AI systems replicate the newspapers' copyrighted content verbatim when prompted. <o:p></o:p>

Additionally, it alleges that ChatGPT fabricates articles falsely attributed to the newspapers, potentially damaging their reputations. <o:p></o:p>

For instance, fabricated articles include a misleading Denver Post piece endorsing smoking as an asthma remedy and a fictitious Chicago Tribune recommendation for an infant lounger that had been linked to child fatalities.<o:p></o:p>

Beyond the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, the plaintiffs include prominent newspapers like the Orlando Sentinel, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, San Jose Mercury News, Orange County Register, and Twin Cities Pioneer Press. <o:p></o:p>

Seeking both monetary compensation and an injunction against further infringement, the newspapers aim to address what they perceive as a fundamental violation of their intellectual property rights.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

A consortium of US newspapers, led by the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, has filed a lawsuit against tech giants Microsoft and OpenAI. According to Reuters, the lawsuit, filed in a New York federal court, alleges that the companies have unlawfully utilised the journalistic work of reporters to train their generative artificial intelligence systems.

A consortium of US newspapers, led by the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, has filed a lawsuit against tech giants Microsoft and OpenAI. According to Reuters, the lawsuit, filed in a New York federal court, alleges that the companies have unlawfully utilised the journalistic work of reporters to train their generative artificial intelligence systems. The eight newspapers involved, all under the ownership of investment firm Alden Global Capital's MediaNews Group, claim that Microsoft and OpenAI have copied millions of their articles without consent. These articles were allegedly used to train AI products, including Microsoft's Copilot and OpenAI's ChatGPT. This legal action comes amidst similar ongoing lawsuits against both Microsoft and OpenAI, initiated by notable news outlets such as The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story, and AlterNet. Notably, OpenAI, which has received heavy financial backing from Microsoft, is facing mounting pressure over its AI training practices. According to Steven Lieberman, a lawyer representing the MediaNews publications, OpenAI owes much of its success to the intellectual property of others. Lieberman criticised the defendants for using copyrighted content without proper authorisation or compensation. He highlighted that while these companies readily invest in hardware and human resources, they seem to overlook the importance of respecting intellectual property rights. The lawsuit outlines that Microsoft and OpenAI's AI systems replicate the newspapers' copyrighted content verbatim when prompted. Additionally, it alleges that ChatGPT fabricates articles falsely attributed to the newspapers, potentially damaging their reputations. For instance, fabricated articles include a misleading Denver Post piece endorsing smoking as an asthma remedy and a fictitious Chicago Tribune recommendation for an infant lounger that had been linked to child fatalities. Beyond the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, the plaintiffs include prominent newspapers like the Orlando Sentinel, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, San Jose Mercury News, Orange County Register, and Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Seeking both monetary compensation and an injunction against further infringement, the newspapers aim to address what they perceive as a fundamental violation of their intellectual property rights. (With inputs from Reuters)

US newspapers sue OpenAI, Microsoft for copyright infringement in AI training

The Meta stock price took a bit of a beating dropping nearly about 13% after the company's earnings report. Investors were spooked by Meta's increased focus on artificial intelligence and the significant spending that is required for this ambitious plan. The CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the long-term potential of AI but has cautioned that these Investments would not translate into immediate revenue and this lack of short-term Financial gains has spooked investors wiping nearly $170 billion of Meta's market value.

Microsoft & Alphabet stocks fall on Meta earnings spillover

Better-than-expected earnings posted by alphabet and Microsoft helped trigger a tech rally on Friday. And the one common tech binding both firms is artificial intelligence. Latest earnings show that ai is turning out to be a growth-driver for tech firms.

Big tech's earnings show AI driving revenue growth

Microsoft said on Wednesday it found Russian online campaigns aimed at influencing the outcome of the upcoming US presidential election. Watch in for more details!

Microsoft says Russian influence operations targeting US elections

Tech Giant Microsoft says that the company has found Russian operations that are targeting presidential elections in the US. Researchers at Microsoft has released a report which says that Russia-linked accounts are releasing divisive content which is aimed at US audiences.

Microsoft finds Russian operations targeting US elections

The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in fresh claims, said that their access to the email system of Microsoft was misused by Russian government-backed hackers to steal correspondence between the tech giant and officials.

The new claims were made in an emergency directive which was issued by the US watchdog on Thursday (April 11).

The agency, in its directive which was dated April 2, issued a warning that the authentication details shared by Microsoft email are being exploited by hackers to gain entry into the customer systems of Microsoft, which included the systems of some unspecified number of government agencies.

Speaking to the reporters, US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) senior official Eric Goldstein said that &nbsp;“several” US federal agencies have been notified by Microsoft about the possibility of hackers stealing their emails by getting access to login information like usernames, or passwords.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-hackers-break-into-south-korean-chip-equipment-firms-seoul-696774">North Korean hackers broke into South Korean chip equipment firms: Seoul</a>

“At this time, we are not aware of any agency production environments that have experienced a compromise as a result of a credential exposure,” said Goldstein.&nbsp;

The US watchdog's warning that the stolen Microsoft emails are being used to target government agencies follows the announcement made by the company in March that it was still dealing with the intruders, who had been nicknamed "Midnight Blizzard."

<h2>CISA appeals to civilian agencies to increase their defences</h2>

An “emergency directive” was publicly released by CISA on Thursday (April 11) which gave orders to civilian agencies, which were likely to be affected by the hacking campaign, to increase their defences.&nbsp;

CISA said that the potential leak of agency login credentials is an “unacceptable risk to agencies.”

In an email, Microsoft said that it was "working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies."

Speaking to CNN on Thursday (April 11), a Microsoft spokesperson said, “As we shared in our March 8 blog, as we discover secrets in our exfiltrated email, we are working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies.”

Watch:&nbsp;Who is behind hacking operation against US and UK?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-is-behind-hacking-operation-against-us-and-uk-704564/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Last week, the US Cyber Safety Review Board submitted a report in which China was blamed for a separate hack. It was said that the hack was preventable and it was a result of a deliberate lack of transparency and cybersecurity lapses.

CISA further said that the hackers may have tried to attack other non-governmental groups as well. "Other organisations may also have been impacted by the exfiltration of Microsoft corporate email," said CISA.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in fresh claims, said that their access to the email system of Microsoft was misused by Russian government-backed hackers to steal correspondence between the tech giant and officials.

The United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in fresh claims, said that their access to the email system of Microsoft was misused by Russian government-backed hackers to steal correspondence between the tech giant and officials. The new claims were made in an emergency directive which was issued by the US watchdog on Thursday (April 11). The agency, in its directive which was dated April 2, issued a warning that the authentication details shared by Microsoft email are being exploited by hackers to gain entry into the customer systems of Microsoft, which included the systems of some unspecified number of government agencies. Speaking to the reporters, US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) senior official Eric Goldstein said that “several” US federal agencies have been notified by Microsoft about the possibility of hackers stealing their emails by getting access to login information like usernames, or passwords. Also Read: North Korean hackers broke into South Korean chip equipment firms: Seoul “At this time, we are not aware of any agency production environments that have experienced a compromise as a result of a credential exposure,” said Goldstein. The US watchdog's warning that the stolen Microsoft emails are being used to target government agencies follows the announcement made by the company in March that it was still dealing with the intruders, who had been nicknamed "Midnight Blizzard." CISA appeals to civilian agencies to increase their defences An “emergency directive” was publicly released by CISA on Thursday (April 11) which gave orders to civilian agencies, which were likely to be affected by the hacking campaign, to increase their defences. CISA said that the potential leak of agency login credentials is an “unacceptable risk to agencies.” In an email, Microsoft said that it was "working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies." Speaking to CNN on Thursday (April 11), a Microsoft spokesperson said, “As we shared in our March 8 blog, as we discover secrets in our exfiltrated email, we are working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate. This includes working with CISA on an emergency directive to provide guidance to government agencies.” Watch: Who is behind hacking operation against US and UK? Last week, the US Cyber Safety Review Board submitted a report in which China was blamed for a separate hack. It was said that the hack was preventable and it was a result of a deliberate lack of transparency and cybersecurity lapses. CISA further said that the hackers may have tried to attack other non-governmental groups as well. "Other organisations may also have been impacted by the exfiltration of Microsoft corporate email," said CISA. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian hackers used Microsoft to access govt emails: US cyber agency

Tech giant Microsoft has announced plans for a new artificial intelligence Hub in London with product development and research as its prime focus. Watch in for more details!

Microsoft expands its presence in the UK, announces new AI hub in London

Watch in Top Headlines of the hour: - China may use AI to hit elections, says Microsoft - 111-year-old Briton World's Oldest Man - Iran, Hezbollah turn up heat on Israel - Fresh peace talks in Cairo

China may use AI to hit elections, says Microsoft | 111-year-old Briton world's oldest man

Microsoft, the US-based multinational corporation, has raised concerns over possible Chinese influence and disruptions during elections in the United States, South Korea and India using artificial intelligence-generated content. Beijing apparently made a dry run during the presidential election in Taiwan.&nbsp;

A new report released Friday (Apr 5) by Microsoft Threat Intelligence revealed that the tech company has observed notable trends from state-backed actors "that demonstrate not only doubling down on familiar targets but also attempts to use more sophisticated influence techniques to achieve their goals".&nbsp;

The report said that it expects Chinese state-backed cyber groups to target crucial and high-profile elections with a possible involvement of North Korea also.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-blocking-dalai-lamas-sri-lanka-visit-says-top-buddhist-leader-708077">China blocking Dalai Lama's Sri Lanka visit, says top Buddhist leader</a>&nbsp;

The report said, "As populations in India, South Korea and the United States head to the polls, we are likely to see Chinese cyber and influence actors, and to some extent, North Korean cyber actors, work toward targeting these elections."&nbsp;

Chinese influence actors "experimented with new media" and "continued to refine AI-generated or AI-enhanced content" the report said.&nbsp;

"The influence actors behind these campaigns have shown a willingness to both amplify AI-generated media that benefits their strategic narratives, as well as create their own video, memes, and audio content," it added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/typhoon-strong-winds-in-china-pull-three-people-from-apartment-windows-while-they-were-sleeping-708049">Strong winds sucked out three people from their homes in China while they slept</a>&nbsp;

The report highlighted&nbsp;a "notable uptick in content featuring Taiwanese political figures ahead of the January 13 presidential and legislative elections".&nbsp;

Besides Taiwan, China also used AI-generated content to spread propaganda related to Japan's disposal of nuclear wastewater, Hawaii's wildfire and Kentucky's train derailment last year in the form of memes and conspiracy theories.&nbsp;

According to Microsoft, the news anchors were created by the CapCut tool, which is developed by the Chinese company ByteDance, the owner of TikTok.&nbsp;

China hasn't reacted to Microsoft's report yet.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;India elections 2024: Populist poll promises vs reality in India&nbsp;

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<h2>Taiwan election: When pro-China disinformation targeted voters</h2>

Taiwan had claimed that&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-election-pro-china-disinformation-targets-voters-with-deepfakes-and-manipulative-videos-678779">presidential election campaign</a> was hit by a wave of disinformation and TikTok videos, which are particularly aimed at candidates China opposes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Beijing has made it clear that it opposes the frontrunner Lai Ching-te, whose Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rejects China's assertion that Taiwan is its own territory.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft, the US-based multinational corporation, has raised concerns over possible Chinese influence and disruptions during elections in the United States, South Korea and India using artificial intelligence-generated content.

Microsoft, the US-based multinational corporation, has raised concerns over possible Chinese influence and disruptions during elections in the United States, South Korea and India using artificial intelligence-generated content. Beijing apparently made a dry run during the presidential election in Taiwan. A new report released Friday (Apr 5) by Microsoft Threat Intelligence revealed that the tech company has observed notable trends from state-backed actors "that demonstrate not only doubling down on familiar targets but also attempts to use more sophisticated influence techniques to achieve their goals". The report said that it expects Chinese state-backed cyber groups to target crucial and high-profile elections with a possible involvement of North Korea also. Also read: China blocking Dalai Lama's Sri Lanka visit, says top Buddhist leader The report said, "As populations in India, South Korea and the United States head to the polls, we are likely to see Chinese cyber and influence actors, and to some extent, North Korean cyber actors, work toward targeting these elections." Chinese influence actors "experimented with new media" and "continued to refine AI-generated or AI-enhanced content" the report said. "The influence actors behind these campaigns have shown a willingness to both amplify AI-generated media that benefits their strategic narratives, as well as create their own video, memes, and audio content," it added. Also read: Strong winds sucked out three people from their homes in China while they slept The report highlighted a "notable uptick in content featuring Taiwanese political figures ahead of the January 13 presidential and legislative elections". Besides Taiwan, China also used AI-generated content to spread propaganda related to Japan's disposal of nuclear wastewater, Hawaii's wildfire and Kentucky's train derailment last year in the form of memes and conspiracy theories. According to Microsoft, the news anchors were created by the CapCut tool, which is developed by the Chinese company ByteDance, the owner of TikTok. China hasn't reacted to Microsoft's report yet. Watch: India elections 2024: Populist poll promises vs reality in India × Taiwan election: When pro-China disinformation targeted voters Taiwan had claimed that the presidential election campaign was hit by a wave of disinformation and TikTok videos, which are particularly aimed at candidates China opposes. Beijing has made it clear that it opposes the frontrunner Lai Ching-te, whose Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rejects China's assertion that Taiwan is its own territory. (With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft warns against possible Chinese manipulation during elections in India and US

Microsoft and Quantinuum announced a major collaboration aimed towards enhancing the reliability of quantum computers on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p>

Quantum computing has emerged as the next frontier in the technological race, with major tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and IBM investing heavily in its development. <o:p></o:p>

These quantum machines, harnessing the principles of quantum mechanics, promise computational speeds far beyond what conventional computers can achieve. <o:p></o:p>

Tasks that would take millions of years with classical computers could become feasible with quantum computing technology.<o:p></o:p>

The issue with quantum computers lies in their fundamental unit, the "qubit." <o:p></o:p>

Qubits are exceptionally fast but notoriously sensitive, prone to errors even with minor disturbances. <o:p></o:p>

To tackle this challenge, researchers often construct more physical qubits than necessary and employ error-correction techniques to obtain a smaller pool of reliable qubits.<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft and Quantinuum's breakthrough centres on enhancing the reliability of qubits. <o:p></o:p>

By applying a proprietary error-correction algorithm developed by Microsoft to Quantinuum's physical qubits, the collaboration has achieved a significant milestone. <o:p></o:p>

From 30 physical qubits, they were able to yield approximately four reliable qubits. <o:p></o:p>

This ratio marks a hugeimprovement, with Microsoft's executive vice president for strategic missions and technologies, Jason Zander, claiming it to be the best ever recorded.<o:p></o:p>

"We ran more than 14,000 individual experiments without a single error. That's up to 800 times better than anything on record," Reuters quoted Zander as saying.<o:p></o:p>

This level of reliability is crucial for the practical implementation of quantum computing. <o:p></o:p>

Microsoft plans to make this technology accessible to its cloud computing customers in the coming months, signalling a tangible step towards commercialisation.<o:p></o:p>

Quantum researchers have long targeted achieving around 100 reliable qubits, a benchmark believed necessary to surpass the computational power of conventional supercomputers. <o:p></o:p>

While neither Microsoft nor Quantinuum disclosed a specific timeline for reaching this milestone, there is optimism surrounding the accelerated progress facilitated by their new technique. <o:p></o:p>

Ilyas Khan, the chief product officer of Quantinuum, said that the breakthrough could potentially shorten the timeline by at least two years.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

Microsoft and Quantinuum announced a major collaboration aimed towards enhancing the reliability of quantum computers on Wednesday. Quantum computing has emerged as the next frontier in the technological race, with major tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and IBM investing heavily in its development.

Microsoft and Quantinuum announced a major collaboration aimed towards enhancing the reliability of quantum computers on Wednesday. Quantum computing has emerged as the next frontier in the technological race, with major tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and IBM investing heavily in its development. These quantum machines, harnessing the principles of quantum mechanics, promise computational speeds far beyond what conventional computers can achieve. Tasks that would take millions of years with classical computers could become feasible with quantum computing technology. The issue with quantum computers lies in their fundamental unit, the "qubit." Qubits are exceptionally fast but notoriously sensitive, prone to errors even with minor disturbances. To tackle this challenge, researchers often construct more physical qubits than necessary and employ error-correction techniques to obtain a smaller pool of reliable qubits. Microsoft and Quantinuum's breakthrough centres on enhancing the reliability of qubits. By applying a proprietary error-correction algorithm developed by Microsoft to Quantinuum's physical qubits, the collaboration has achieved a significant milestone. From 30 physical qubits, they were able to yield approximately four reliable qubits. This ratio marks a hugeimprovement, with Microsoft's executive vice president for strategic missions and technologies, Jason Zander, claiming it to be the best ever recorded. "We ran more than 14,000 individual experiments without a single error. That's up to 800 times better than anything on record," Reuters quoted Zander as saying. This level of reliability is crucial for the practical implementation of quantum computing. Microsoft plans to make this technology accessible to its cloud computing customers in the coming months, signalling a tangible step towards commercialisation. Quantum researchers have long targeted achieving around 100 reliable qubits, a benchmark believed necessary to surpass the computational power of conventional supercomputers. While neither Microsoft nor Quantinuum disclosed a specific timeline for reaching this milestone, there is optimism surrounding the accelerated progress facilitated by their new technique. Ilyas Khan, the chief product officer of Quantinuum, said that the breakthrough could potentially shorten the timeline by at least two years. (With inputs from Reuters)

Breakthrough in Quantum Computing: Microsoft and Quantinuum make strides

There is a major shift for Microsoft's popular collaboration platform, teams. After unbundling teams from office products in Europe last year to avoid an antitrust fine, Microsoft is now making this change global.

Microsoft ends teams bundle with office, faces EU scrutiny

Microsoft will sell its chat and video app Teams separately from its Office product globally, the US&nbsp;tech giant said on Monday, six months after it unbundled the two products in Europe in a bid to avert a possible EU antitrust fine.

The European Commission has been investigating Microsoft's tying of Office and Teams since a 2020 complaint by Salesforce-owned competing workspace messaging app Slack.

Teams, which was added to Office 365 in 2017 for free, subsequently replaced Skype for Business and became popular during the pandemic due in part to its video conferencing.

Rivals, however, said packaging the products together gives Microsoft an unfair advantage. The company started&nbsp;selling the two products separately in the EU&nbsp;and Switzerland on Oct. 1 last year.

"To ensure clarity for our customers, we are extending the steps we took last year to unbundle Teams from M365 and O365 in the European Economic Area and Switzerland to customers globally," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

"Doing so also addresses feedback from the European Commission by providing multinational companies more flexibility when they want to standardise their purchasing across geographies."

Microsoft said in a blogpost that it was introducing a new lineup of commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites that do not include Teams in regions outside the EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland, and also a new standalone Teams offering for Enterprise customers in those regions.

Starting April 1, customers can either continue with their current licensing deal, renew, update or switch to the new offers.

For new commercial customers, prices for Office without Teams range from $7.75 to $54.75 depending on the product while Teams Standalone will cost $5.25. The figures may vary by country and currency. The company did not disclose prices for current packaged products.

Microsoft's unbundling may not be enough to stave off EU antitrust charges which will likely be sent to the company in the coming months as rivals criticise the level of the fees and the ability of their messaging services to function with Office Web Applications in their own services, sources said.

Microsoft, which has racked up 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) in EU antitrust fines in the past decade for tying or bundling two or more products together, risks a fine of as much as 10% of its global annual turnover if found guilty of antitrust breaches.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Microsoft will sell its chat and video app Teams separately from its Office product globally, the US tech giant said on Monday, six months after it unbundled the two products in Europe in a bid to avert a possible EU antitrust fine.

Microsoft will sell its chat and video app Teams separately from its Office product globally, the US tech giant said on Monday, six months after it unbundled the two products in Europe in a bid to avert a possible EU antitrust fine. The European Commission has been investigating Microsoft's tying of Office and Teams since a 2020 complaint by Salesforce-owned competing workspace messaging app Slack. Teams, which was added to Office 365 in 2017 for free, subsequently replaced Skype for Business and became popular during the pandemic due in part to its video conferencing. Rivals, however, said packaging the products together gives Microsoft an unfair advantage. The company started selling the two products separately in the EU and Switzerland on Oct. 1 last year. "To ensure clarity for our customers, we are extending the steps we took last year to unbundle Teams from M365 and O365 in the European Economic Area and Switzerland to customers globally," a Microsoft spokesperson said. "Doing so also addresses feedback from the European Commission by providing multinational companies more flexibility when they want to standardise their purchasing across geographies." Microsoft said in a blogpost that it was introducing a new lineup of commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites that do not include Teams in regions outside the EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland, and also a new standalone Teams offering for Enterprise customers in those regions. Starting April 1, customers can either continue with their current licensing deal, renew, update or switch to the new offers. For new commercial customers, prices for Office without Teams range from $7.75 to $54.75 depending on the product while Teams Standalone will cost $5.25. The figures may vary by country and currency. The company did not disclose prices for current packaged products. Microsoft's unbundling may not be enough to stave off EU antitrust charges which will likely be sent to the company in the coming months as rivals criticise the level of the fees and the ability of their messaging services to function with Office Web Applications in their own services, sources said. Microsoft, which has racked up 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) in EU antitrust fines in the past decade for tying or bundling two or more products together, risks a fine of as much as 10% of its global annual turnover if found guilty of antitrust breaches.

Microsoft to separate Teams and Office globally amid antitrust scrutiny

Microsoft and OpenAI are embarking on a $100 billion project known as Stargate. This ambitious initiative aims to revolutionize AI by introducing an advanced supercomputer capable of handling the most complex tasks. With demand for AI infrastructure skyrocketing, Stargate represents a significant leap forward in meeting industry needs.

Microsoft & OpenAI partner on $100 billion AI data center

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