Tag: Microsoft Store

  • Sam Altman becomes a member of Microsoft’s AI team after leaving OpenAI

    Sam Altman becomes a member of Microsoft’s AI team after leaving OpenAI

    Microsoft’s Latest Move: Hiring Former OpenAI CEO and Co-founder

    In a surprising turn of events, Microsoft has made a significant move by hiring Sam Altman, the former CEO of OpenAI, and Greg Brockman, a co-founder of OpenAI, to lead a new advanced AI research team. This decision comes after Altman’s abrupt dismissal from OpenAI due to concerns over his commitment to the company’s mission. The OpenAI board cited issues with overseeing Altman and a lack of trust, which ultimately led to his departure along with Brockman.

    Altman’s Departure and Microsoft’s Support

    Following Altman’s firing, Emmett Shear, co-founder of Twitch, was appointed as the interim CEO of OpenAI. Shear’s unique skills and experience were deemed crucial for the company’s future by the OpenAI board. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed excitement about Altman and Brockman joining Microsoft and reassured their commitment to providing them with the necessary resources.

    Nadella took to social media to emphasize Microsoft’s dedication to its partnership with OpenAI, stating, “We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap.” This statement not only reflects Microsoft’s strategic intent to maintain a strong collaboration with OpenAI but also highlights their determination to enhance their own AI research capabilities.

    Impact on the AI Community

    Altman’s unexpected departure from OpenAI has caused a stir in the tech industry, revealing a divide within the AI community between those advocating for rapid development and those expressing concerns about AI’s potential risks. Altman had been discussing a new AI start-up, and his firing led to some employees planning to leave OpenAI. Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI, was taken aback by the sudden decision, learning about it shortly before it was publicly announced.

    Microsoft’s Investment in AI Technology

    Microsoft’s decision to form a new AI research team led by Altman and Brockman is part of the company’s ongoing investment in AI technology. In addition to this move, Microsoft has also developed its own custom AI chip, the Azure Maia, which aims to reduce reliance on Nvidia and power its Azure data centers. This development showcases Microsoft’s commitment to advancing AI research and solidifies its position in the competitive AI research space.

    Conclusion

    Microsoft’s acquisition of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman positions the company favorably in the AI research landscape. By leveraging their expertise and following among AI professionals, Microsoft is strengthening its capabilities and reaffirming its commitment to innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. With Altman and Brockman leading the new AI research team, Microsoft is poised to make significant advancements in the realm of AI technology.

    Source: 1, 2

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  • Introducing the Bluey Edition Xbox Series X and Controller by Microsoft

    Introducing the Bluey Edition Xbox Series X and Controller by Microsoft

    Microsoft Introduces Limited Edition Bluey Xbox and Controller

    Microsoft has unveiled a special edition version of its Xbox Series X console and Xbox Wireless Controller called the Bluey Xbox. This unique variant is released in celebration of the launch of Bluey: The Video Game, which is based on the popular Australian animated kids show. The game is available on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC platforms.

    Enter the Giveaway for a Chance to Win

    To add to the excitement, Microsoft is hosting a giveaway for the custom-built Bluey Xbox and controller. To participate, you must follow Xbox on X (formerly Twitter) and retweet the company’s promotional Sweepstakes hashtag. It is important to note that entrants must be at least 18 years old and reside in a country where Xbox is available. The giveaway will begin on November 17, 2023, at 6:00 PM Pacific Time (PT) and will conclude on December 13, 2023, at 8:00 PM PT.

    Aesthetics and Design

    The Bluey Xbox and Controller showcase the charm of the titular character, Bluey the Blue Heeler puppy, with its iconic light blue color scheme. The controller also features a similar design, incorporating light and dark blue hues, adding to its adorable appeal. This limited edition release follows Microsoft’s recent launch of a Willy Wonka-themed Xbox Series X console and an edible chocolate Xbox controller.

    Source: 1

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  • Custom-Designed Chips Maia and Cobalt: Microsoft’s Giant Leap in AI Technology

    Custom-Designed Chips Maia and Cobalt: Microsoft’s Giant Leap in AI Technology

    Microsoft Unveils Custom-Designed Chips: Maia AI Accelerator and Azure Cobalt CPU

    Microsoft has recently made a groundbreaking move in the tech race by introducing two custom-designed chips, the Azure Maia AI Accelerator and Azure Cobalt CPU. These chips have undergone years of covert refinement in a Silicon lab on Microsoft’s Redmond campus and are set to revolutionize the landscape of AI services and cloud computing.

    Maia AI Accelerator

    The Maia chip is specifically tailored to accelerate AI computing tasks, addressing the increasing costs associated with delivering AI services. It has been optimized to power Microsoft’s $30-a-month “Copilot” service and is designed to efficiently run large language models, including those integral to Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service. By routing most AI efforts through common foundational AI models, Microsoft aims to significantly improve efficiency and tackle the challenge of high AI service costs.

    Azure Cobalt CPU

    Complementing the Maia chip is the Cobalt chip, which is a central processing unit (CPU) strategically designed to compete with Amazon Web Services’ Graviton series of in-house chips. Cobalt utilizes technology from Arm Holdings and has undergone rigorous testing, proving its capabilities by powering Microsoft’s business messaging tool, Teams. Unlike its counterparts, Cobalt will not be restricted for internal use only; Microsoft plans to sell direct access to Cobalt, presenting a competitive alternative to AWS’s chips.

    Acknowledging the stiff competition with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft is keen on emphasizing the competitive performance and price-to-performance ratio of its Cobalt chip. This strategic move aligns with Microsoft’s overarching strategy of designing chips to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and ultimately offer superior solutions to customers.

    Technical details reveal that both Maia and Cobalt chips are manufactured using cutting-edge 5-nanometer technology from TSMC. The Maia chip, in a cost-effective twist, employs standard Ethernet network cabling instead of the more expensive custom Nvidia networking technology used in OpenAI’s supercomputers.

    Analysts view Microsoft’s approach with the Maia chip as a clever maneuver, allowing the company to capitalize on selling AI services in the cloud until personal devices become powerful enough. AWS’s Graviton chip, which reportedly boasts 50,000 customers, highlights the fierce competition in the AI chip market, with AWS emphasizing ongoing innovation in delivering future chip generations.

    The unveiling of the Maia and Cobalt chips marks a significant step in Microsoft’s quest for efficient, scalable, and sustainable computing power. These chips not only address the demands of AI workloads but also play a crucial role in optimizing infrastructure systems from silicon to servers for both internal and customer workloads.

    As Microsoft sets its sights on designing second-generation versions of the Maia and Cobalt chips, the future promises continued optimization across every layer of the technological stack for enhanced performance, power efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Microsoft’s venture into custom-designed chips is poised to reshape the AI landscape and propel the industry toward new horizons.

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  • Windows 10 Mobile App Store appears to be quietly closed by Microsoft.

    Windows 10 Mobile App Store appears to be quietly closed by Microsoft.

    Microsoft Shuts Down Core Functionalities of Windows 10 Mobile App Store

    Microsoft has taken a significant step in phasing out its Windows 10 Mobile platform by quietly shutting down the core functionalities of its Microsoft Store app store on this platform. This closure marks the end of an era for Windows 10 Mobile and the classic generation of Windows Phone systems. The Lumia 950 series was the first to feature Windows 10 back in 2015.

    Inaccessible Homepage and Malfunctioning Pages

    Users have reported that the Windows 10 Mobile App Store's homepage is no longer accessible, and the pages designated for app downloads and updates fail to load correctly. Furthermore, the app details page is experiencing intermittent issues. This decline in functionality follows Microsoft's decision in December 2019 to end support for all Windows 10 Mobile devices, a move that coincided with the closure of the Windows Phone 8.1 store.

    App Store Functionality Termination

    Despite the termination of device support, the Microsoft Store app store remained operational for a time. Microsoft had assured users that while the operating system would not receive further updates, the app store would continue to function, with app and software support left to the discretion of developers and OEMs.

    Sideloading as an Alternative

    An important feature of Windows 10 Mobile is its support for sideloading, allowing users to install applications outside of the Microsoft Store. This capability remains a vital alternative for users, especially in light of the store's malfunction. Interestingly, some users have reported that the store resumes normal function upon installing the latest offline package, suggesting a potential workaround for accessing the store's services.

    Microsoft's Shift in Focus

    Microsoft has shifted its primary focus away from mobile platforms and is now concentrating on AI and the PC market. There have been rumors suggesting that the company is actively working on the development of Windows 12. Recently, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made a significant statement, acknowledging that discontinuing Windows Phone was a mistake.

    Expanding Mobile Device Market

    Despite the PC market being a lucrative area for Microsoft, the mobile device market is still expanding and evolving, especially with the emergence of new products like foldable devices. Many smartphone companies joined the market relatively late but have achieved success through perseverance. While Microsoft entered the smartphone arena somewhat belatedly, it was during the early days of smartphones, and thus, missed out on this opportunity.

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