Microsoft just rolled out a suite of AI-powered shopping features across Bing and Edge to streamline product research. The new tools generate custom buying guides with side-by-side spec comparisons and use Bing Chat to condense web reviews into key pros and cons. Edge is also adding price tracking to help claim price matches. Review summaries are rolling out globally now.
Microsoft just launched a global AI Skills Initiative alongside LinkedIn and data.org, rolling out the online learning market's first free Generative AI Professional Certificate. The push also includes an open grant challenge giving nonprofits funding, Azure cloud compute, and technical training. All coursework remains free through 2025.
OpenAI just rolled out its Browsing feature to the iOS and Android ChatGPT apps for Plus subscribers, though all queries run exclusively through Bing. The update lets GPT-4 pull fresh information beyond its 2021 training cutoff straight into mobile chats. Why it matters: Mobile research just got much more useful, but users are entirely locked into Microsoft's search ecosystem.
Microsoft Research just unveiled Orca, a 13-billion-parameter model that learns by imitating the step-by-step reasoning processes of GPT-4. Built on Vicuna, it doubled its predecessor's score on the BBH benchmark and matched ChatGPT's reasoning chops. Why it matters: developers can now run GPT-level logic locally on modest hardware without renting massive cloud clusters, even though it still trails GPT-4 on exams like the LSAT.
Chinese President Xi Jinping just told Bill Gates that China welcomes U.S. firms bringing their AI tech into the country, according to Reuters sources. The two discussed global AI developments and Microsoft's China footprint during their Beijing meeting, though Chinese state media omitted the AI remarks. Why it matters: Amid rising geopolitical friction and tech export controls, it marks a rare signal of openness toward American AI giants.
Microsoft just expanded Copilot into its Dynamics 365 ERP lineup, covering Finance, Project Operations, and Supply Chain Management. Project managers can now draft plans and status reports in minutes using natural language prompts, while procurement teams can analyze bulk purchase order changes automatically. Why it matters: generative AI is finally taking on the clunkiest part of enterprise work—rigid ERP data entry and manual reporting.
Mercedes-Benz just integrated ChatGPT into its MBUX voice assistant via Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service for drivers in the US. Instead of sticking strictly to standard car commands, the system can now hold natural conversations, answer follow-up queries, and share travel tips while keeping your eyes on the road.
OpenAI reportedly warned Microsoft to slow down its rollout of an unreleased GPT-4 inside Bing, cautioning that the bot would hallucinate and go off the rails. Microsoft pushed forward anyway, leading to Bing Chat's chaotic February launch filled with bizarre arguments and insults. Why it matters: Behind their multi-billion-dollar alliance, the two tech giants are increasingly clashing as collaborators turned fierce rivals.
Microsoft just rolled out voice commands and text-to-speech audio replies for Bing Chat, letting users speak queries instead of typing. The feature launches with support for English, Mandarin, French, and German. Alongside the voice upgrade, Microsoft expanded conversation limits up to 30 turns per session and 300 turns per day.
Microsoft just integrated its AI-powered graphic tool Designer into the free version of Teams, rolling out in preview on Windows 11. Powered by OpenAI's DALL-E 2, it lets users spin up posters, presentations, and social graphics directly from text prompts. It essentially brings Canva-like design convenience right inside your daily collaboration hub.
Nvidia just briefly joined the elite $1 trillion market cap club on Tuesday before paring back gains to close at $990 billion. Fueled by an insatiable demand for generative AI chips behind products like ChatGPT, the company previously projected a massive $11 billion in Q2 sales, beating Wall Street estimates by 50%.
Microsoft just rolled out intelligent meeting recaps for Teams Premium subscribers, powered by GPT models. The feature automatically drafts meeting notes, creates follow-up action items, and puts personalized markers on video timelines to show exactly when your name was mentioned or when you spoke. It is currently English-only.
Opera just launched Aria, a ChatGPT-powered AI assistant baked directly into its browser sidebar. Unlike vanilla ChatGPT, Aria can pull real-time information from across the web and answer technical questions using Opera's support database. It's Opera's direct answer to Microsoft Edge's Copilot sidebar, letting users summarize pages, draft copy, and write code without leaving the browser.
Microsoft just introduced Windows Copilot, bringing a centralized AI sidebar right to the Windows 11 taskbar. It works alongside apps to adjust settings, summarize or rewrite text, and supports Bing Chat and ChatGPT plugins. The Windows Copilot preview lands in June, while developers can test the new Dev Home companion starting today.
Microsoft just announced it is adopting OpenAI's open plugin standard across its entire Copilot lineup, while making Bing the default search engine inside ChatGPT. Developers can now build a single plugin that works across ChatGPT, Bing, and Microsoft 365 Copilot, backed by new Azure AI tooling and safety services. Why it matters: It unifies the two biggest AI ecosystems, making building and distributing AI tools far simpler.
Microsoft just brought generative AI into the Microsoft Store, adding automated review summaries that distill user feedback alongside standard star ratings. The company is also rolling out a dedicated AI Hub to showcase creative and productivity apps, plus AI-suggested search tags for developers. Why it matters: App hunting gets faster, though Microsoft is still working out how to stop review-bombing from corrupting the AI.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella just pushed back against Elon Musk's claim that Microsoft controls OpenAI through its multibillion-dollar investment. Nadella clarified that Microsoft only holds a non-controlling interest and commercial partnership, while a non-profit board steers the startup. He added that smaller players still have plenty of room to take on tech giants.
Elon Musk just claimed in a CNBC interview that he is the reason OpenAI exists, arguing he came up with the name, recruited key talent, and invested roughly $50 million. Musk also warned that the startup no longer prioritizes AI safety and is effectively controlled by Microsoft, an assertion Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella strongly denied.
Geoffrey Hinton just warned that artificial intelligence poses an existential risk that could end up being more urgent to humanity than climate change. Unlike global warming, where the fix is simply stopping carbon emissions, Hinton argued that no one currently knows how to control advanced AI. While calling proposals for a development pause completely unrealistic, he stressed that massive resources must be poured into finding solutions immediately.
Warren Buffett just compared the rise of AI to the creation of the atomic bomb at Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting. After getting a ChatGPT demo from Bill Gates, the legendary investor warned that once such disruptive technology is unleashed, it can never be un-invented—forever altering the modern world.
