OpenAI was building AI systems that could one day lead to AGI, but along the way, as those systems became more powerful, they could make Azure a more attractive service to customers. Artificial intelligence was going to become a fundamental part of the cloud business, and cloud was on track to make up half of Microsoft’s annual sales. If Microsoft could sell some cool new AI features—like chatbots that could replace call center workers—to its corporate customers, those customers were less likely to leave for a competitor. The more features they signed up for, the harder it would be to switch.
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