Articles tagged with "Microsoft"
Microsoft’s plan to fix its chip problem is, partly, to let OpenAI do the heavy lifting
Microsoft is addressing its semiconductor challenges by leveraging its partnership with OpenAI, which is developing custom AI chips in collaboration with Broadcom. Under a revised agreement, Microsoft has secured intellectual property rights to OpenAI’s chip designs and will have access to these innovations, allowing it to adopt and extend the technology for its own use. This move comes as Microsoft’s chip efforts have lagged behind competitors like Google and Amazon, making the partnership a pragmatic solution to accelerate its AI hardware capabilities. CEO Satya Nadella emphasized that Microsoft benefits from OpenAI’s system-level innovations, gaining a significant advantage without bearing the full burden of chip development. The agreement also grants Microsoft continued access to OpenAI’s AI models through 2032, though OpenAI retains exclusive rights to its consumer hardware products. This collaboration highlights the complexity and cost of building advanced AI chips, with Microsoft opting to rely on OpenAI’s expertise and a strategic contract to bolster its position in the AI hardware space.
semiconductorsAI-chipsMicrosoftOpenAIchip-designtechnology-collaborationcustom-hardwareMicrosoft inks $9.7B deal with Australia’s IREN for AI cloud capacity
Microsoft has secured a significant $9.7 billion, five-year contract with Australia-based IREN to expand its AI cloud computing capacity. This deal grants Microsoft access to advanced compute infrastructure equipped with Nvidia GB300 GPUs, which will be deployed in phases through 2026 at IREN’s facility in Childress, Texas, designed to support up to 750 megawatts of capacity. Separately, IREN is investing about $5.8 billion in GPUs and equipment from Dell to support this infrastructure expansion. The agreement follows Microsoft’s recent launch of AI models optimized for reasoning, agentic AI systems, and multi-modal generative AI, reflecting the company's efforts to meet growing demand for AI services. Microsoft has also previously acquired approximately 200,000 Nvidia GB300 GPUs for data centers in Europe and the U.S. IREN, originally a bitcoin-mining firm, has pivoted successfully to AI workloads, leveraging its extensive GPU resources. CEO Daniel Roberts anticipates that the Microsoft contract will utilize only
energycloud-computingAI-infrastructureGPUsdata-centersMicrosoftNvidiaMicrosoft buys another 100 MW of solar, this time in Japan
Microsoft has agreed to purchase 100 megawatts of solar power capacity from Japanese developer Shizen Energy, continuing its series of renewable energy investments to support its expanding computing infrastructure. The company already operates two data centers in Japan and plans to invest $2.9 billion in the country over the next year, underscoring its commitment to growing its presence there. Solar energy is increasingly favored by tech firms and data center operators due to its relatively low cost and rapid deployment, with projects typically completed within 18 months and power generation often starting before full completion. Microsoft has been a significant buyer of solar power recently, having contracted over 1 gigawatt of solar capacity since the beginning of the year, reflecting its strategy to meet rising compute demands sustainably.
energysolar-powerrenewable-energyMicrosoftdata-centersJapanclean-energyHackers exploiting SharePoint zero-day seen targeting government agencies, say researchers
Researchers have identified hackers exploiting a previously unknown zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint, primarily targeting government organizations. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a warning about the active exploitation of this flaw, which affects on-premises SharePoint servers but not the cloud versions. Initial attacks have focused on a limited set of targets, including U.S. federal and state agencies, universities, and energy companies, suggesting the involvement of a government-affiliated threat actor. Experts note that while the initial exploitation has been relatively contained, the vulnerability remains unpatched across many organizations, with estimates of 9,000 to 10,000 vulnerable SharePoint instances accessible online. This exposure raises concerns that other malicious actors, beyond the original government-linked hackers, may begin exploiting the flaw more broadly. Microsoft advises organizations to either apply the patch promptly or disconnect their SharePoint servers from the internet to mitigate the risk. Security researchers continue to monitor the situation as the campaign evolves.
energycybersecuritySharePointgovernment-agencieszero-day-vulnerabilityhackingMicrosoftMicrosoft to build world's most powerful quantum computer in Denmark
Microsoft, in collaboration with Denmark’s investment fund EIFO and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, is launching QuNorth, a project aimed at building the world’s most powerful commercial quantum computer, named Magne, in the Nordic region. With a €80 million ($93 million) investment, QuNorth seeks to address the Nordic countries' current lack of access to advanced Level 2 quantum systems, which are crucial for conducting reliable and complex quantum computations. Magne will feature 50 logical qubits supported by 1,200 physical qubits, making it one of the first Level 2 quantum computers globally. This full-stack quantum computer will integrate hardware, software, operating systems, and control electronics, with Atom Computing providing the hardware and Microsoft supplying Azure software tailored to Atom’s neutral atom technology. Construction of Magne is set to begin in late 2025, with completion expected by early 2027. QuNorth will establish a leadership team, including a CEO and research positions in partnership with Microsoft,
quantum-computingMicrosoftquantum-technologyNordic-regionLevel-2-quantum-systemsAtom-ComputingQuNorth-projectBreakneck data center growth challenges Microsoft’s sustainability goals
energysustainabilitycarbon-emissionsdata-centersmaterialsMicrosoftclean-energy'Cơn sốt' trung tâm dữ liệu AI đang chững lại?
energydata-centersAIMicrosoftAmazonelectricity-consumptioncapacity-managementMicrosoft CEO says up to 30% of the company’s code was written by AI
MicrosoftAI-generated-codeSatya-Nadellasoftware-developmenttechnology-trendsprogramming-languagesMeta