Microsoft announced that its Phi series of generative AI models has a new member - Phi-4. Compared to previous versions, Phi-4 shows improvements in several areas, particularly in solving mathematical problems, thanks to the enhanced quality of training data. As of Thursday evening, access to Phi-4 is relatively limited, available only on Microsoft's newly launched Azure AI Foundry development platform and restricted to research purposes under the Microsoft Research Licensing Agreement. Image source note: Image generated by AI, image licensed.

Harvard University announced on Thursday the release of a high-quality dataset containing nearly one million public domain books, which anyone can use to train large language models and other AI tools. This dataset was created by Harvard's newly established Institutional Data Initiative and is funded by Microsoft and OpenAI. The included books are all works scanned by the Google Books Project that are no longer under copyright protection.

In a recent interview, Microsoft's AI Chief Mustafa Suleyman and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed a notable disparity regarding the timeline for achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Altman stated in a Reddit Q&A that AGI could be realized with the current hardware conditions, while Suleyman was skeptical, arguing that the current hardware technology is insufficient to support the development of AGI.

In product teams, the backlog of screen recordings and screenshots often goes unnoticed, with video creation being both time-consuming and costly. However, two former Microsoft employees saw an opportunity in this market and decided to launch an AI tool called Lica, which easily transforms screenshots and recordings into engaging tutorials and product videos. This startup was founded in 2023 by Priyaa Kalyanaraman and Purvanshi Mehta, both ex-Microsoft employees.

Recently, Tesla CEO Elon Musk's legal team filed a request in court for a temporary injunction against OpenAI's transition to a profit-driven company. Reportedly, this request is part of Musk's ongoing litigation against the artificial intelligence firm. Musk's legal team argues that if Musk prevails in court, OpenAI may lack sufficient funds to pay potential damages, thus necessitating legal action. Image source note: Image generated by AI, image authorized by service provider Midjourney in legal documents.

Recently, Microsoft's 'Connected Experience' setting in its Office software has sparked widespread discussion and concern among users. Many are worried that this default-enabled feature may allow Microsoft to use user data from Word and Excel documents to train its artificial intelligence models without obtaining user consent. In response, Microsoft firmly denies these allegations, clearly stating that it will not use customer data without obtaining explicit permission from users. A Microsoft spokesperson told the media: 'At Microsoft...'

Microsoft recently released the open-source library TinyTroupe, a groundbreaking AI system that simulates human behavior in virtual environments, providing businesses with innovative product testing and market research solutions. TinyTroupe utilizes large language models such as GPT-4o to create AI agents called "TinyPersons" with unique personalities, interests, and goals. These virtual agents can interact within "TinyWorlds" environments, simulating real user scenarios. Unlike traditional game simulations, Tin

Microsoft has recently made significant progress in the field of enterprise AI intelligences, establishing the world's largest enterprise AI intelligent ecosystem. Since the launch of Copilot Studio, over 100,000 organizations have participated in the creation and editing of AI intelligences. This milestone signifies Microsoft's leading position in the enterprise technology sector. Microsoft executive Charles Lamanna stated that the growth rate exceeded expectations, being faster than the adoption rate of any cutting-edge technology previously released by the company.

Microsoft announced the launch of a new tool, Azure AI Foundry, at its annual Ignite conference, aimed at simplifying the operational workflow for cloud customers building and deploying artificial intelligence applications, and enhancing the commercial potential of generative AI. This tool allows users to more easily switch between large language models that support AI. For instance, customers using older OpenAI products can try the new model version or opt for alternatives like Mistral and Meta. Image source note: The image was generated by AI, with image licensing provided by Midj.

Microsoft Research recently inaugurated its newest laboratory in Tokyo, Japan, marking a significant step in the company's AI research initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region. Leading the lab is former Osaka University professor and senior researcher at Microsoft Research Asia, Kazuya Matsushita, who returns to Microsoft with ten years of academic experience to embark on a new chapter. The new laboratory will focus on fields such as embodied AI, health and welfare, neuroscience, social AI, and industrial innovation, aligning closely with Japan's socioeconomic development priorities. Through deep collaboration with local academia and industry, the laboratory aims to contribute to global innovation.