Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology company founded by [[Bill Gates]] and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975.[^c1] Over five decades, the company evolved from a developer of personal computer software into one of the world's most valuable technology enterprises. Microsoft established the [[Windows]] operating system and Office productivity suite as industry standards, expanded into gaming with [[Xbox]], and transformed its business model under CEO [[Satya Nadella]] from a software-licensing model to cloud-based subscriptions anchored by [[Azure]].[^c2]
In fiscal year 2025, Microsoft reported annual revenue of $281.7 billion. By early 2026, its cloud platform Azure held 21% of the global cloud infrastructure market, competing with Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud.[^c4] The company's AI revenue reached a $37 billion annual run rate, driven by the integration of artificial intelligence across its product lines including the Copilot assistant, Azure AI services, and the company's partnership with OpenAI.[^c3] In April 2026, Microsoft and OpenAI restructured their partnership, ending Azure's exclusive role as OpenAI's cloud provider.[^c5] The partnership generated roughly $30 billion in revenue between 2023 and 2025.[^c6] Microsoft also maintains a major presence in professional networking through [[LinkedIn]], in gaming through Xbox and its [[Activision Blizzard]] subsidiary, and in enterprise software through the Microsoft 365 suite.
The company has faced mounting regulatory scrutiny in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe over its cloud computing and AI market positions, alongside investor concerns about the scale of its capital expenditure on AI infrastructure. Its sustainability efforts have been complicated by rising energy demands from AI data centers, and in mid-2026 Microsoft signaled it may delay its clean energy targets.[^c7] The company also undertook significant workforce reductions in 2026, affecting approximately 10,000 employees through layoffs and voluntary buyouts.[^c8]