Microsoft Corp - MSFT STOCK NEWS

Blizzard Entertainment partnered with Idomoo to create millions of personalized videos celebrating 100 million Overwatch players. The campaign featured personalized data points including players' most-played heroes, top teammates, total hours played, and K/D/A ratios.

The initiative achieved significant engagement metrics, driving a 20x higher click-through-open rate and contributing to a 145% increase in weekly email opt-ins. The campaign's success was further demonstrated by a 41% share rate among video viewers, generating substantial social media buzz.

Idomoo's Next Generation Video Platform integrated player data with animated scenes, distributing content via personalized GIFs in marketing emails. The technology enables gaming companies to generate real-time customized recap videos featuring players' achievements, local language options, and interactive CTAs to enhance game time and retention.

Microsoft has announced a $5 million AI for Good Open Call grant program aimed at driving innovation in Washington state. The initiative, launched to celebrate Microsoft's 50th anniversary, invites organizations to leverage AI for addressing social and scientific challenges. Eligible participants include nonprofits, academic institutions, researchers, startups, and businesses based in or benefiting Washington state.

Projects must focus on sustainability, public health, education, or human rights. Selected grantees will collaborate with Microsoft's AI scientists and receive access to Azure compute resources. Applications are open until February 17, 2025, with notifications scheduled for March 18, 2025. Successful applicants must demonstrate potential for creating unique, scalable solutions backed by clean, accurate, and unbiased data.

Permuto Capital has filed a registration statement with the SEC for a new type of equity product through a voting trust investment vehicle. The trust will initially hold Microsoft (MSFT) common stock and issue two types of certificates: dividend certificates and appreciation certificates, representing the dividend and capital appreciation portions of the underlying stock respectively.

These certificates will trade separately, allowing investors to choose their exposure. Certificate holders can trade through either The Depository Trust Company or the Chia blockchain. The trust plans to limit holdings to 10% of MSFT's outstanding shares. Only qualified institutional buyers and accredited investors can initially deposit shares, but secondary market trading will be open to all investors.

Certificate holders will have voting rights proportionate to trading prices. Permuto will charge transaction fees for deposits and redemptions, plus a fee based on distributions to dividend certificates. The trust will not receive cash proceeds from certificate issuance.

Pearson (PSO) and Microsoft (MSFT) announced a strategic partnership to address AI skilling challenges in the workforce. The collaboration combines Pearson's learning expertise with Microsoft's cloud and AI technologies to develop new AI-powered products and services.

Key aspects of the partnership include: Pearson leveraging Microsoft Azure Cloud and AI infrastructure to scale personalized learning services; development of new AI credentials and certifications; extension of Pearson VUE's Microsoft certification partnership through 2029; and Pearson's deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot across its workforce.

The partnership addresses critical market needs, as IDC research shows lack of skilled workers is the biggest challenge for AI implementation, with 66% of leaders unwilling to hire candidates without AI skills. Pearson's research indicates generative AI could save U.S. workers 78 million hours weekly on routine tasks.

Microsoft (MSFT) has announced it will release its fiscal year 2025 second-quarter financial results after market close on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. The results will be published on the Microsoft Investor Relations website. A live webcast of the earnings conference call will be available at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

Microsoft has announced its latest quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share. The dividend will be paid on March 13, 2025, to shareholders of record as of February 20, 2025, which is also the ex-dividend date. This announcement reinforces Microsoft's commitment to delivering value to shareholders while maintaining its position as a leading technology company focused on AI-powered solutions.

C3 AI and Microsoft have announced a strategic alliance to accelerate Enterprise AI adoption on Microsoft Azure. The partnership includes technical integration, making C3 AI's Enterprise AI applications available on Microsoft's Commercial Cloud Portal, joint product development, and collaborative sales and marketing efforts. Key solutions immediately available include C3 AI Energy Management, ESG, Reliability, Sourcing Optimization, Property Appraisal, Generative AI for Public Benefits, and Demand Forecasting. The alliance positions Microsoft as C3 AI's preferred cloud provider and establishes C3 AI as a preferred AI application software provider on Azure.

Microsoft showcases real-world implementation of its AI solutions at Microsoft Ignite, highlighting significant adoption across major organizations. Over 85% of Fortune 500 companies are using Microsoft AI, with nearly 70% utilizing Microsoft 365 Copilot. Notable success stories include ABB Group achieving 40% cost savings in operations, Air India handling 30,000 daily queries through AI.g, and Campari Group reporting 16-30 minutes daily time savings per employee. According to IDC, generative AI usage increased from 55% in 2023 to 75% in 2024, with companies seeing a $3.7 return for every $1 invested. Global AI spending is projected to reach $632 billion by 2028.

Accenture, Microsoft, and Avanade are launching a Copilot business transformation practice to help organizations implement AI technologies. The initiative includes a team of 5,000 professionals supported by Microsoft specialists and access to over 50,000 Microsoft Copilot-trained professionals. Early results show significant impact: Repsol employees are saving an average of 121 minutes per week, with maintenance roles saving up to 225 minutes weekly. The partnership focuses on developing industry-specific Copilots, custom solutions, and AI-powered workflows, with Accenture planning to expand its Microsoft 365 Copilot users from 100,000 to approximately 200,000.