Microsoft
Microsoft on Beyond Market Intelligence: a running collection of 30 stories we have gathered and hand-picked because they are worth your time. Every post here touches on microsoft in some way — the news, the analysis, the deep dives, and the occasional surprise find. Acme AI is the next-generation, AI-powered spreadsheet platform built to replace Excel and redefine how analysts, data scientists, and enterprise teams work with data. New stories are added to this page as we find them, so check back if you want to keep up with what is happening around microsoft, or subscribe to the RSS feed to get them as soon as they are published. Browse the collection below, or head back to the homepage to see everything Beyond Market Intelligence is covering right now.
Seattle Times and Newsday are the latest publications to sue OpenAI and Microsoft
The legal landscape surrounding AI training data continues to evolve. Following similar actions, *The Seattle Times* and *Newsday* have filed lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging the unauthorized use of their journalistic content to train AI models. These suits highlight growing concerns about copyright and fair use in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence. For further insight into AI agent behavior and related developments, explore our article, "OpenAI confirms ‘wiki incident’…"
The Power BI Developer's Survival Guide to Microsoft Fabric
Power BI developers, a significant shift is underway. Microsoft Fabric has arrived, effectively replacing Power BI Premium. This guide provides a clear, concise overview of what’s changed—and what hasn’t—to ensure a smooth transition. We'll equip you with the essential knowledge to navigate this evolution and confidently begin leveraging Fabric's capabilities. If you're exploring the broader landscape of AI-powered development, consider "How to Solve the Right Problem in the Age of Agentic AI" for a practical framework.
Copilot Code Review Reaches Azure Repos, Billed Per Review with Reporting Two Days Behind
Microsoft now extends GitHub Copilot’s code review capabilities to Azure Repos, recognizing the need for flexibility within the Azure DevOps ecosystem. This expansion allows all Azure DevOps customers to leverage AI-powered code analysis without requiring a migration to GitHub. Reviews are billed per use via your Azure subscription, with cost visibility appearing in Cost Management approximately 48 hours later. Budget alerts will notify you of spending, and organizations are limited to five concurrent reviews.
Microsoft tests fix for latest hours-long Outlook outage
Microsoft is actively addressing the recent, widespread Outlook outage that caused significant email delays and failures. The company reports it’s currently testing a fix to resolve these issues, aiming to restore reliable communication for users. This follows a period where many experienced prolonged disruptions, highlighting the critical need for robust email infrastructure. For deeper insight into the underlying complexities impacting these systems, explore our related article, "You Never Told Your Agent What Done Means. It Decided For You."
Neocloud Lambda secures $1B in debt to buy more chips
Neocloud Lambda has secured $1 billion in private debt financing to acquire Nvidia AI chips, which will then be leased to Microsoft. This significant investment highlights the escalating costs associated with the current AI boom and represents a notable shift in infrastructure provisioning. Neocloud Lambda’s move follows a trend of increased borrowing to meet surging demand for AI compute. For further insight into related infrastructure developments, explore our article on Microsoft's efforts to improve predictability in AKS Node Auto-Provisioning.
AKS Looks to Make Node Disruption More Predictable with New NAP Guidance
Microsoft is enhancing the predictability of node disruptions within Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) with new guidance focused on Node Auto-Provisioning (NAP). This initiative balances the efficiency gains of automated node consolidation with the critical need for application availability. Platform teams can now leverage this resource to proactively manage potential impacts. For those exploring the broader implications of AI in data workflows, consider our article "How to Work with AI Coding Agents" for practical insights. This move underscores Microsoft’s commitment to a future-focused, reliable Kubernetes experience.
Microsoft Moves AI Governance From Policy to Runtime Enforcement
Microsoft is reshaping AI governance, moving beyond policy creation to runtime enforcement. Their new architecture, spanning nine domains and four core functions—policy, control, visibility, and proof—directly links governance requirements with real-world application operation. This approach ensures continuous evaluation, observability, and robust audit trails, empowering organizations to confidently verify AI compliance. As enterprises increasingly leverage AI agents, understanding this shift is critical; consider “Enterprises winning with AI agents are limiting how much the agents can do alone” for further insights.
Research internship at MSR [D]
Securing a Research internship at Microsoft Research (MSR) is a significant achievement, consistently recognized for its high-quality research environment. The experience demonstrably strengthens candidacy for Applied Science (AS) or Research Science roles at other FAANG companies. MSR internships provide valuable exposure to cutting-edge AI and offer a compelling narrative for future applications. Interns benefit from comprehensive support, mentorship, and competitive compensation packages.
Microsoft Releases Aspire 13.5 With a Refreshed Dashboard and Workflow Improvements
Microsoft’s Aspire 13.5 delivers a streamlined developer experience with a refreshed dashboard and workflow enhancements. This update prioritizes usability, introducing quality-of-life features like file imports for the Interaction Service and interactive terminals directly within the dashboard. Deployment capabilities are strengthened with Kubernetes persistent volume support and cross-scope Azure references. For those seeking broader context on modern development tools, explore our recent analysis of Next.js 16.3 and its performance improvements.
Microsoft to retire the COPILOT function
Microsoft is phasing out the COPILOT function in Excel, effective September 14th—a notable departure from their usual commitment to backwards compatibility. While the broader Copilot feature remains active, this specific function will no longer be available. Users who relied on COPILOT for calculations should explore alternative formulas. This shift highlights the evolving landscape of AI-native spreadsheet technology. Curious to know: Have you utilized the COPILOT function, and if so, for what purpose?
Excel + Power Query and Power Automate
Automating data refresh between Salesforce, Power Query, and Excel unlocks significant productivity gains. You've correctly identified that `workbook.refreshAllDataConnections()` within an Office Script can trigger Power Query refreshes, as demonstrated by your pivot table update. To reliably refresh data imported via Power Query using Power Automate, ensure your Excel table’s properties are configured to “Refresh data when opening the file,” disabling background refresh. This forces a refresh upon script execution.
.NET 11 Preview 7 Brings Updates Across C#, ASP.NET Core, EF Core, and Windows Forms
.NET 11 Preview 7 delivers significant updates across a broad spectrum of technologies, empowering developers to build more efficiently. This release includes enhancements to C# with labeled break and continue statements, alongside improvements to ASP.NET Core— notably Blazor circuit pausing and built-in validation localization. Windows Forms users can now opt-in to a modern rendering pipeline, while EF Core expands with Half type support on SQLite. For deeper insights into .NET MAUI updates within this preview, explore our article, ".NET 11 Preview 7 Adds Passkeys…"
.NET 11 Preview 7 Adds Passkeys, Incremental XAML Hot Reload, and Shell Route Templates to MAUI
.NET 11 Preview 7 delivers significant enhancements to .NET MAUI, empowering developers with streamlined workflows and modern authentication. Key updates include cross-platform passkey support for enhanced security, a refined incremental XAML Hot Reload for faster iteration, and Shell route templates for improved app navigation. This release also advances MAUI’s transition to handlers and provides further optimizations for Android and Apple development. For context on related security concerns, see our article, "‘Unprecedented’ number of Apple users received recent spyware alert."
Am trying to update my excel but where should i go to update my excel version
Updating your Excel version can seem daunting, especially if you're new to the process. To explore the latest features and improvements, navigate directly to the Microsoft Office website and locate the download center. There, you can find the appropriate version for your operating system and begin the update. If you're also looking to streamline your spreadsheet tasks, consider how formulas like those discussed in "Looking to see if it is possible to create a formula to show my account number" can help automate workflows.
Microsoft kills off unsuccessful AI features while merging its separate Copilot apps
Microsoft is streamlining its Copilot AI offerings, consolidating its consumer and business apps into a single experience. This simplification includes the sunsetting of several AI features, notably AI-generated podcasts, Group Chats, Deep Research, and the Mico character. This move underscores a focus on core functionality and user experience within the evolving AI landscape. As AI continues to reshape workflows, understanding these shifts is critical—a point highlighted in discussions like the recent analysis of AI's impact on engineering progression.
After Microsoft threatened legal action, a security researcher publishes a new Windows zero-day bug
Despite Microsoft’s recent legal threats, security researcher Nightmare Eclipse has disclosed a new Windows zero-day vulnerability, marking the latest in a series of impactful releases. This development underscores the ongoing challenge of securing modern operating systems and highlights the complex interplay between security research and corporate legal action. Users should prioritize patching systems promptly.
Wiz Discloses CosmosEscape, and Practitioners Debate What Customers Could Have Done
Wiz Research has revealed CosmosEscape, a significant security vulnerability impacting Azure Cosmos DB. This chain allowed an attacker to escape the Gremlin sandbox and obtain a platform-wide key, granting full read and write access to every database. While Microsoft swiftly blocked the initial entry point, remediation took nearly two years. The incident has sparked debate among security practitioners regarding shared responsibility and the true cost of this rearchitecture.
SkiaSharp 4.0 Establishes Milestone-Aligned Release Cadence
SkiaSharp 4.0 marks a significant shift, establishing a milestone-aligned release cadence for enhanced stability and predictability. Microsoft and Uno Platform have launched the initial stable versions – SkiaSharp 4.148.0 and 4.150.0 – with a 4.151.0 prerelease line demonstrating this new approach. This synchronization with upstream Skia milestones ensures users benefit from the latest advancements efficiently. For those seeking a broader perspective on AI's impact on engineering, consider "The Five Stages of AI Maturity in Engineering Organizations," which explores why AI investments often fall short.
Microsoft Agent Framework Harness and Hosted Agents Reach General Availability
Microsoft's Agent Framework achieves General Availability, marking a significant shift from SDK-based development to a governed runtime platform. Build 2026 introduced the Agent Harness alongside key connectors and orchestration patterns, now stabilized and ready for production use. Foundry Hosted Agents also reach GA, streamlining deployment. This evolution empowers developers to confidently build and run AI agents, moving beyond experimentation toward practical application. For Java and Kotlin developers exploring agent frameworks, the Embabel Agent Framework’s recent 1.0 release offers a valuable perspective.
Google says it fixed more Chrome bugs in June than over the past two years, thanks to AI
Google significantly accelerated its bug-fixing capabilities in June, resolving more issues than in the preceding two years—a trend experts predicted with the rise of AI. Leveraging large language models (LLMs) and AI tools, Google is now identifying and patching bugs at an exponential rate, mirroring similar advancements at companies like Microsoft. This shift highlights a growing reliance on AI to maintain software quality and underscores the transformative impact of these technologies on product development.
Microsoft is openly competing with OpenAI, Anthropic more than ever
Microsoft is actively reshaping the AI landscape, signaling a significant shift in its competitive strategy. Beyond its established partnership with OpenAI, the company unveiled its own suite of AI models, harnesses, and a direct competitor to Anthropic's offerings – a clear indication of its commitment to future-focused growth. This move, detailed during Wednesday’s earnings report, demonstrates Microsoft’s ambition to empower users with accessible AI solutions. For deeper insights into Microsoft's financial performance alongside its AI investments, explore "Microsoft logs $3.2B from Anthropic investment.”
Microsoft logs $3.2B from Anthropic investment, but OpenAI was a mixed bag
Microsoft’s recent fiscal year earnings reveal a compelling snapshot of its AI investments. While the $3.2 billion return from its Anthropic investment underscores the potential of generative AI, results from OpenAI presented a more nuanced picture. Microsoft’s strategic backing of leading AI labs positions it at the forefront of this transformative technology.
Microsoft Three-Layer LLM Routing Architecture for AI Agents on AKS
Microsoft has introduced a robust three-layer LLM routing architecture for AI agents deployed on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), addressing critical challenges in agent traffic management. This reference architecture streamlines decision-making across three key areas: model selection for responses, call orchestration, and GPU replica assignment. By optimizing these elements, organizations can enhance agent performance and scalability. For those exploring custom skill integration, consider "How to Create Custom Skills in Claude," a valuable resource for maximizing LLM capabilities.
.NET 11 Preview 6 Modernises MAUI CollectionView and Android Shell
.NET 11 Preview 6 marks a significant step forward for .NET MAUI, modernizing key components and enhancing reliability. This release brings the next-generation CollectionView implementation to Windows, streamlining data display, while Android Shell transitions toward a more robust handler model. Furthermore, improvements in Native AOT compatibility and new recovery support for media selection operations contribute to a more dependable user experience. Explore these advancements and further details in our related article, "Microsoft Releases .NET 11 Preview 6 With Language and Framework Updates."