No, Microsoft did not state ‘strong AI demand’ in Q1 2025 — the FT is wrong
No, Microsoft did not state ‘strong AI demand’ in Q1 2025 — the FT is wrong
Here’s a headline from the Financial Times: “Microsoft shares jump after strong AI demand lifts cloud unit.” Wow, that’s amazing! [FT, archive] But guess what — it’s false! The actual reason Micros…
video version - I wear a tie
FT misreading financial statements is quite embarrassing, i mean I dont mind Zilton having a bit trouble with them, even of it isnt great. But FT? Oof. (Not 100% sure they dont mean percentage points btw (as I didnt read the docs), but ft should have caught the ambiguity)
I've emailed Microsoft Investor Relations to clarify what they meant and why they didn't just say "percent" if they meant "percent". But if it had been 16 percent, they'd have been yelling it from the rooftops, and they haven't been.
As I have pointed out here previously, Microsoft is jacking up prices on 365 licenses, so when they say they have increased revenue on other cloud services, think squeezing the economy through their chokehold on governments and corporations.
I don't have statistics, but having gone through licenses during last year and ended up just avoiding a price increase (instead of getting savings), it's pretty clear that is what are doing.