The Rise of Microsoft in the Twenty-First Century
Microsoft is the largest computer software company in the world, and it offers a wide range of products to consumers and businesses. It is best known for its Windows operating system, which has defined the computing experience for millions of people over the years. It also has a number of other popular applications, including the Office productivity suite and the Internet Explorer Web browser. Microsoft is also involved in the video game industry with its Xbox console systems, and it is an active player in the cloud computing space with its Windows Azure platform.
Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who had been working together on a programming project for the Altair 8800 home computer. The pair were inspired by the work of Dartmouth College professor Alan Kay, who had developed a small language for machine programming that helped make computers more powerful and accessible to the general public. Microsoft’s first commercial product was a version of Kay’s language that ran on the Altair, and it became a hit in the United States. By the time it was incorporated in 1981, Microsoft had become one of the most successful software companies in the world.
In the 1990s, Microsoft expanded its presence in the computing world with the release of its Office suite and the Internet Explorer Web browser. The company also entered the gaming industry with its Xbox line of console systems, which have been instrumental in popularizing video games and fostering an interest in computer science among youths. In addition, Microsoft has taken steps to improve access to technology and computer education around the world through its various social impact initiatives.
Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, who succeeded Steve Ballmer in 2014, Microsoft has continued to innovate in the twenty-first century. It has launched several versions of its Windows operating system for PCs, as well as the Surface line of tablet hardware and the Azure cloud computing platform. It has also increased its presence in the mobile world through its Windows Phone and Skype applications.
As part of its push into the cloud, Microsoft has been investing in a variety of artificial intelligence technologies. Its Cortana voice assistant has been widely adopted, and the company has also experimented with bots that can respond to queries via email. In recent weeks, however, the company has been criticized for the way it uses AI, particularly in the context of its news coverage. In late October, MSN republished an article about the murder of a young woman in Australia and accompanied it with an AI-generated poll that asked readers whether they believed she was killed by a human or by a bot.
The results of the poll sparked outrage on social media, and MSN removed the feature. The incident has been seen as a sign that Microsoft is not yet ready to embrace the full potential of its artificial intelligence efforts.
