Microsoft is planning to make “significant investments” in its own AI chip cluster to become “self-sufficient in AI,” Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman said during an all-employee town hall meeting on Thursday.

Microsoft’s AI strategy has so far largely relied on a partnership with OpenAI, although the companies appear to be drifting apart lately and they’re locked in tense contract renegotiations right now.

Suleyman’s comments suggest Microsoft wants to forge its own path in AI, while still supporting OpenAI with cloud-computing services.

“It’s critical that a company of our size, with the diversity of businesses that we have, that we are, you know, able to be self sufficient in AI, if we choose to,” Suleyman said.

Instead of relying solely on OpenAI, Microsoft is using open-source models, partnering with other AI developers, and building its own models, Suleyman said.

The software giant unveiled MAI-1-preview in late August. This is Microsoft AI’s first foundation model trained end-to-end by the company, and offers a glimpse of future offerings inside its Copilot service. This model ranks 24th among text models on LMArena, a widely followed leaderboard, so Microsoft has a lot of work to do still.

“We should have the capacity to build world class frontier models in-house of all sizes, but we should be very pragmatic and use other models where we need to,” Suleyman said.

Microsoft plans to make “significant” investments in its own AI chip cluster to help the company build its own models, he added.

Suleyman noted that MAI-1-preview was only trained on 15,000 Nvidia H100s, which he said was a “tiny cluster” in the grand scheme of things. Competing models from Google, Meta, and xAI were all trained on clusters that were six to 10 times larger in size, Suleyman said.

Microsoft has significantly benefited from its arrangement to access OpenAI’s intellectual property, both by selling it to customers through the Azure OpenAI service and creating its own products using OpenAI’s technology, like its AI assistant Copilot. Those terms are under renegotiation now that OpenAI needs Microsoft’s blessing for a corporate restructuring.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the town hall reassured employees that the company still benefits from the partnership.

“We have a very good partnership with OpenAI. We’re very excited to continue to work with them, support them. Remember, OpenAI supplies to us. We supply to them. So they’re each other’s customers. We have a commercial partnership. We are investors,” Nadella said. “And at the same time, we were very clear that we also want to build our own capabilities.”

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at astewart@businessinsider.com or Signal at +1-425-344-8242. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here’s our guide to sharing information securely.

Keep up to Date with Latin American VC, Startups News

At a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining work, ISDI, Spain’s digital business school, and Microsoft have formed an alliance to incorporate the real-world use of generative AI into executive training.

According to Microsoft’s Workplace Trends Report, 50% of executives in countries like Spain believe that training their teams in the use of AI will be key in the next five years.

For this reason, ISDI says it is seeking to connect theory and practice in an academic environment that adapts to the challenges of digital transformation.

Microsoft, for its part, brings its technological expertise so that artificial intelligence becomes a tangible, competitive resource for MBA grads.

“We want to train complete professionals, capable of leading business transformation in a context marked by AI,” said Basola Vallés, Executive Director of ISDI, through a press release.

The business school has faculty and alumni from around the world, including Latin America, and has an international campus in Mexico.

Creating AI Agents

The module, titled Crea tu Agente IA (Create your AI Agent), unfolds over five milestones in the master’s degree: from agent activation in Microsoft’s Copilot Studio, to application in real projects, simulation of strategic scenarios and career development.

Upon completion, each participant will have a trained and operational AI agent ready to accompany the student beyond the classroom. This practical approach contrasts with theory-focused programs by integrating AI into the day-to-day work life.

With this initiative, the Executive MBA in Business and Technology (MIB) is positioned as the first Executive MBA in Spain to structurally integrate business, technology, artificial intelligence and human development, according to the university.

Paco Salcedo, president of Microsoft Spain, added: “Our technology is designed for students to turn AI into a real advantage for their organizations”.

The proposal is reinforced with a project linked to business challenges and with an employability component.

A study by LinkedIn and Microsoft reveals that professionals who mention AI in their profiles are 17% more likely to be considered in selection processes.

The impact of the program has already been recognized by several media, which places it amongst the most influential executive master’s programs in Spain.

MIB graduates record an average salary increase of 38% in the year after graduation and 70% job mobility, according to figures shared with Contxto that reflect how the combination of business, technology and now generative AI can transform a career path.

According to a report published by Intel and analyst firm IDC, just 14% of Latin American companies have adopted AI agents in their work processes, putting the region in need of adapting to today’s challenges.

This trend of MBA programs that prioritize the use of generative AI could help to motivate future business leaders in the region and will hopefully boost the adoption figures of this technology in the coming years.

Keep up to Date with Latin American VC, Startups News

Fulcrum (www.fulcrumapp.com) field-focused process and data collection platform for geospatial field processes and data collection recently launched Audio FastFill, a voice-powered, multi-field AI data collection tool.

It integrates advanced AI within the platform to create a textual scribe for field teams, eliminating inefficiencies of manual entry, and allows users in the field to dictate forms naturally and produce richer more actionable data input, with the system understanding and accurately populating fields.

Fulcrum dynamically understands context to populate complex fields like picklists and conditional logic, eliminating inefficiencies of manual entry and simplifying workflow, helping ensure ease of use in demanding environments. It can also dissect one continuous audio file to place all of the information into the correct corresponding fields and input to fields that aren’t text, like numbers or drop-down lists.

Pricing: structure not actual cost, free demo, free trial.

AIPhone

AIPhone (www.aiphone.ai) is a cross language calling app utilizing AI translation. It translates phone calls in real time—speak in your language and the other  party hears it in theirs instantly and vice versa. How it works: you invite anyone via a simple link—no extra app needed for them. 

The app, which supports several dozen languages and dialects, is trained to both translate words and understand the context behind them. In addition, it also supports camera translation—snap a photo or select a saved image (e.g. a sign) and get instant translation. It also translates video and voice calls in WhatsApp and other apps.

Pricing: weekly, monthly, annual plans available with free trial package available through X, TikTok, and Facebook. 

ServiceMonster

ServiceMonster management software (www.servicemonster.com, 888/901-3300, covered in September 2022 column) recently introduced the ServiceMonster Payments mobile app, which features capabilities that facilitate both immediate branded invoicing that can be sent by email or text and collection of payments via credit cards, debit cards, and ACH. Suitable for solo operators and multi-crew service businesses, it has the ability to automate reminders and follow-ups. You can store cards on file securely for repeat customers or recurring billing.

ServiceMonster Payments includes built-in surcharging, allowing you to legally pass along credit card processing fees to your customers where permitted by law. Surcharging is automatically configured during setup based on your location. Most credit card and debit card transactions are deposited into your bank account in as little as two business days. The solution Payments offers an integration with QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. A demo is available. 

Plannit

Plannit (www.plannit.io), covered in August 2021 column, recently added a smart call answering system designed to function as a virtual assistant, handling calls when team members are unavailable. The system, which is available 24/7 and has multi-language support, features intelligent call routing, utilizing advanced algorithms to direct calls to appropriate departments or personnel based on predefined criteria.

Users can customize menu options and the software, which can take messages, can be programmed to answer FAQs. It can also qualify and prioritize prospective customers by asking questions and recording their answers and saving them in the messaging center as audio files. The service requires a new phone number acquired by Plannit, but calls to existing business numbers can be redirected for message taking when needed.

Gorilla Desk

Update: Gorilla Desk (www.Gorilladesk.com), initially covered in January 2025 tech column, has several new AI Agents to its platform (both desktop and mobile app) which are designed to heighten proficiency of field service management and handle customer interactions across multiple channels, including SMS, Web Chat, VOIP phone, and client portals.

The new capabilities, available on the customer portal and by text message, enable customers to book services 24/7, with the solution streamlining and automating the entire process, from inquiry to booking and confirmation, as well as route planning and optimization.  

How it works: you embed your AI agent options directly on your web site and, as desired, your customer initiates the process by making contact with your embedded company AI receptionist through one of those portals, facilitating making, logging, and finding all calls without jumping among apps; the Client Portal Agent enables customers to request new work securely and view  previous documents anytime. Gorilla Desk will notify you via in-app and email alerts whenever a new work request is submitted.

There are two types of AI conversations: static and dynamic. Static conversations provide general Q&As with informational responses. Dynamic conversations involve the system taking actions, such as capturing new lead info or scheduling a pending booking. (Pricing: $1.00 per completed static conversation, $1.75 per completed dynamic conversation.) 

Gorilla Desk also has four new agents in the works: Kong AI (Supreme Intelligence), acting as the central intelligence, which will provide advanced analytics and generate custom reports; Mantis AI (Ops & Admin), which will automate the role of administrator and help run day-to-day operational workflows flawlessly; Atrax AI, which will help you deploy your website, aiding in page generation and optimization; Lotus AI (Customer Sentiment), which focuses on delivering analysis of customer standpoint so you know what conversations need real human attention; and  SMS & Customer Portal Agents,  enabling 24/7 handling of incoming customer SMS messages their conversations with your AI.