We have breaking news in Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard transaction: Earlier today, in a preliminary statement, U.K. regulators at the Competition and Markets Authority said that Microsoft’s revised plan to purchase video game company Activision Blizzard largely satisfies earlier objections to the transaction. A final decision from the CMA is expected within weeks. Microsoft says it …

Activision Blizzard Development… and AI at the UN General Assembly Read More »

This week in Washington, the Senate focused on AI legislation, advancing a legislative framework for AI, holding a key hearing, and hosting a closed-door forum with tech sector leaders. Microsoft President Brad Smith testified at the hearing, voicing support for the proposed Blumenthal-Hawley framework for AI legislation. Smith endorsed the idea of creating a federal licensing …

Senate Focuses on AI Policymaking Read More »

Welcome back from what we hope was a restorative Labor Day long weekend. Congress is back to work, and we’ll continue to keep you informed as they and state lawmakers consider legislation that may impact technology companies, business customers, and consumers. We’re pleased to announce that Voices for Innovation will be participating in the Microsoft …

Find us at Connect 2023, the Microsoft Alumni global summit Read More »

Dear Executive Briefing Subscribers—  We hope you’re enjoying your last weeks of summer. Shortly after Labor Day, Congress returns to work—and we expect lawmakers will consider several tech issues during the fall, including AI. We’ll keep you informed as discussions progress. The Executive Briefing will be taking next week off in advance of the holiday …

Summer Winds Down, Congress Set to Return Read More »

Earlier this month, as part of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials’ and Ministerial Meetings taking place in Seattle, Microsoft hosted a discussion on decarbonization of the power sector. As a Microsoft on the Issues blog explains, making continued progress on reducing carbon emissions will take a combination of innovation, infrastructure expansion, and sensible public policies. The …

Innovation, Infrastructure, and Policy Drive Decarbonization Read More »

Members of Congress are on their August recess. While lawmakers will enjoy a little downtime, many will also be touring their states or districts, holding town hall meetings, and listening to voters. We encourage VFI members to engage in the democratic process by attending local events with your officials, listening to their priorities, and sharing …

Congress is Back Home Read More »

In 2019, Microsoft announced the development of an open source end-to-end verifiable election (E2E-V) solution, ElectionGuard. E2E-V enables independent verification of election results while protecting ballot secrecy. Since that time, ElectionGuard and the E2E-V concept have been piloted successfully in local elections. Last week, to advance the deployment of ElectionGuard—and to strengthen and protect democracy—the …

Election Security Technology Moves Forward Read More »

At a White House event, Microsoft and six other AI leaders made voluntary commitments developed by the Biden-Harris Administration to advance safe, secure, and trustworthy AI. This is an important step on the road to unlocking the promise of AI while addressing the risks of this emerging technology. Congress is expected to focus on developing …

Government and Industry Collaboration on AI Safety Read More »

While AI has the potential to help advance science and address many societal challenges, it requires access to tremendous computational power and data resources. A federally supported National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) would help increase access for researchers, academia, non-profits, and small businesses to the infrastructure needed for AI work. Earlier this week, a group …

A Path for Democratizing the Study and Use of AI Read More »

On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled against the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to block Microsoft’s acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard. The FTC has said it will appeal the ruling. In response, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith issued this statement: “The District Court’s ruling makes crystal clear that this acquisition is good for …

Federal Court Ruling Supports Microsoft Activision Deal; FTC to Appeal Loss Read More »