It builds on tech Microsoft's been using on Xbox for years.

Microsoft says new tool detects pedophiles grooming kids online

Safer Space

Microsoft has created a tool that analyzes text-based chats for signs of pedophiles online — and it's giving it away for free.

Microsoft Says New Tool Detects Pedophiles Grooming Kids Online

And they're giving it away to qualified companies.

It could give us a way to rebuild following a global catastrophe.

Microsoft is hiding source code in an apocalypse-proof cave

Cold Storage

Microsoft-owned GitHub dumped physical copies of the world's open source code in an apocalypse-proof vault to save it for when society collapses.

Microsoft Is Hiding Source Code in an Apocalypse-Proof Cave

GitHub's archives are backed up on microfilm in an Arctic mine.

Microsoft is giving up on regular people ever using Bing

Mission Abort

Microsoft is pivoting its Bing search engine to focus on businesses, claiming it'll make it easier for employees to navigate companies' intranets.

Microsoft Is Giving Up On Regular People Ever Using Bing

New objective: get businesses to use the search engine.

Unsurprisingly, workers loved the long weekends.

Microsoft Japan tried a four-day workweek. Productivity spiked.

Long Weekends

Switching to a four-day workweek boosted productivity by nearly 40 percent at Microsoft Japan, a sign that the change could benefit employers and employees.

Microsoft Japan Tried a Four-Day Workweek. Productivity Spiked.

It also cut down on the company's environmental impact.

DreamWalker: Substituting Real-World Walking Experiences with a Virtual Reality

You can walk to your real destination while enjoying virtual scenery.

New Microsoft tech lets you use VR while walking outside

Outdoor Living

Microsoft researchers have developed DreamWalker, a new VR system that lets a user walk a route in the real world while looking at virtual scenery.

New Microsoft Tech Lets You Use VR While Walking Outside

Microsoft envisions a future in which you spend a lot of time in virtual reality — even your morning commute.

It just announced filters for offensive text. Voice filters are the next goal.

Microsoft wants to censor Xbox Live voice chat in real time

You Can't Say That on Xbox

Microsoft's Xbox Live now has a filter system for offensive text-based messages. Next, it wants to filter out offensive voice chats.

Microsoft Wants to Censor Xbox Live Voice Chat in Real Time

Could a nimble AI beep out offensive phrases in real time?

President Brad Smith used the story to call for better regulations on the use of surveillance technology.

A Trump adviser wanted Microsoft to spy on the world

Pretty Please

In his new book, Microsoft President Brad Smith describes being approached by a Trump adviser who wanted him to spy on other countries.

A Trump Adviser Wanted Microsoft to Spy on World Governments

Microsoft President Brad Smith says he politely declined.

How many famous people are nicknamed Tay?

Taylor Swift reportedly threatened Microsoft over racist chatbot

Big Reputation

Microsoft President Brad Smith revealed in his new book that Taylor Swift threatened to sue the company over "Tay" the Twitter chatbot-turned-Nazi.

Taylor Swift Reportedly Threatened Microsoft Over Racist Chatbot

Apparently "Tay" was too close to Swift's name for comfort.

Microsoft: We stopped listening to your Xbox convos "months ago"

Gamer Gab

Microsoft says humans no longer review audio of Xbox users for "product improvement purposes" — but that doesn't mean they aren't still listening.

Microsoft: We Stopped Listening to Your Xbox Convos “Months Ago”

Most of them, anyways.

"OpenAI and Microsoft's vision is for Artificial General Intelligence to work with people to help solve currently intractable multi-disciplinary problems."

Microsoft invests $1 billion in Elon Musk-founded OpenAI

Teaming Up

Microsoft just invested $1 billion into OpenAI, which will now try to develop artificial general intelligence for Microsoft's cloud services.

/ / microsoft