Microsoft drops AI sales targets in half after salespeople miss their quotas

Microsoft has lowered its sales quota for AI software, reflecting challenges in meeting ambitious targets in a competitive market. This decision comes amid growing skepticism regarding the profitability of AI investments, as highlighted by industry leaders.

Microsoft has encountered a significant issue with the dark mode feature in File Explorer for Windows 11, where users are experiencing unexpected white flashes when opening folders. This bug emerged following a recent preview update intended to enhance the dark mode functionality.

The programming language Zig has officially withdrawn from GitHub, citing Microsoft's increasing focus on artificial intelligence as a detrimental factor affecting the platform's usability and community engagement. This decision reflects a growing discontent among developers regarding the direction of major tech companies and their products.

Google has made its Workspace Studio generally available, aiming to enhance employee engagement with AI agents developed by their teams. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to democratize access to AI tools within organizations, positioning Google against competitors like Microsoft and Amazon in the enterprise AI space.

Amar Subramanya, a former AI executive at Microsoft, is set to replace John Giannandrea as Apple's Senior Vice President of Machine Learning and AI Strategy next year. This transition comes as Giannandrea, who has been pivotal in shaping Apple's AI initiatives, prepares to depart the company.

Amar Subramanya has been appointed to replace John Giannandrea as Apple's Chief of Machine Learning and AI Strategy, following Giannandrea's departure amid concerns over Siri's performance and Apple's competitive standing in the AI sector. This leadership change comes at a critical time as Apple seeks to regain its footing in an increasingly competitive landscape dominated by rivals like Google and Microsoft.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled a new class of AI systems known as 'frontier agents' that can autonomously code for extended periods, potentially transforming the software development lifecycle. This announcement was made by AWS CEO Matt Garman during the re:Invent conference, highlighting three specialized agents: Kiro for software development, AWS Security Agent for application security, and AWS DevOps Agent for IT operations.

Microsoft has raised concerns regarding the security implications of enabling AI agents in Windows 11, advising users to be cautious. This warning has sparked anxiety among users who fear potential risks associated with these features, particularly regarding data security and privacy.