The artificial intelligence (AI) race is attracting enormous attention lately thanks to the transformation impact this technology will bring to almost every aspect of our personal and business lives.
While start-ups and tech incumbents are rushing to secure a spot in this emerging industry, the latter group has an edge as it leverages its vast resources to stay ahead of the competition. Microsoft (MSFT -0.82%) can leverage two weapons from its arsenal to develop its competitive advantage in the AI race.
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Microsoft's $100 billion-plus cash hoard
Most investors are excited about AI and the potential the new technology can bring to the business world. Naturally, they try to find the next big winner, the Amazon of the AI industry. But few appreciate that most wannabes will fail in their quest to build the leading AI technology because these companies don't have enough financial resources to sustain them over the long run.
To put into perspective the costs needed to build a popular AI solution, let's take ChatGPT, for example. It would take millions (if not tens of millions of dollars ) to train and build a large-scale model like ChatGPT. And that doesn't include the considerable operation costs to run these models at scale, assuming we have a functional AI model that has successfully passed the training stage. Hence, it is not an accident that ChatGPT's owner, OpenAI, has to rely on Microsoft's $13 billion investment to scale its operations.
Similarly, for Microsoft to gain an edge in the AI race, it must invest heavily in talents, infrastructure, and partnerships to innovate and build world-class AI products. It may need to acquire leading companies to access niche technology and talent. And since most of these investments will take years to deliver the desired outcome, Microsoft must sustain its vast capital outflow for the foreseeable future.
Fortunately, Microsoft has the necessary firepower to do so thanks to its $111 billion in total cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. Beyond that, the giant's substantial operating cash flow ($88 billion in fiscal year 2023) will be another source of capital.
Microsoft's long-term business relationships.
By now, many businesses are already aware of the disruptive nature of AI and the importance of embracing AI or risk losing out in the long run. Still, many risks are involved in implementing AI across the organization, such as data privacy and security, cost overrun, regulatory compliance, ethical issues, etc.
Understandably, enterprises prefer to work with existing technology partners they trust to mitigate the downside risks that AI implementation might have on their operations. To this end, Microsoft seems like the perfect partner since most companies are already using Microsoft's products one way or the other, be it in Windows, Microsoft Office, Azure Cloud, etc.
These relationships bring enormous value to Microsoft's efforts to grow its AI. The most obvious and immediate impact is leveraging these relationships to upsell AI products and services, which help Microsoft expand its revenue and market share. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
In the long term, such relationships can help Microsoft gain insights to support its future product development and speed up the iteration process. For instance, Microsoft can work closely with customers when developing a new product, seeking continuous feedback that will help with product improvement. Doing so could help build the best product to address niches, improve customer satisfaction, and extend Microsoft's lead in the AI race.
Besides, such a relationship could evolve into a deeper partnership, opening up new opportunities for Microsoft. For instance, Microsoft teams up with Cruise and General Motors to accelerate the commercialization of self-driving cars. In this relationship, Microsoft will provide cash infusion, products, and solutions, such as cloud- and edge-computing solutions. In return, it will get a stake in Cruise and access to Cruise's industry expertise to enhance its product innovation in serving the transportation industry.
Of course, there is much more to these relationships than I've covered here, but I think you get the point. Microsoft's extensive business relationships built over many decades would give it an enormous edge over its peers, especially the start-ups.
Microsoft's not-so-secret weapons
In the fiercely competitive artificial intelligence arena, Microsoft wields two formidable assets that set it apart. Firstly, its vast cash reserves, exceeding $100 billion, provide the financial muscle needed for sustained AI innovation and investment.
Second, its extensive, trusted, and long-standing relationships with businesses give it a unique edge. These relationships not only drive revenue growth but also offer invaluable insights and collaborative opportunities, positioning Microsoft as a frontrunner in the AI race.
With these not-so-secret weapons, Microsoft is well equipped to secure a leading position in the emerging AI landscape.
