Microsoft drops after report that it lowered AI sales quotas in the face of lower-than-expected demand
Microsoft was down around 3% this morning after The Information reported that multiple divisions within the tech giant have lowered their sales quotas for AI products as traditional customers resist paying more for largely unproven tech. The stock pared some of those losses after CNBC reported that Microsoft issued a statement saying it hadn’t lowered sales quotas or targets. The Information has updated its headline to say “Microsoft Lowers AI Software Growth Targets as Customers Resist Newer Products.”
While AI spending has been a major revenue lift for Microsoft, The Information noted that much of that revenue is booked from AI companies themselves, which rent cloud infrastructure from the hyperscaler — arrangements critics have described as circular deals that inflate apparent growth. Microsoft’s stock has been struggling following its earnings report in late October, when the company reversed its guidance on capital spending, meaning its AI expenses would continue to grow.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft salespeople were having trouble selling the company’s chatbot, Copilot, with consumers preferring OpenAI’s ChatGPT instead.
While AI spending has been a major revenue lift for Microsoft, The Information noted that much of that revenue is booked from AI companies themselves, which rent cloud infrastructure from the hyperscaler — arrangements critics have described as circular deals that inflate apparent growth. Microsoft’s stock has been struggling following its earnings report in late October, when the company reversed its guidance on capital spending, meaning its AI expenses would continue to grow.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft salespeople were having trouble selling the company’s chatbot, Copilot, with consumers preferring OpenAI’s ChatGPT instead.
