Microsoft

The word “free” in AI tools doesn’t mean what you think it does. In 2025, offering free AI isn’t charity — it’s one of the most aggressive commercial strategies in tech. Behind every generous free tier lies a carefully calculated business model designed to capture market share, feed enterprise sales, or lock users into ecosystems. This guide breaks down the 15 most popular free AI tools of 2025, explains what you actually get, and reveals the strategy behind each “free” offering. ...

This move reflects broader industry trends towards investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. As demand for AI services continues to skyrocket, tech giants like Microsoft are scrambling to secure sufficient compute capacity to meet customer needs. The recent $9.7 billion, five-year contract between Microsoft and Australia’s IREN is a prime example of this trend. By partnering with IREN, Microsoft will gain access to compute infrastructure powered by Nvidia’s GB300 GPUs, which will be deployed in phases through 2026 at IREN’s facility in Childress, Texas. ...

The field of artificial intelligence (AI) is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting from single-model implementations to multiagent systems. This move reflects broader industry trends towards more collaborative and dynamic AI architectures. Microsoft’s AutoGen is at the forefront of this change, enabling developers to build complex workflows involving multiple AI agents. By leveraging AutoGen, organizations can create more effective and autonomous AI teams, capable of tackling real-world problems with greater accuracy and nuance. ...

In a move that reflects the rapidly evolving AI landscape, OpenAI has undergone a major reorganisation, solidifying its nonprofit foundation’s control over its for-profit business. This strategic shift aims to establish the OpenAI Foundation as a global philanthropic powerhouse, with a significant stake in the commercial arm valued at approximately $130 billion. The reorganisation is designed to ensure that OpenAI’s commercial success directly funds its original mission, maintaining the strongest representation of mission-focused governance in the industry. ...

The latest update to Microsoft 365 Copilot marks a significant shift in the platform’s capabilities, moving beyond conversational assistance to enable continuous, multi-step workflows across various Microsoft 365 applications. This development reflects broader industry trends towards persistent AI systems that can manage workflows autonomously. With the introduction of Agent Mode and Office Agent, Microsoft is poised to revolutionize the way users interact with its productivity suite. At its core, Agent Mode allows users to create persistent agents that can operate in the background, managing ongoing tasks such as tracking updates to shared documents, preparing meeting recaps, or notifying teams when project milestones are reached. These agents maintain context through Microsoft Graph, pulling from calendars, messages, and shared files to execute actions that stay aligned with organizational data and permissions. For instance, a user can instruct Copilot to monitor a shared document and notify the team when changes are made, streamlining collaboration and reducing manual effort. ...

The Next Big Leap for Windows 11: Unpacking the 2024 (24H2) Update Microsoft’s significant annual feature update, the Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2), is now rolling out. This release focuses on next-generation AI capabilities and core quality-of-life improvements. What are the key AI features? These features are primarily available on new Copilot+ PCs with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs). Recall: Creates a searchable, visual timeline of your PC activity, allowing you to find anything you’ve seen with natural language. Windows Studio Effects: Delivers new AI-powered camera filters and improved lighting/audio adjustments for video calls. Cocreator: Allows users to generate and edit images using text prompts directly within apps like Paint and Photos. What are the upgrades for all users? File Explorer: Now includes native support for creating 7-Zip and TAR archives. Copilot: The AI assistant evolves from a sidebar into a pinnable app, offering more flexibility. Sudo for Windows: The popular sudo command is integrated, allowing for easy execution of elevated commands. Energy Saver: A new, more effective mode to extend the battery life of laptops. How & When to Get the Update The update is being deployed in phases to ensure stability. The general rollout for existing PCs began around October 1, 2024. You can manually check for the update by going to Settings > Windows Update and clicking “Check for updates.”