Microsoft is reportedly asking hundreds of its China-based employees working in the company’s cloud computing and AI operations to consider relocating out of the country.
Some 700 to 800 people are said to have been asked about the move, according to the Wall Street Journal, as the U.S. crackdown on Beijing’s access to AI technology continues.
A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that the company had “shared an optional internal transfer opportunity with a subset of employees” without confirming details on the number and affiliation of staff affected. Here’s more.
#Microsoft#FossilFuels#Decarbonization#ClimateChange#AI: "When Microsoft Corp. pledged four years ago to remove more carbon than it emits by the end of the decade, it was one of the most ambitious and comprehensive plans to tackle climate change. Now the software giant's relentless push to be the global leader in artificial intelligence is putting that goal in peril.
The Seattle-based company’s total planet-warming impact is about 30% higher today than it was in 2020, according to the latest sustainability report published Wednesday. That makes getting to below zero by 2030 even harder than it was when it announced its carbon-negative goal.
Now to meet its goals, the software giant will have to make serious progress very quickly in gaining access to green steel and concrete and less carbon-intensive chips, said Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, in an exclusive interview with Bloomberg Green. “In 2020, we unveiled what we called our carbon moonshot. That was before the explosion in artificial intelligence,” he said. “So in many ways the moon is five times as far away as it was in 2020, if you just think of our own forecast for the expansion of AI and its electrical needs.”"
Damit das nicht untergeht: Die #EFK kritisiert wie die Bundesverwaltung ihre digitale Büro-Infrastruktur in die #Microsoft 365 #Cloud verlagert. Aus verschiedenen Gründen:
Lokaler Betrieb (on premise) ist länger möglich.
IT Security-Vorfälle von Microsoft wurden nicht untersucht.
Der Bundesangestellten wird zu viel Eigenverantwortung bei der Klassifizierung von Dokumenten zugemutet (und es gibt Doppelspurigkeiten mit GEVER).
2020 wollte #Microsoft bis Ende des Jahrzehnts auf Null CO₂ kommen. Zwischenergebnis: 30% MEHR CO₂-Ausstoß. Und ja, ihr könnt (teilweise) die Cloud und (in letzter Zeit) vor allem KI dafür blamen.
Google showed off new business AI solutions while promoting their water cooled data centers. Now we find out Microsoft is not only failing to meet their carbon emissions goal, their emissions are actually UP 30%.
I just don't see how this era of cloud AI is going to be a sustainable business model...
@paulrickards 😍 I love that! I had a bank of 32 of 'em back in the 90's when I was the sysop of the Microsoft Canada BBS (I was unfortunately the last sysop as we replaced the BBS with FTP servers under my watch).
#Microsoft has opened access for Russian users to updates for #Windows and #Office, the #Russoft association told Izvestia. For example, Windows 11 23H2 is downloaded again on computers without a VPN, the situation is similar with Office. Previously, such updates could not be installed on computers from Russian IP.
In addition, Microsoft did not block Russian IT companies from accessing the software, although it promised to do so after March 20.
MS wprowadził w Skype funkcję grup, natomiast Windowsie, poprzez One Drive jest możliwość udostępniania plików. Obiektywnie są to dobre i przydatne rozwiązania, ale... No właśnie - ale!
W Skype użytkownik może być dodawany do grup bez konieczności wyrażenia zgody na to, co skrzętnie wykorzystują spamerzy. Co jest najgorsze, że to w opcjach programu nie ma możliwości wyłączenia tego dla grup. Prawdopodobnie za zablokowanie tej funkcji odpowiada opcja zezwolenia na połączenia tylko od kontaktów, ale jeszcze nie udało mi się tego potwierdzić (na logikę służy ona do czego innego).
Natomiast udostępnianie plików w Windowsach domyślnie działa na tej zasadzie, że udostępniając pliki domyślnie zezwala się na ich edycję. Co jest najgorsze, tylko w wersji Pro Windowsa da się zmienić domyślne ustawienie na udostępnianie tylko do wglądu.
Dziwi mnie, że takie rzeczy jeszcze są możliwe i że nikt w Microsofcie tego nie zmienił w kilka dni/tygodniu po wdrożeniu tych funkcji. Jak by nie patrzeć, mogą one mieć negatywne konsekwencje związane z bezpieczeństwem użytkowników.
If you're looking for replacements to Microsoft Access, Keene Systems, Inc. is a good choice. They will be subject matter experts in that area, and they will help you make the proper decisions and clarify the significance of web apps for your company. They are also available for direct phone consultations.
La nouvelle version de l’app mobile GitHub embarque le service « Copilot Chat », mais ne propose toujours pas le minimum de fonctionnalités pour gérer une organisation de plus de 300 dépôts. 🙄
Et la version web mobile est une plaie à utiliser.
I can't get over how insufferable Windows 11 is for creating things. Win11 stops taking pen input--not freeze. Pen input just stops, and this is with an official Microsoft pen. Drawing art in Krita is a game of red-light-green-light.
Darkradiant doesn't update the 3D window. No lighting preview. :/
Microsoft helps big oil n gas get it out of the ground.
“My resignation was driven in part by the realization that the tech industry, including #Microsoft, is increasing the profitability and competitiveness of these #FossilFuel giants and perpetuating their existence when they should be phased out,” Alpine told Grist. “It became apparent after years of internal efforts … that Microsoft was unwilling to enact meaningful change.”
Keene Systems, Inc.: One of the Best Microsoft Access Replacements. (www.keenesystems.com)
If you're looking for replacements to Microsoft Access, Keene Systems, Inc. is a good choice. They will be subject matter experts in that area, and they will help you make the proper decisions and clarify the significance of web apps for your company. They are also available for direct phone consultations.