Another factor is Section 174 and the hiring of H1B workers. Although Microsoft’s official AI website lists many job openings, you’re right that it’s changing its focus, it’s strange that they’re changing focus so quickly. First it was the metaverse, then video games, and now it’s AI. What’s next? Quantum computing in the coming years, and pouring tons of money into it as if there were no tomorrow.

It seems like tech companies are going through a midlife crisis, as are their shareholders, who want to be on the cutting edge and end up executing poorly. But they want to be on this trend because they don’t want to be in the same situation as Apple, which wasn’t on the cutting edge and its shareholders are suing it.