Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins/Futurism. Source: Getty Images
Does Microsoft hate books more, or its employees? It’s hard to say, because The Verge reports The multitrillion-dollar giant is gutting its employee library and cutting back on digital subscriptions in favor of pursuing what it describes internally as an “AI-powered learning experience” — whatever Clippy’s name means.
Seriously, we wish we could explain to you what the hell it is, but most details on this AI-focused transition are extremely vague. What we do know, according to reporting, is that nasty people at the top are unsubscribing employees, including news outlets. Strategic News ServiceWhich has provided global reporting to Microsoft’s workforce for more than 20 years.
On top of that, Microsoft employees do not even tell The Verge that they have lost access to publications like InformationBut they are also unable to digitally check out business books from the Microsoft Library, which is itself being targeted by the new AI Pivot.
According to an internal Microsoft FAQ, the library located in Building 92 has been closed “as part of Microsoft’s move toward a more modern, connected learning experience through the Skilling Hub.”
“We know this change impacts the space that many people value,” the company said.
Meanwhile, employee subscriptions aren’t being renewed for almost the same reason: because it’s “part of Microsoft’s shift to a more modern, AI-powered learning experience through the Skilling Hub.”
All told, the cuts are another example of how Microsoft has become fully committed to AI. City veterans of the company say that Microsoft’s library, when it was placed in its old location on the second floor of Building 4, weighed so much that it caused the building to sink. This was probably a myth, but now it seems Microsoft is happy to let this wealth of knowledge fall, if not literally sink to the earth, on the altar of AI.
an executive from SNSThe news organization, which worked with Microsoft for more than two decades but is now being separated from it, has left its former client absolutely peeved at the changes.
Berit Andersen, chief operating officer of SNS, said, “The future of technology is shaped by the flow of power, money, innovation and people – none of which is predictable based on the potential resurgence of old LLM information.” The Verge. “We look forward to welcoming Microsoft back to the SNS community whenever they decide they would like to return.”
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