- Financial Times
Activision Blizzard chief says UK would lose out if it blocks Microsoft deal
A “fragile” UK government could miss a post-Brexit opportunity to attract thousands of jobs if it blocks Microsoft’s $75bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the head of the video game maker said as the deal awaits regulatory approval. Bobby Kotick, the Activision chief executive who is trying to get the deal through competition authorities in the UK, the EU and the US, expressed concern that “ideologues” were taking over the agencies, during an interview with the Financial Times in which he also accused Sony of “trying to sabotage” Microsoft’s takeover. The US Federal Trade Commission in December sued to halt Microsoft’s Activision acquisition.
- Financial Times
Microsoft takes aim at Google’s search dominance with AI-powered Bing
Microsoft’s use of the AI used in ChatGPT to disrupt the internet search market is set to demolish the high profit margins that have underpinned Google’s core business, chief executive Satya Nadella predicted on Tuesday. The launch came the day after Google scrambled to make up lost ground since the launch of ChatGPT, which provides text answers to complex questions directly rather than requiring the use of a traditional search engine. Google said it would launch its own chatbot and add AI features to its search engine, but did not show off any of its technology or say when it will be widely available.
