As AI costs continue to rise, companies are looking for ways to cut back. The most recent example is Microsoft, which has reportedly begun to deploy a cost-savings strategy by relying less on software from OpenAI and Anthropic and instead deploying its own in-house models.
One line from Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) CEO Satya Nadella on the April earnings call reframed the entire debate over how quickly generative AI can turn into a real profit-and-loss line.
Microsoft Corporation remains fundamentally strong, with Q3 2026 revenues up 18% y/y and robust cloud and AI-driven growth. MSFT's share price decline of over 20% is attributed to negative investor sentiment and AI capex skepticism, not deteriorating business performance. Azure and cloud segments continue to outperform, with Azure growing 40% y/y and AI annual run rate surging 123% y/y to $37B.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) has quietly built a $37 billion AI business, yet the stock has done the opposite of what you would expect.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META | META Price Prediction) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) both reported earnings on April 29, 2026, and both have been punished in 2026 despite operational strength.
As Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) stock rebounded from a crucial multi-year support level over the past two weeks, Gil Luria, a Wall Street analyst at D.A. Davidson, reiterated bullish sentiment.
Microsoft (MSFT) is a Strong Buy, offering superior AI-driven risk-reward and durable compounding potential versus semiconductors. AI efficiency gains are shifting value capture from scarce hardware to Big Tech's recurring software and cloud revenues, favoring MSFT's business model. MSFT's AI monetization is accelerating, with AI business annual run rate up 123% and commercial obligations at $627 billion.
Orchestration refers to coordinating tasks across different AI models. It's taking on new importance as enterprises grow cautious with AI budgets.
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT | MSFT Price Prediction) looks mispriced, and the discomfort is the whole point.
Microsoft's shares were falling on Monday even as the company announced its latest round of job cuts, as investors likely refused to look past the company's high AI investments. A price target cut by Wolfe Research on Monday, citing higher memory prices, is likely to have also weighed on the stock, even though it maintained an Outperform rating on MSFT.
Ahead of Microsoft Corporation's Q4 results, shares are underperforming, with monthly losses of about 6.5%. The stock is also sitting near the bottom end of its 52-week range. The losses come as many investors continue to question whether the company's AI investments can produce the desired results. MSFT has also announced that it will cut over 3,000 jobs in its Xbox division.
Microsoft announced on Monday it is laying off 4,800 employees, or 2.1% of its workforce—with more to come—as part of a massive cost-cutting restructuring effort. The layoffs include major cuts from its Xbox division.