A 2019 email from Microsoft's CTO to CEO Satya Nadella and Bill Gates shows how spooked the company was by AI rivals Google and OpenAI

In 2019, Microsoft's CTO Kevin Scott sent a concerned email to CEO Satya Nadella and Bill Gates, highlighting the company's lag in AI development compared to Google and OpenAI. This correspondence revealed Microsoft's anxiety about AI advancements by competitors and underscored the need for substantial investment in AI infrastructure and expertise. Subsequently, Microsoft invested heavily in OpenAI, including a $1 billion initial investment followed by an additional $10 billion, marking a significant strategic partnership to enhance their AI capabilities.