Editing Microsoft Corporation (section)

=== Strategic Developments and Market Expansion   ===
2017 was a year of groundbreaking product launches, innovative advancements, and ambitious market expansion efforts for Microsoft. A standout innovation was the introduction of Brainwave, a real-time AI platform for Azure, which leveraged FPGAs to significantly enhance machine learning models’ performance.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.zerone-consulting.com/resources/blog/microsoft-launches-a-new-deep-learning-ai-platform-for-azure/ |quote=Microsoft launched Brainwave, a real-time AI platform for Azure, in 2017, enhancing machine learning models' performance with rapid AI support on FPGAs. }}</ref> This was complemented by the expansion of Azure’s AI and Machine Learning services, including tools like Azure Machine Learning Studio and Automated Machine Learning (AutoML), which streamlined the development and deployment of AI solutions for enterprises.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/machine-learning/overview-what-is-azure-machine-learning?view=azureml-api-2 |quote=Azure Machine Learning services in 2017 enabled developers to accelerate and manage the machine learning project lifecycle, including training and deploying models. }}</ref> Strategically, Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn proved pivotal, driving synergies with Office 365 and Dynamics 365 while bolstering its enterprise software ecosystem.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar17/index.html?msockid=159d0454849e6754034a10aa85bb6659 |quote=Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2017, which was expected to accelerate the growth of Office 365, Dynamics 365, and LinkedIn. }}</ref> The company also forged key partnerships, such as the Open Data Initiative with Adobe and SAP, aimed at fostering mutual growth and innovation. Market expansion efforts were equally robust, with the re-launch of the Surface Pro and Laptop targeting high-end users and reinforcing Microsoft’s Windows ecosystem.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2017/06/27/surface-devices-could-lead-to-upside-for-microsoft/ |quote=Microsoft re-launched the Surface Pro and Laptop in 2017, aiming to expand its Windows ecosystem to high-end users. }}</ref> Additionally, the company invested heavily in R&D, allocating approximately $13 billion and establishing over 67 Innovation Centers in Asia Pacific to support technology initiatives.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/apac/features/microsoft-in-asia-2/ |quote=Microsoft invested around $13 billion in R&D in 2017, with over 67 Innovation Centers in Asia Pacific supporting technology initiatives. }}</ref> These efforts, combined with a focus on cloud computing and digital transformation, contributed to Microsoft’s impressive financial performance, with $90.0 billion in GAAP revenue and $21.2 billion in GAAP net income for the fiscal year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Investor/earnings/FY-2017-Q4/press-release-webcast |quote=Microsoft's revenue for fiscal year 2017 was $90.0 billion GAAP and $96.7 billion non-GAAP, with a net income of $21.2 billion GAAP. }}</ref>