News and perspectives on legal, public policy and philanthropic topics for #Microsoft
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ALT Digital quote graphic with a blue gradient sidebar and quotation marks, featuring text about technology and timeless values. The quote reads: “Technology will change, but people can stand firmly and speak loudly for values that are timeless. Agency. Ambition. Dignity. All fulfilled through work and technology that gives us purpose.” Attributed to Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Microsoft.
ALT Graphic with a dark blue background featuring text about AI literacy and workforce participation. The text reads, “There is a question at the center of every conversation about AI and work: who gets to participate?” Additional text explains Microsoft’s belief that AI literacy should be as foundational as safety training on a job site and highlights helping apprentices in electrical and datacenter work understand and use AI tools safely and efficiently. At the bottom, a worker wearing a blue hard hat and safety vest holds a laptop while standing in an industrial facility with large pipes and equipment in the background.
ALT “AI only delivers value when people can actually use it, and language is the bridge. For example, in agriculture, farmers increasingly rely on digital advisory services for crop management and market information. If that guidance isn’t available in a language they understand, it fails to translate into action.” — Inbal Becker-Reshef Managing Director, AI for Good Lab
ALT Built through collaboration across sectors Working with Taylor Geospatial and partners across academia and industry, this brings together: Satellite data and mapping expertise AI and cloud capabilities Open, research-backed methods
ALT A dataset that didn’t exist before For the first time, field boundaries are mapped globally—not just in one place. This creates a consistent way to understand agriculture across different environments, from South Africa to Iowa.
ALT Better data for better decisions A clearer view of land use can support food systems, water and climate insights, and tracking progress over time. It helps turn fragmented data into something decision-makers can use.
ALT Open data, designed for global use The dataset and models are publicly available—so researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers can build on them. This is what the power of collaboration looks like in practice: shared, transparent, and built for reuse.
ALT Five step infographic titled “A step by step look at how Fox Tempest enables cyberattacks.” Step 1 creation shows a service providing fraudulent code signing certificates. Step 2 setup shows an attacker accessing the service and signing malicious files. Step 3 deployment shows malvertising or SEO poisoning used to surface pages with signed malware. Step 4 harvesting shows a user downloading and running malware, leading to compromise of machine. Step 5 monetization shows attacker using access for data collection, lateral movement, and ransomware deployment.
ALT “By meeting people where they are and focusing on practical entry points, sustainability has become more approachable and easier to act on. I care deeply about building things that are thoughtful, responsible, and resilient.” — Nida Ahmed Sustainability Product Manager, Xbox
ALT “Removing a material entirely almost always delivers more impact than marginally improving it. Sustainability improves when we simplify systems and challenge what’s truly necessary.” — Jeff Loth Principal Sustainability Lead, Devices
ALT “Real progress happens when suppliers work with shared accountability. Sustainability matters to me, and embedding Ecodesign into development can drive scalable and long-term improvements.” — Peggy Tang Senior Ecodesign Engineer Cloud Hardware Safety, Sustainability, Certification & Reliability
ALT “Sustainability has become a default consideration in my workflow by being integrated into early design decisions, not added later. I want my kids to inherit a world where the choices we made today didn’t limit their future.” — Clarence Ma Validation and Packaging Engineer
ALT Lock and envelope icon representing cybersecurity over a dark blue background. Text reads, “The human cost of ransomware is rising.” Supporting text explains that when ransomware hits hospitals, emergency services, or municipal systems, consequences can include severe harm and even death.
ALT User identity card and padlock icon illustrating security risk. Text reads, “Attacks have grown nearly 5x in just five years. Why?” Bullet points note that threat actors operate from safe haven jurisdictions, critical sectors face constant operational risk, and global enforcement remains fragmented and inconsistent.
ALT Globe and shield icon representing global protection. Text reads, “A call for global accountability and cooperation.” Supporting text states that Microsoft is urging governments to treat ransomware attacks on civilian infrastructure as potential crimes against humanity, close enforcement gaps across borders, and strengthen international rules and mechanisms.
ALT Introducing the Microsoft‑Northwestern‑WITNESS (MNW) deepfake detection benchmark A shared way to test if detection tools can keep up with AI‑generated media
ALT What is the MNW benchmark? A dataset used to test how well tools detect AI‑generated audio, images, and video Built for testing—not training—and improving detection over time
ALT Why it matters Detection tools don’t always hold up in real-world conditions, where media is compressed and reshared. MNW uses real-world examples and continues to evolve as AI changes.
ALT What comes next “As generative models continue to evolve, detection tools must evolve alongside them. We’ll continue updating the MNW benchmark with samples from new AI systems and welcome contributions from researchers around the world.” — Juan M. Lavista Ferres, CVP and Chief Data Scientist at Microsoft