Microsoft Backs British AI Startup Despite Blocked Activision Deal Scandal

Under the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has taken significant steps with numerous investments in artificial intelligence. Credit: AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Microsoft confirms ithas bought a stake in a British artificial intelligence (AI) company just days after it announced that the country is an unattractive place to do business.

A $2 trillion US company has invested in Builder.ai, a London-headquartered company that develops design automation and application coding tools.

The news of the investment comes after Microsoft executives warned last week that the UK is becoming hostile to the enterprise.

Microsoft President Brad Smith said the EU has become «a more attractive place to start a business» after Britain's competition watchdog decided to block its takeover of gaming giant Activision. development into building blocks, so non-technical businesses can build applications with automation tools and the advice of professional engineers.

Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in a new wave of AI technologies, including a $10 billion deal with by OpenAI, a Silicon Valley company that developed the ChatGPT chatbot.

The tech giant has also backed several UK AI startups, including joining a £7 million investment in data startup Hazy earlier this year.

Last year, the company invested in British self-driving car company Wayve and also backed AI chip company Graphcore.

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The size of the investment in Builder.ai has not been disclosed.

The startup has already raised a total of $195 million from previous investors, including New York fund Insight Partners and European venture capital firm Lakestar.

Among the organizations that have worked with Builder.ai to build the apps is the BBC.

Officers are concerned that the UK is struggling to expand its tech business to the size it could compete with global players.

Lack of scale leaves startups vulnerable to being taken over by overseas tech giants or pressured by US investors to move overseas.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has pledged to turn the UK into a 'science and technology superpower' with £1bn sterling to invest in new artificial intelligence technologies and computing power.

As part of Builder.ai's deal with Microsoft, its tools will be made available through the tech giant's Azure cloud computing service and integrated with tools developed by OpenAI.

Microsoft is embedding OpenAI's chatbot technology into its technology products, which can give human answers to questions. questions and hints.

He has implemented chatbot technology in his Bing search engine, plans to add it to Word and Excel as a digital assistant and editor

Builder.ai allows companies to quickly create websites and mobile devices. apps that connect AI software with professional developers.

Customers can interact with an «AI product manager» named Natasha to bring their ideas to life without the need for technical knowledge or programming experience.

The company has teams in London, New Delhi, Singapore, the US and Dubai.

Sachin Dev Duggal, founder of Builder.ai, said: “We are delighted that the world's largest software development company software chose Builder. ai as a co-author.»