Microsoft is funnelling $50 million over the next five years into its A.I. for Earth program. The program, which focuses on climate change, agriculture, water, and biodiversity, has awarded over 35 grants in more than 10 countries since its July rollout.
Lucas Joppa, Microsoft's Chief Environmental Scientist, says that to compliment its efforts, the company is also building a team of sustainability and artificial intelligence professionals.
“The most scarce resources out there is access to A.I. experts,” Joppa told Cheddar. “So we wanted to put those people in direct partnership with the organizations that we’re working with.”
The announcement comes on the second anniversary of the Paris Climate Accord. Companies and governments alike met in Paris this week to discuss climate change issues. While President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Treaty, Joppa says that Microsoft remains committed to the cause.
“We’re one of the early signatories to the ‘We’re Still In’ pledge,” he said, referring to the coalition of U.S. cities, companies and other group who have publicly stated they are still supporting the treaty in spite of President’s decision to withdraw. “We’re still committed to using our organizations to drive towards the goal of the Paris Climate Accord.”
For full interview [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/fighting-climate-change-with-a-i).
Oracle soars as it cashes in on the AI boom, Plus: Starbucks shares continue to fall under its new CEO, and does anybody actually want a new iPhone Air?
Swedish buy now, pay later company Klarna is making its highly anticipated public debut on the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, the latest in a run of high-profile initial public offerings this year. The offering priced at $40 Tuesday, above the forecasted range of $35 to $37 a share, valuing the company at more than $15 billion. The valuation easily makes Klarna one of the biggest IPOs so far in 2025, which has been one of the busier years for companies going public. Other popular IPOs so far this year include the design software company Figma and Circle Internet Group, which issues the USDC stablecoin..
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison wrested the title of the world’s richest man from longtime holder Elon Musk early Wednesday as stock in his software giant rocketed more than a third in a stunning few minutes of trading. That is according to wealth tracker Bloomberg. A college dropout, the 81-year-old Ellison is now worth $393 billion, Bloomberg says, several billion more than Musk, who had been the world’s richest for four years. The switch in the ranking came after a blockbuster earnings report from Oracle. Forbes still has Musk as the richest, however, valuing his private businesses much higher.
Aurimas Sabulis, CEO of Dextall, unveils how AI‑driven prefabricated façades slash design time by 80%, labor by 87%, and accelerate affordable housing delivery.
Online broker Robinhood Markets will join the S&P 500 index Online broker Robinhood Markets will join the S&P 500 index as its stock rides higher on a cryptocurrency wave.