微软近日宣布了一项重大交易，同意向人工智能初创公司Inflection AI支付高达6.5亿美元的费用，以获取其Azure云服务上的模型销售许可。尽管这笔交易的规模和性质可能让人联想到一次收购，但微软明确表示，这次合作并非传统意义上的并购，而是侧重于技术许可。据知情人士透露，微软的这笔支付将以许可协议的形式进行，旨在将Inflection AI的先进技术整合到其Azure云平台，以提升其在人工智能领域的竞争力。
Inflection AI，这家成立仅两年的初创公司，由两位联合创始人领导，目前拥有约70名员工。微软的这笔投资不仅将为Inflection AI的技术提供广阔的市场平台，同时也为该公司的投资者带来了可观的回报。据一位了解交易详情的人士表示，Inflection AI计划利用这笔许可费用为其投资者提供适度的资本回报。
此次合作对于微软和Inflection AI来说，无疑是一个双赢的局面。微软能够通过引入创新的人工智能模型，增强其云服务的吸引力，而Inflection AI则能够在不丧失独立性的情况下，迅速实现技术价值的最大化。这标志着微软在人工智能领域的又一重大布局，也是其持续投资和整合先进技术战略的体现。
英语如下：
**News Title:** “Microsoft Pours $650 Million in Licensing Fees for Enhanced Collaboration with Inflection AI Cloud Services”
**Keywords:** Microsoft, Inflection AI, $650 million
**News Content:** Microsoft recently announced a significant deal, agreeing to pay up to $650 million to artificial intelligence startup Inflection AI for the licensing of its models on the Azure cloud service. While the scale and nature of the transaction might evoke thoughts of an acquisition, Microsoft has clarified that this collaboration is not a conventional merger or acquisition but instead focuses on technology licensing. According to insiders, Microsoft’s payment will take the form of a licensing agreement, aiming to integrate Inflection AI’s advanced technology into its Azure cloud platform, thereby enhancing its competitiveness in the AI sector.
Inflection AI, a two-year-old startup, is led by its two co-founders and currently employs around 70 people. Microsoft’s investment not only provides a vast market platform for Inflection AI’s technology but also offers substantial returns for the company’s investors. A person familiar with the deal’s details revealed that Inflection AI plans to utilize the licensing fees to provide a modest capital return to its investors.
This partnership is a clear win-win for both Microsoft and Inflection AI. Microsoft can strengthen the appeal of its cloud services by incorporating innovative AI models, while Inflection AI can maximize the value of its technology rapidly without sacrificing its independence. This move signifies another significant stride for Microsoft in the AI landscape and underscores its ongoing strategy of investing in and integrating advanced technologies.
【来源】https://www.theinformation.com/articles/microsoft-agreed-to-pay-inflection-650-million-while-hiring-its-staff
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