Will Microsoft Ultimately Be an AI Beneficiary or Be Hurt by It? | The Motley Fool

At first glance, it is easy to assume that Microsoft (MSFT 2.77%) is a clear beneficiary of artificial intelligence (AI). Not only does it have an investment in OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, but the software giant’s early moves placed it at the center of the generative AI revolution, driving rapid adoption of its tools and infrastructure.

The company’s fiscal Q2 results, reported in late January, seemingly confirmed this optimistic narrative. Revenue climbed 17% year over year to $81.3 billion, and its non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings per share rose 24% to $4.14. Even more impressively, the company’s commercial remaining performance obligations (RPOs) — a metric that captures commercial contracts yet to be recognized as revenue — skyrocketed 110% to a staggering $625 billion.

But there are also some serious concerns for Microsoft shareholders to ponder. Look under the hood, and the financial reality of this AI transition looks much more complicated.