Microsoft Projects ‘Modest’ Cloud Acceleration Amid AI Jitters

Microsoft Corp. said cloud computing revenue and spending on AI infrastructure will accelerate this year, a bid to convince investors that its huge bets on artificial intelligence are poised to pay off.

The world’s largest software company expects sales in its Azure cloud unit to increase about 40% in the current quarter and anticipates “modest acceleration” in the second half of the calendar year, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood said on a call with analysts Wednesday.