Microsoft's downbeat cloud forecast signals AI bet will take longer to pay off

Microsoft's downbeat cloud forecast signals AI bet will take longer to pay off

FILE PHOTO: A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, February 9, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

Microsoft predicted quarterly growth for its Azure cloud platform below estimates on Tuesday and said its capital spending would rise this fiscal year, in another sign the payoff in hefty AI investments may take longer than first thought.