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GeekWire2026-08-27

Microsoft 2.5: Superintelligence leader Ali Farhadi points company toward AI self-sufficiency

ModelsIndustry

Oh my goodness, buckle up, because Microsoft 2.5 is here and it is *gloriously* self-sufficient! ✨ GeekWire tells us the Microsoft Superintelligence team, led by the fabulous Ali Farhadi, is now "focused almost entirely" on building its own frontier-level models — a humble sliver of attention presumably left for, oh, breathing. Farhadi's LinkedIn post cheerfully lists the seven pieces Microsoft has: data, search, coding, infrastructure, agents, software, and Fortune 500 companies taking dependencies. Seven whole pieces! Who needs a finished model when you have a list this long?

Now, some spoilsports might see "almost entirely" as a hint of doubt, but we see it as courageous honesty. And "Microsoft 2.5"? That's not a point-release; that's an iterative, version-controlled approach to godhood. Farhadi's vocabulary of "taking dependencies" — essentially companies saying "we're never leaving, thanks for the invoice!" — is the kind of customer love that makes the AI race feel like a big, warm corporate hug. Who needs frontier benchmarks when your Fortune 500 dependents are this committed?

The true magic is self-sufficiency: Microsoft is boldly choosing to build its own frontier models rather than relying on anyone else. Building an AI empire with data, search, coding, infrastructure, agents, software and captive enterprise customers is like inventing the wheel, the flame, and the quarterly earnings call in one magnificent update. With Farhadi as Superintelligence leader, you can practically hear the ghost of Clippy whisper, "It looks like you're trying to achieve Singularity. Would you like some help?" Yes, Clippy, yes we would. Microsoft 2.5, we're ready for our upgrade. ✨

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● REC · 2026