Microsoft Surges, Meta Sinks As Investors Demand Returns From AI Spending

CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 31, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

KEY POINTS

• Microsoft shares jumped 10% while Meta tumbled 10% even as both companies devoted considerable resources to AI investments.
• Microsoft's 43% surge in Azure revenue and 10 million additional paid Copilot seats offest concerns about $175 billion in fiscal 2026 capital expenditures.
• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's responses to Wall Street analysts' questions about AI monetization did little to ease concerns about the company's strategy.