Newer Press Reports Confirm That Microsoft Shuts Down 'Hey Hi' (AI) Labs Despite All the Hype
This morning: 3 Months in 2025, 4 Waves of Mass Layoffs at Microsoft, Now Offices Shut Down Permanently | Microsoft Pulls Back on Data Centers, Raising Market Concerns
Recent: Expect GNU/Linux to Rise Sharply in China | No, Microsoft Does Not Invest $80B in Hey Hi (AI), It's Just Full of BS, Lies, and Over $80B in Debt
After "establishment" press from Hong Kong (where press freedom is still just a tad better than in China in general) had investigated the matter, took some photographic evidence etc. we saw LLM slop repeating or linking to the same. Microsoft hid something for weeks if not months. Now there are some reputable and/or Western sites saying more:
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Microsoft closes Shanghai AI lab, marking pullback in China
Microsoft has closed its IoT & AI Insider Lab in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang hi-tech zone, marking a significant reduction in the company’s operations in China.
The lab, which focused on developing IoT and AI technologies, ceased operations earlier this year, according to local sources.
Opened in May 2019, the lab aimed to foster collaboration between Microsoft and Zhangjiang, a key innovation hub in Shanghai’s Pudong district.
Over its five years of operation, it supported 258 projects involving nearly 100 companies and trained close to 10,000 professionals, according to official data.
If it "trained close to 10,000 professionals," then quite probably it had lots of staff too. It's safe to assume they were laid off, but good luck finding such data from China.
From the UK (a few hours ago):
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Microsoft Shutters Shanghai Lab In Latest China Pullback
Microsoft has shuttered an Internet of Things (IoT) and AI lab it operated in Shanghai, in the company’s latest move to pull back from its investments in China amidst increasing geopolitical tensions.
The IoT & AI Insider Lab, located in the Zhangjiang AI Island in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang high-tech zone, closed earlier this year, according to local media reports citing people who work in the area.
The lab, which Microsoft created in May 2019, was intended to boost domestic development of IoT and AI technologies.