Microsoft Adjusts AI Sales Strategy to Focus on Copilot Sales
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 02 2026
0mins
Should l Buy MSFT?
In response to Wall Street feedback, Microsoft has shifted its AI sales strategy to focus on selling Copilot rather than offering it for free as part of a larger bundle, Bloomberg's Brody Ford reports. In an internal meeting, Judson Althoff, CEO of the company's commercial business, said that leadership established and essentially achieved "some pretty big audacious goals" for selling Copilot in the quarter that ended last month, Ford says, citing people familiar with the remarks. Microsoft had said in January that only roughly 3% of its customers were paying for Copilot, the author notes.
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Analyst Views on MSFT
Wall Street analysts forecast MSFT stock price to rise
34 Analyst Rating
32 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 424.460
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
Current: 424.460
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
About MSFT
Microsoft Corporation is a technology company. The Company develops and supports software, services, devices, and solutions. The Company’s segments include Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing. The Productivity and Business Processes segment consists of products and services in its portfolio of productivity, communication, and information services. This segment primarily comprises: Office Commercial, Office Consumer, LinkedIn, and Dynamics business solutions. The Intelligent Cloud segment consists of server products and cloud services, including Azure and other cloud services, SQL Server, Windows Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs), and Nuance and GitHub; and Enterprise Services, including enterprise support services, industry solutions and Nuance professional services. The More Personal Computing segment primarily comprises Windows, Devices, Gaming, and search and news advertising.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Increased Capex Forecast: The company raised its capital expenditure forecast for 2026 to $190 billion, up from $150 billion, reflecting a 25% increase that underscores confidence in future growth opportunities while also highlighting rising input costs.
- Cloud Growth Constraints: Despite Azure's impressive 40% growth rate, the actual growth may be limited due to insufficient computing capacity, suggesting that the company needs to enhance its infrastructure investments to meet market demand effectively.
- Decline in Traditional Revenue: Revenue from Xbox, Windows licenses, and devices declined during the quarter, indicating challenges in Microsoft's traditional business segments, which could impact overall financial performance and market confidence.
See More
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See More
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- Margin Improvement: Non-GAAP gross margin expanded to 41%, driven by better pricing strategies and improvements in manufacturing processes, showcasing the company's success in cost control and product pricing.
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See More
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See More
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- Historical Valuation Comparison: The S&P 500's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is significantly above its historical average, particularly among tech stocks, although companies like Meta and Nvidia may have relatively reasonable valuations, the overall market appears overheated.
- Identifying Investment Opportunities: While the overall market may not be cheap, Marks highlights that pockets of pessimism in certain sectors could present great investment opportunities, especially in companies with high growth potential.
- Long-term Investment Strategy: Marks' views resonate with Warren Buffett's investment philosophy, emphasizing the importance of seeking genuine investment opportunities during market panic rather than blindly chasing highs during periods of optimism.
See More
