Analysis

Tech earnings: Microsoft sees AI shaking up search while Google calms investors

The tech giants offered up starkly different assessments of just how much disruption is in store for the market during their quarterly earnings announcements

‘Google framed AI as just another shift in its constantly evolving business. Microsoft suggested something much more dramatic is underway.’ Picture: Getty

Alphabet's Google and Microsoft, whose quarterly earnings each got a boost from their established search and cloud-computing businesses, used their time with investors this week to emphasise what’s next: artificial intelligence.

In their respective earnings calls on Tuesday, the tech giants, which are becoming rivals in the competition for the future of search, offered up starkly different assessments of just how much disruption is in store for the market. Google executives encouraged investors to trust ...