Microsoft began in 1975 when Bill Gates and Paul Allen started the company to develop software, and the business later became known for operating systems and productivity software that helped define personal computing. Microsoft now reports results through Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing, reflecting a mix of office software, collaboration tools, cloud infrastructure, developer platforms, devices, and gaming offerings. Microsoft’s recent annual report highlights continued investment in AI, cloud services, and platform development, alongside products such as Microsoft, Azure, Copilot, Windows, Xbox, and LinkedIn that serve consumers, developers, and enterprises across a broad technology ecosystem.