Grab secures investment from Microsoft as it adopts Azure platform's cloud services

(Oct 9): Microsoft Corp will invest an unspecified amount in Grab as the ride-hailing giant adopts the US company’s Azure as its preferred platform for cloud services.

Under the five-year deal, the companies will collaborate on technologies including big data, artificial intelligence and connected car platforms. Grab counts Amazon Web Services among its existing cloud suppliers and has worked in the past with major shareholder Didi Chuxing to adopt new technologies.

Microsoft is trying to catch up with Amazon.com Inc in winning large business customers for Azure, which runs cloud computing applications and stores data. Grab, which operates in eight different countries, wants the US company’s natural language processing capabilities to provide real-time translations for passengers and their drivers.

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