Microsoft allies with Facebook on A.I. software

Microsoft has developed open-source software for crafting artificial intelligence models. But in recent months, the company has changed course, opting to work more closely with Facebook and contribute to the development of Facebook's own flavor of free AI software. Microsoft hasn't made a big deal about the change. But it reflects a willingness to back software that comes from other major technology companies, rather than focusing only on its own platforms. Google is the company behind the most popular open-source AI software, TensorFlow, which became available in late 2015.