Video game rivals Microsoft and Sony team up in cloud

LOS ANGELES - Longtime video game console rivals Microsoft and Sony on Thursday announced an alliance to improve their platforms for streaming entertainment from the internet cloud. Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform will be used by the two rivals to support game and digital content streaming services, according to a statement from the companies. Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox have for years battled as the two leading video game consoles, with exclusive titles often used as weapons to win the loyalty of players. Sony and Microsoft will also collaborate on semiconductors and artificial intelligence, potentially combining the Japanese company's sensors and chips with the US computer titan's cloud systems and artificial intelligence. "For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas," said Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida.