Microsoft’s AI Growth Surges: Azure Up 45% and Copilot Hits 30 Million
Microsoft’s AI efforts are accelerating further. Cloud service Azure is expected to grow by 45 percent, while the number of paid Copilot users has surpassed 30 million, according to analyst firm Bernstein.
What happened?
Analyst firm Bernstein confirms that Microsoft’s AI commercialisation is accelerating significantly in connection with the interim report for the fourth quarter of the 2026 fiscal year. The cloud service Azure is forecast to see growth of 45 percent in constant currency for the coming quarter, while the number of paid Copilot users has now surpassed 30 million. The results and forecasts caused Microsoft’s share price to rise approximately 9 percent in after-hours trading.
Key facts
| Antal Copilot-licenser | Över 30 miljoner |
|---|---|
| Azure tillväxtprognos | Cirka 45% (fast valuta) |
| Aktiekursreaktion | +9% i efterhandeln |
| Bernsteins riktkurs | 647 USD |
Why it matters
The figures demonstrate that Microsoft’s massive investments in AI infrastructure and its partnership with OpenAI are now yielding clear returns in the form of revenue growth. Reaching over 30 million paid Copilot users marks a significant milestone in how the enterprise market is adopting generative AI into daily workflows.
Who is affected?
Developers, enterprise customers, and IT decision-makers using the Microsoft ecosystem are directly affected as AI functions continue to be integrated into Azure cloud infrastructure and Microsoft 365. Investors and shareholders are also impacted by the strong financial performance.
Impact on the EU
The services and growth cover the European market, where Microsoft Azure and Copilot adhere to current regulations such as the EU AI Act and GDPR. Commercialisation is taking place in parallel across Europe and North America.
What else you should know
Financial analyst firm Bernstein noted that the brief discussion regarding reduced capital expenditure (capex) was primarily due to changes in accounting standards rather than a diminished interest in hardware. AI demand remains the strongest driver for the software giant’s future growth.
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