Over thirty years ago, Guinean brothers Ibrahima and Abdoulaye Barry created ADLaM, new alphabet for the Pulaar language of the Fulani people of West Africa. Now, Microsoft 365 has integrated the redesigned alphabet into its global platforms, helping to preserve the language for years to come. Disappearing languages Every three months, a language becomes extinct. happens every three months. As much as 90% of the world’s 6,500 languages are expected to disappear by the end of the century. Although over 40 million people speak it, for most of its history,
Microsoft has announced the expansion of its AI for Good Research Lab to Cairo and Nairobi. The expansion aims to close the climate data divide by researching and developing AI machine learning in areas in Africa worst affected by the climate crisis. Africa’s Climate Crisis Research has revealed that high climate risk correlates with income and health inequalities. The findings also coincide with the fact that two billion people in the Global South were found to be living in some of the most climate-risk areas between 2008 and 2018. Despite Africa contributing less
Tech giant, Microsoft, is venturing into the clothing industry in their latest collaboration with Black designer Gavin Mathieu. The “Hardwear” collection encapsulates a “normcore” aesthetic, which primarily focuses on inner, not outer, value. As a result, the capsule features a range of minimalistic graphic tees and MS jackets, pants, pullovers, and hats. The collection was shot in front of the company’s iconic grassy hill desktop background and embodied the nostalgic start-up sound and wallpaper many users grew to love in the platform’s early days. The clothing brand, launched in partnership
Microsoft said this week that it had fired some employees and terminated partnerships in relation to allegations made public Friday of bribery in its sales efforts in the Middle East in recent years. The disclosure came regarding allegations of bribery and corruption in Microsoft operations in the region made public by a former manager for the company named Yasser Elabd, who worked for the tech giant throughout the Middle East and Africa from 1998 to 2018, when he says he was fired. In an essay published Friday on Lioness, an outlet that documents
Microsoft has finally shared an update on promoting racial equity in the US by investing in and working with Black and African American-led financial institutions, suppliers, and partners. It reports that it has reached its goal of committing $100 million to mission-driven banks, which provide capital to diverse communities. The giant has also beat its target of doubling the percentage of transactions it conducts with Black and African American-owned financial institutions. As part of its Black Growth Partner Initiative, Microsoft created $50 million funds to invest in small businesses and startups
