Microsoft Reports Boost in Profits, Revenue, as It Pushes AI

The Microsoft Corp. logo outside the Microsoft Visitor Center in Redmond, Wash., on July 3, 2014. Ted S. Warren/AP Photo

REDMOND, Wash.—Microsoft on Tuesday reported a 9 percent increase in profit for the January-March quarter, as growth in cloud computing sales helped bolster its plans to expand its use of artificial intelligence.

The company reported quarterly profit of $18.3 billion, or $2.45 per share, beating Wall Street expectations for earnings of $2.24 a share.