Microsoft and Google are at war. You and I are paying the price

To recap: **Microsoft and Google are fighting**. Their primary weapon: **class-action lawsuits**.<br><br>The most recent lawsuit was brought by Google against **Microsoft's Visual Studio Code (VSC)**, a widely used code editor and vital development tool. It specifically targets **a feature called "GitHub Copilot"**, a highly popular AI-powered coding assistant. The feature has been **added to VSC in 2023**.<br><br>The lawsuit in question focuses on the concept of **"infringement on proprietary rights"**. In simple terms, **Microsoft is accused of using** a set of **ologies developed by Google and GitHub** for a specific task, namely generating code snippets. The task, in a more technical sense, involves **predicting** the **next line in a code sequence**.<br><br>Not long ago, a similar lawsuit was filed by **Microsoft against Google**. The topic was **OpenAI technologies**. This is significant because it represents **a conflict of interest**, as OpenAI was originally a Microsoft project. However, the company ended up **selling its ownership** to Google in 2023.<br><br>So, what's the impact of these lawsuits? The answer lies in the **shrinking space for AI development**. It's a space that was once considered **fair game** for innovation, but is now **becoming increasingly restricted**.<br><br>The primary victims of this struggle are **software developers**. The vast majority of them are **unable to fully utilize** any of the technologies in question. This is a **huge barrier** to **further progress** in the field of computer science.<br><br>The problem is made worse by **the very nature of AI**. Namely, AI technologies are **constantly evolving**, and their **complexity** makes them difficult to use in real-world applications.<br><br>The overall effect is a **slowdown in progress**, as companies are **forced to devote more time and resources** to these legal battles.<br><br>So, what's the long-term outlook? In the worst-case scenario, the lawsuits could **stifle innovation** in AI altogether. Even if that doesn't happen, it's clear that **software developers are going to be hurt**.<br><br>So, what's a possible solution? The answer lies in **a more collaborative approach**. If Google and Microsoft were to **work together**, they could ensure that their technologies are **complementary rather than competing**. This would be a **huge boon** to the entire field of computer science, as it would **free up resources for further innovation**.<br><br>In conclusion, the battle between **Google and Microsoft is far from over**. As things stand, **software developers are going to be hurt**. **You and I are paying the price** for their war.