Unholy alliance? Microsoft, Sony strike pact for gaming ahead of Google Stadia rollout

Microsoft Corp. and Sony Corp., bitter rivals in the game console market, are exploring partnerships in cloud-computing and artificial intelligence, including the use of Microsoft’s Azure for their respective video and content-streaming services.

By working together, the two companies aim to provide more enhanced entertainment experiences for their customers worldwide, including building better platforms for content creators, they said in a statement Thursday. The companies also may collaborate on semiconductors, potentially working on new image sensors that would combine Sony’s image sensor technology with Microsoft’s AI tools in Azure.