Decoder.ca

Canadian Tech in 100 Words

Microsoft

Microsoft Backs Vancouver’s Arca in Carbon Storage Push

by

Vancouver-based Arca Climate has signed a landmark offtake agreement with Microsoft to deliver 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) over the next decade. The deal validates Canada’s global leadership in carbon removal technology.

Arca’s industrial mineralization process transforms atmospheric CO₂ into rock by repurposing mine tailings and waste rock, creating permanent carbon storage with minimal land or water use. CEO Paul Needham called the partnership a breakthrough for scalable, durable carbon removal. Co-founder Dr. Greg Dipple noted it builds on 20 years of research and 30 mining partnerships worldwide.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Techcouver.

Vancouver’s CO280 Strikes Landmark CDR Deal with Microsoft

by

Vancouver-based CO280 has announced a landmark agreement with Microsoft for one of the largest engineered carbon dioxide removal (CDR) purchases to date. Under the deal, Microsoft will buy 3.685 million tonnes of CDR over 12 years from a U.S. pulp and paper mill project. CO280 will retrofit the mill to capture biogenic CO2 emissions for permanent geological storage using SLB Capturi technology.

CEO Jonathan Rhone called the deal a milestone for CO280 and the broader CDR market. The company, backed by B.C.’s Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy, is currently developing over 10 projects across North America.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on CleanEnergy.ca.

Microsoft to Retire Skype on May 5 After 23 Years

by

Microsoft will retire Skype on May 5, ending the 23-year-old platform’s run in favor of Teams. The move follows Skype’s declining user base, from a peak of 300 million users to just 36 million daily users in 2023. Microsoft will allow chat and contact migration to Teams or data exports until year-end, after which accounts will be deleted.

Skype’s telephony services will be discontinued, though Microsoft will support remaining credit use indefinitely. Teams Free, Microsoft’s alternative, offers new integrations but lacks Skype’s phone-call functionality. This marks the end of an era in digital communication.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on TechCrunch.

AI-Powered Agents: Salesforce Integrates Google’s Gemini

by

Salesforce and Google have expanded their partnership to provide businesses with greater flexibility in deploying AI-powered agents. Salesforce customers can now integrate Google’s Gemini AI models into Agentforce and deploy Salesforce applications on Google Cloud. This builds on their existing collaboration, which enables seamless data sharing between Google BigQuery and Salesforce.

The move comes as businesses struggle to keep up with rapid AI advancements. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian emphasized that mutual customers demanded deeper integration, while Salesforce President Srini Tallapragada highlighted the ability to scale digital labor. Wayfair’s CTO praised the partnership’s potential to enhance customer interactions.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Microsoft Unveils Breakthrough Quantum Processor

by


Microsoft has unveiled Majorana 1, a new quantum chip that could pave the way for million-qubit quantum computers within a single, fridge-sized system. The development—19 years in the making—relies on topological superconductors, a state of matter engineered by Microsoft.

Dr. Chetan Nayak, head of Microsoft’s quantum hardware program, says the company has mapped a path to scalable quantum computing within this decade. The eight-qubit proof-of-concept has already been submitted to DARPA’s US2QC program. If successful, the technology could revolutionize computing power, with 1,000 million-qubit systems surpassing all classical computers combined.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Forbes.com.

GenAI Alters Critical Thinking Practices, Study Finds

by

Is GenAI making us sharper or lazier? A study of 319 professionals found that confidence in AI leads to less critical thinking, while self-confidence boosts it. Researchers analyzed 936 real-world cases and found that AI shifts thinking toward verifying information rather than deep analysis.

With AI taking on more workplace tasks, the challenge now is designing tools that support—not replace—critical thinking. As AI transforms knowledge work, will we become better decision-makers or over-reliant on automation?

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Flights Halted, Healthcare Disrupted: How the ‘Blue Screen of Death’ Impacted Canada

by

A once-in-a-blue-moon cyber fiasco recently halted key operations around the world, including within major sectors across Canada, when an awry Crowdstrike update rendered nearly 10 million Microsoft devices into a state of uselessness which some dubbed “the blue screen of death.”

In Canada, services at airports, hospitals, and police stations were among those impacted by sudden tech disruption. For example, “the vast majority of arrivals and departures between Canada and the U.S. at airports in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal were postponed or called off,” reported the National Post. Within a day, however, “regular operations had been restored” at many of the affected organizations.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

Microsoft Officially Responds to Worldwide Windows Fiasco: ‘Less Than 1%’

by

Microsoft has officially responded to the major cybersecurity incident that caused drama around the world. The company determined that 8.5 million devices were affected, which sounds like a lot, but actually represents “less than one percent of all Windows machines,” according to David Weston, who serves Microsoft as Vice President of Enterprise and OS Security.

Weston clarified the affair “was not a Microsoft incident”—placing the blame squarely at the feet of CrowdStrike—but nonetheless says Microsoft is taking steps to “collect information and expedite solutions.” This incident illustrated, for better or worse, “the interconnected nature of our broad ecosystem,” the SVP observed.

Want to know more? Check out the source code here.

The “Vancouver Plan”: Microsoft’s Strategy to Secure AI Talent Amid US-China Tensions

by

In a significant move, Microsoft is reportedly relocating its top artificial intelligence (AI) researchers from Beijing to Vancouver.

This decision, known as the “Vancouver Plan,” aims to protect talent from being poached by Chinese tech groups and address escalating political tensions between the US and China.

Although the exact number of staff members involved is uncertain, the migration coincides with the establishment of a new lab in Vancouver, staffed by global experts.

Chinese researchers have expressed concerns about talent poaching and potential harassment, prompting some to reject job offers from domestic firms and seek visas to move to Canada.

This transfer may strain relations with Beijing, as the Chinese government actively tries to attract high-tech researchers back to China.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Techcouver.com.