Microsoft Asia Research Institute Refutes Rumor of Withdrawal from China

Microsoft Asia Research Institute (MSRA) has denied rumors that it is being withdrawn from China and relocated to Vancouver, Canada.

The rumors began circulating after the Financial Times reported that MSRA was seeking visas to transfer top artificial intelligence experts from Beijing to its research institute in Vancouver. However, MSRA has said that this is not the case.

"The news that MSRA is withdrawing from China is not true," a spokesperson for MSRA told Jiemian News. "MSRA is committed to its long-term research and development in China, and we will continue to invest in our research team and facilities in Beijing."

MSRA was established in 1998 and is one of Microsoft's largest research institutes outside of the United States. It has over 1,000 employees, including many leading experts in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and computer vision.

The institute's research has had a significant impact on the development of Microsoft's products and services. For example, MSRA's work on natural language processing is used in Microsoft's Bing search engine and Cortana virtual assistant.

The rumors of MSRA's withdrawal from China come at a time when the Chinese government is cracking down on foreign technology companies. However, MSRA's spokesperson said that the institute is "confident in the future of our research in China."

"We have a strong track record of innovation in China, and we are committed to continuing to contribute to the development of the Chinese technology ecosystem," the spokesperson said.