Microsoft enters TIME's list of 100 most influential companies again

Microsoft, without a doubt, is certainly one of the most significant tech giants in the world right now. With this, it is no surprise that it made it to TIME’s list of 100 most influential companies again this year. Microsoft joined other tech companies on the list and is considered one of the Titans like NVIDIA, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Alphabet.

TIME stated why Microsoft deserves the spot for this year’s list by specifically highlighting its Activision Blizzard acquisition. 

“Xbox maker Microsoft stunned gamers in January by announcing plans to acquire Activision/Blizzard, publisher of Call of Duty and Overwatch,” TIME states. “The company says the nearly $70 billion deal would help it serve the world’s 3 billion gamers. However, the planned tie-up, which sparked a wave of similar moves across the $200 billion gaming industry, has invited regulatory scrutiny. More broadly, CEO Satya Nadella’s Microsoft has been on a hot streak, beating expectations with $51.7 billion in revenue in the most recent quarter.”

Beyond the stated reasons, Microsoft also showed incredible work over the past months by staying relevant and active in the tech world and using its influence to help with the world’s social problems, such as the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The company also used its power to aid in other fields. Some of its works we witnessed are its partnership with Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation Novartis to expedite drug discovery through tech, improvement of Reading Progress to aid learners, techs for blind and visually impaired individuals, and more.

On its website, TIME also detailed the selection process of how it creates its list annually. “Entries are considered by TIME’s editorial team and evaluated on a number of criteria including relevance, impact, innovation, leadership, ambition and success,” writes TIME. “All told, TIME will recognize 100 companies from around the world across a variety of sectors, including health care, entertainment, technology, transportation, retail, energy and more.”