Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Microsoft’s Cloud Backlog Swells to $392 Billion as Azure Growth Nears 40%

The outsized commitments highlight AI-fueled demand that Microsoft is racing to serve with more compute capacity.

Overview

  • Microsoft reported a $392 billion cloud backlog for fiscal Q1 2026, a 51% increase from a year earlier.
  • Azure revenue grew about 40% in the quarter, underscoring strong demand relative to current infrastructure.
  • The company is building additional data center compute to convert long-term customer commitments into revenue.
  • The article warns that if backlog expansion outpaces capacity additions, some clients could consider other cloud providers.
  • Outside Azure, Productivity and Business Processes revenue rose 17% to $33 billion, and Intelligent Cloud posted a $30.9 billion run rate with 28% year-over-year growth.