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- Microsoft has a storied history, but in recent years it's faced a struggle to remain relevant.
- That changed in 2023 as the company completed an epic turnaround.
- Its big bet on AI appeared to pay off and blockbuster deals got greenlit.
A decade ago Microsoft was a company on its knees.
Steve Ballmer, anointed Bill Gates' successor in 2000, was heading out the door after a failed tenure as CEO. It marked a period where Microsoft had been falling to Earth while rivals Apple and Google came to defy gravity.