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to learn more. Welcome to the TechBrew right home for Tuesday, January 13th, 2026. I'm Brian McKellah today. Microsoft tries to calm data center buildout backlash. Layoffs come to the Metaverse. Apple has a new creator subscription package, more implications from that Apple slash Google AI deal from yesterday, and is co-work for Claude, the personal AI agent we've been waiting for.

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Microsoft has announced it is changing its data center approach, pledging to pay its own power

costs, reject tax breaks, and replenish more water than it uses going forward amid the growing

local opposition to data center buildouts that we've discussed recently. Quoting Geekwire,

the new plan announced Tuesday morning in Washington, D.C. includes pledges to pay the company's

full power costs,

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