Artificial Intelligence in Practice

9Microsoft: Making Artificial Intelligence Part Of The Fabric Of Everyday Life

Microsoft is a US-based, multinational technology company. As one of the world's most valuable companies it focuses on areas including computer software, consumer electronics, video gaming, cloud computing and social media.

Microsoft's business model has revolved around bringing technology to the masses. Its operating systems helped make computers in homes and small businesses truly useful for millions of people. And its office productivity tools elevated the understanding of spreadsheets, databases and presentation software among the wider population. With projects such as Internet Explorer and its .Net framework, it was also a key player in opening up the world of information we have at our fingertips, thanks to the modern internet.

Microsoft's artificial intelligence (AI) strategy is built along this same guiding principle. CEO Satya Nadella has spoken about “democratizing AI”¹ – which means not just giving as many people as possible access to its benefits, but ensuring they have a say in the future of its development.

With this aim in mind, Microsoft provides tools for developers to create their own AI applications through its Azure Cognitive Services platform. Microsoft's vision is that business trends involving AI will follow a similar path as they did with the internet – eventually everyone will be on board – but they believe the effects on business and society could be even more profound. ...