icrosoft Corp. unveiled a raft of product updates and new services in security, artificial intelligence and other areas as the company tries to sustain the growth of its Azure cloud and Office software businesses.
It also announced an agreement on common data standards with Adobe Systems Inc. and SAP SE, that will allow business to move clients’ data around among platforms. The partnership, called the Open Data Initiative, aims to put the customer "back in control of their own data," Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said at the company’s Ignite conference for information technology professionals on Monday.
The initiative will eliminate data silos by combining all the information companies retain on single individual customers into one real-time and renewable package, he said. This will allow companies to create a complete view of customer interactions and connect data across their organizations.
Read also: Microsoft to show new hardware, software at Oct. 2 event
The world’s largest software company also said it’s spending $40 million to put its AI products to work in helping refugees, children and disaster response in conjunction with organizations like the World Bank.
Called AI for Humanitarian Action, the five-year program is the latest part of the company’s AI for Good initiative begun last year. One program will provide computer vision and facial modeling tools to help surgeons improve cleft palate surgeries for needy kids. The company will also work with the United Nations and World Bank to use AI and data-modeling software for disaster forecasting so the agencies can have supplies in place ahead of time.
“AI can be a gamechanger in helping aid response,” said Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith, whose unit will oversee the program.
Microsoft General Manager John Kahan, who had been leading a team of data scientists tracking key performance metrics for the company’s executive team, will oversee the new program and report to Smith. Kahan, who lost a baby son to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, had also been using data science to find new approaches to SIDS prevention. That program will become part of AI for Humanitarian Action.
— With assistance by Olivia Carville
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