Microsoft AI and Research Group

Microsoft merges Bing, Cortana, and Research to make 5,000-strong AI division | Ars Technica

"Microsoft wants to "democratize artificial intelligence" and bring AI to systems that everyone uses. So to reflect that desire, the company is shaking up its organization. The company is creating a new group, the AI and Research Group, by combining the existing Microsoft Research group with the Bing and Cortana product groups, along with the teams working on ambient computing (a world in which everything around us is computerized and connected and responsive to our presence), robotics, and the Information Platform Group (which covered both Bing advertising and natural user interfaces).

Together, the new AI and Research Group will have some 5,000 engineers and computer scientists. It will be lead by 20-year Microsoft veteran Harry Shum, who was previously the Executive Vice President of Technology and Research. It makes AI into a fourth engineering group, alongside Windows, Office, and Azure"

The next milestone in Microsoft’s AI journey - The Official Microsoft Blog

Microsoft moves Cortana and Bing into Microsoft Research to accelerate new features - Good Gear Guide Australia

Shakeup: Qi Lu is out; Microsoft shifts Cortana, Bing, Office, Skype | InfoWorld

"Cortana should be dancing in the streets. With this reorg, Nadella puts considerable muscle and money behind his commitment to "the democratization" of artificial intelligence. (Sounds a whole lot better than "mobile first, cloud first," eh?) At least, Microsoft will give Google and Apple a good run for the money."

Microsoft moves Cortana and Bing into Microsoft Research to accelerate new features - Good Gear Guide Australia


Microsoft Bot Framework