Microsoft’s AI School

Microsoft Machine Learning Icon

Intelligent apps, Bots, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Neural Networks and Cognitive Services, all a big push from Microsoft since they have hit the Refresh button. Microsoft is baking intelligence into products such as Microsoft Word, servers such as Machine Learning Server and into services like Cognitive Services on Azure. All of these technologies are sneaking into everyday business processes allowing business and process owners to make better, quicker decisions based on data instead of anecdotal evidence.

If a business wants to keep pace with technology and innovation they must start to understand, embrace and incorporate these new technologies. Rest assured that your competitors are already looking into these technologies to have a leg up on your business. Microsoft has put together the AI School to promote the understanding of these new technologies. The school will not replace a solid understanding of the technologies but it is a place to learn the basics.

The Microsoft AI School provides a guided, curated learning path for a particular AI topic. For example, there is a “Building Bots with Rest” learning path with 2 modules or “AI Applications on Azure” learning path with 6 modules. Modules include links to corresponding video-based training, GIT repositories with labs and code, or pages on microsoft.com. I found the user interface to navigate the various paths and modules a little unintuitive but manageable.

Microsoft AI School's Azure Machine Learning Track

All of these topics have a place in any business, artificial intelligence is the new future for a business. A solid understanding of these topics is required to keep the strategic advantage over your competition and not fall behind the technical curve. With Microsoft’s move to democratize AI technology to the masses via servers and services, it is now possible for companies of all types and sizes to start dipping their business toes into the AI waters. The Microsoft AI School is one starting point to understanding this new wave of data and AI. It will not make you a master in the technologies but it is a stepping-off point for further training.

Getting start with these new technologies can be challenging. If you are looking for a better understanding of these topics and how they can help your business gain a competitive advantage contact me and let’s talk.

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