Microsoft Pushes Big Changes in AI

Missed this, again the emphasis is towards business solutions.  Have not seen much from Cortana being useful for consumers.  Have tested it for business, where it should have value, and quickly abandoned it for regular use.

Are we in the A.I. revolution? Microsoft’s keynote points to huge change   By Kevin Parrish in DigitalTrends

Microsoft’s annual Build conference for developers kicked off the week starting with a keynote provided by CEO Satya Nadella. He didn’t reveal any new Windows 10 hardware, but instead focused his presentation on solutions spanning from the intelligent cloud to the intelligent edge, the latter of which simply classifies everything we use ranging from smart thermostats to HoloLens in the corporate environment.

He began the keynote emphasizing how artificial intelligence is changing the world, drawing parallels to the Industrial Revolution where, in a span of 20 years, the nation moved from horse-drawn engines to automobiles. The core technologies of the Industrial Revolution were essentially invisible: the combustion engines in cars, plumbing in buildings, the installment on electrical systems for lighting, and so on. Artificial intelligence and the cloud are just as revolutionary and invisible.

One example is Microsoft’s new partnership with civilian drone manufacturer DJI. Commercial drones will feature an integrated Azure IoT Edge component, enabling customers to deploy an artificial intelligence model developed in the cloud right to the drone itself in real time. Even more, that A.I. model can be deployed across the corporation’s drone army scattered across the globe in mere minutes.

In an on-stage demo, Azure Internet of Things director Sam George showcased an Azure IoT Edge-based smart camera produced by Qualcomm that detected a stress fracture stemming from a tank within a facility. A second camera discovered a pressure drop on the roof. That is where DJI’s drone comes in: Instead of sending a technician on a long, dangerous journey up to the roof, a company can simply send a smart drone to investigate and correctly identify the problem. Moreover, the drone can use the same A.I. model downloaded to Qualcomm’s camera. This advancement can save both time and money while keeping workers safe. ... "