 A year on from the initial launch of ChatGPT, it's fair to say that advanced AI technology has had a significant impact on the business world. Microsoft has played a huge role in helping forward the development of workplace AI, spearheading a wide range of launches and initiatives aimed at helping businesses of all sizes maximize their use of the technology in several ways. But with the potential of the technology still far from being realized, how much more can businesses benefit from AI? We spoke to Alysa Taylor, Corporate Vice President, Azure + Industry, Microsoft to find out. A year ago, when OpenAI first introduced ChatGPT to the public in November 2022, the response was simply phenomenal. Within two months of its launch, ChatGPT had amassed an astonishing 100 million monthly users, making it one of the fastest-growing consumer applications in history. Fast forward to today and the momentum has only accelerated, with ChatGPT now boasting 100 million active weekly users, as of November 2023. This overwhelming public reception signals that there is an incredible appetite for this new form of AI technology. Over the last year, we've witnessed remarkable advancement of large language models which are evolving at an unprecedented pace. In collaboration with OpenAI, in February we launched the new AI-powered Bing Chat - reinventing the way we search and how we engage with the incredible wealth of resources on the internet. Subsequently, in March, we introduced Copilot for Microsoft 365 – embedding the generative AI-powered chatbot into our everyday work productivity software. Since then, we’ve been on a mission to empower every organization to harness the power of generative AI by embedding Copilot solutions into different workstreams, from Copilot in Dynamics 365 and Copilot in Microsoft Sales, to launching Copilot for Azure, Copilot for Security, and Copilot for GitHub – shifting what success looks like for every role and function. Further, as we accelerate into the era of generative AI, Microsoft is also investing the groundwork in cloud infrastructure to ensure optimization across both hardware and software support. At Microsoft Ignite 2023, we unveiled two new Microsoft-designed chips, Azure Maia – an AI Accelerator chip to run cloud-based training workloads, and Azure Cobalt – a cloud-native chip for general-purpose workloads. On top of this, Azure Boost, our new system designed to improve the performance of virtual machines is also generally available. The speed of innovation, paired with the demonstrated business value we are starting to see from AI investments in every industry, is evidence that we are witnessing the next great paradigm shift. It’s incredibly inspiring to see the potential of AI emerging for both individuals and organizations as everyone looks for the use cases that will enable a step-change in the ways that they operate. I think we are all seeing first-hand how generative AI has immense potential. Even in a short period, organizations are tackling some of their biggest challenges, from helping physician burnout in healthcare, combating cybercrime, and connecting with customers in new ways – AI is becoming woven into the fabric of society and the economic impact will be significant. While top use cases vary by industry, we see organizations around the globe tackling a range of opportunities. One of the most pertinent examples of AI’s potential is in healthcare. Healthcare workers around the world are facing increased pressure. In the UK, especially, as we enter the winter months, the NHS is facing rising pressure. AI can unlock predictive insights that help to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare services. Our strategic partnership with Epic exemplifies our commitment to bringing AI to the forefront of healthcare at a significant scale. This collaboration involves the integration of conversational, ambient, and generative AI technologies across the Epic electronic health record (EHR) ecosystem. Additionally, in March this year, we embedded GPT-4 into Nuance’s Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Express model - a workflow-integrated, fully automated clinical documentation application. Using a unique combination of conversational, ambient, and generative AI, it helps clinicians with consultation note-taking, by automatically creating draft notes after a patient visit, within seconds. Nuance Dax is currently deployed by hundreds of Epic customers to support thousands of physicians, significantly reducing their administrative workload and freeing up time they can then spend on delivering a better quality of care. Looking across industries, we announced Security Copilot in March, which enables organizations to use AI as they combat the increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape and help bridge the global security talent shortage. We’ve received positive feedback from our early preview customers, who say that using natural language, Security Copilot can automatically and proactively write up complex queries and security flags, saving up to 40% of time spent on core security operation tasks. Read this interview on OUR FORUM.  My first computer was an IBM 360 mainframe. To use it, I relied on a 3270 terminal. From there, I quickly moved on to a PDP-11 minicomputer running Unix — where my interface was a VT-102 terminal. In those days, all the computing power was remote. Then, CP/M, Apple, and IBM PCs changed everything. And the desktop became where power lived. That was then; this is now. Today, we're moving back to remote computing and from the PC to cloud-based Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) offerings such as Windows 365. This is exactly what Microsoft has wanted for years. Don't believe me? Check out Windows App, Microsoft's gateway to all its remote Windows offerings. Windows App, which is still in beta, will let you connect to Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Microsoft Dev Box, Remote Desktop Services, and remote PCs from, well, pretty much any computing device. Specifically, you can use it from Macs, iPhones, iPads, other Windows machines, and — pay attention! — web browsers. That last part means you'll be able to run Windows from Linux-powered PCs, Chromebooks, and Android phones and tablets. So, if you've been stuck running Windows because your boss insists that you can't get your job done from a Chromebook, Linux PC, or Mac, your day has come. You can still run the machine you want and use Windows for only those times you require Windows-specific software. Mind you, you've been able to do that for some time. As I pointed out recently, all the Windows software vendors don't want you to run standalone Windows applications; they prefer web-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications. They can make a lot more money from you by insisting you pay a monthly subscription rather than a one-time payment. Sure, Microsoft made its first billions from Windows and the PC desktop, but that hasn't been its business plan for years now. As Zac Bowden, a senior editor at Windows Central, recently spotted in a June 2022 Microsoft internal presentation, the company plans to "Move Windows 11 increasingly to the cloud: Build on Windows 365 to enable a full Windows operating system streamed from the cloud to any device. Use the power of the cloud and client to enable improved AI-powered services and full roaming of people's digital experience." This move was coming long before Microsoft fell in love with AI. I saw Microsoft switching people to Windows DaaS coming down the road in 2018. Windows App will just make it easier than ever. How easy is it? Very. For example, you'll be able to use Windows remotely via browsers using ancient versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and, of course, Edge. Essentially, if your web browser supports HTML5, you should be good to go. From a browser, you'll be able to redirect your local devices, such as a printer, microphones, cameras, and your location, as well as audio, and clipboard to your remote session. If you redirect your local clipboard to your remote session, you can copy and paste text. Microsoft is confusing, though, when it comes to copying and moving files. One part says you can, and another part — on the same web page — says you can't. Stay tuned. Not all remote Windows services are supported, yet. Microsoft says you'll be able to use remote desktop PCs, for example, but not at the moment. Support is coming, though. To harness Windows App, you must upgrade to the latest version of Windows 365. You must also, for now, have a business or student account. If you qualify, upon launching Windows 365, you'll be greeted with an invitation to explore the Windows App's features through an interactive tour. Post-tour, you can access the "Home" screen to connect with remote devices or apps, aided by intuitive filters designed to streamline the search process. For more information visit OUR FORUM.  Microsoft recently closed a loophole that allowed people to continue to access the free upgrade to Windows 10 (and then Windows 11), from Windows 7 or 8, but it appears there’s been an unwelcome side-effect here. Namely, those who have previously taken the free upgrade offer in years past have reportedly found that their license key is suddenly deactivated. Let’s outline a quick example to make the situation clearer. Say you owned a PC with Windows 7 way back when then took the free upgrade to Windows 10 when it emerged. And down the road, you further upgraded to Windows 11. So, you’ve been happily carrying on with your Windows 11 PC, but last week – since the mentioned loophole was closed – you decided to upgrade your graphics card. After that upgrade, you find that Windows 11 is telling you that your license key isn’t valid – so you have to buy a new one. That’s what has happened to The Verge, some of its readers, and other folks who have been complaining about the situation on Reddit and other online platforms. Okay, so it’s not clear how many Windows 11 and 10 users this is happening to, but it’s certainly occurring in some circumstances. It may arise without a hardware component upgrade, The Verge suggests, and the deactivation of the license could even take place due to a simple BIOS update. Reader Daniel Mittelman tells a story of having his activation blocked after upgrading some hardware in his PC, and he contacted Microsoft customer support about the problem. Mittelman observes: “They told me because my Windows 10 license had been upgraded from Windows 7, and that they had discontinued support for Windows 7 product keys, that they could not continue my license for Windows 10 Pro after the hardware change. “They also acknowledged that changing the hardware is not a violation of the Windows license so there is no reason my Windows 10 license should be revoked or altered in any way.” That’s the key point here, of course. While you can’t get an entirely new PC and use a Windows license from your existing computer – it’s tied to one machine – upgrading components should not mess with your license (it’s still the same PC, just with a bit of it swapped out, or maybe several bits). So, this shouldn’t be happening, and as theorized it may be something to do with Microsoft squashing the upgrade path from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10/11. That free offer officially expired a year after the launch of Windows 10, but remained an unofficial route until just recently when Microsoft finally did away with it. Microsoft is looking into this issue, you’ll be glad to hear. Principal product manager of Windows at Microsoft, Bill Babonas, told The Verge: “Microsoft is aware of these customers reports and is investigating. Customers who are experiencing technical difficulties should contact customer support.” Want more you can find it on OUR FORUM. |
Latest Articles
|