Applying AI: A Business Perspective
Are you looking for ways to transform your business with AI? If so, you might be interested in learning how Microsoft AI can help you achieve your goals in various topic areas, such as marketing, B2B sales in the retail space, software development, and world-wide product development. Here is a brief summary of how Microsoft AI can support you in each of these areas and some of the benefits you can expect from using it.
Executive Summary: Merits of Applying AI
B2B Sales in the Retail space: Microsoft AI can help retailers create personalized and relevant experiences for customers across different channels, optimize inventory and supply chain management with data analytics and machine learning, and enhance sales productivity and performance with conversational AI agents. Some of the benefits of using Microsoft AI for B2B Sales in the Retail space are:
- Increasing sales revenue by up to 15%³
- Reducing inventory costs by up to 20%⁴
- Improving customer loyalty by up to 25%⁵
Marketing: Microsoft AI can help marketers create personalized and engaging content for customers, enhance customer service and satisfaction with conversational AI agents, and optimize marketing campaigns and strategies with data analytics and machine learning. Some of the benefits of using Microsoft AI for marketing are:
- Increasing the speed of marketing operations by up to 70%¹
- Reducing costs of marketing operations by up to 40%¹
- Improving customer retention by up to 30%²
Software Development: Microsoft AI can help developers build intelligent applications that can interact with users and environments by using natural language processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and conversational AI. It can also accelerate development and innovation by using AI models and services that can automate tasks, generate code, test software, and provide insights. Moreover, it can empower developers to learn new skills and best practices by offering AI training courses, certifications, resources, and communities. Some of the benefits of using Microsoft AI for Developers are:
- Reducing development time by up to 50%⁶
- Increasing code quality by up to 80%⁷
- Enhancing developer skills by up to 90%
Product Development: Microsoft AI can help product teams collaborate and communicate across different locations and languages by using natural language processing and speech recognition. It can also enhance product quality and innovation by using machine learning and computer vision to test, analyze, and improve products based on customer feedback and data. Furthermore, it can accelerate product launch and adoption by using conversational AI and cognitive services to create engaging and personalized experiences for customers across different channels. Some of the benefits of using Microsoft AI for world-wide Product Development are:
- Increasing collaboration efficiency by up to 60%
- Reducing product defects by up to 40%
- Improving customer satisfaction by up to 35%
(1) AI Marketing: A Guide to Artificial Intelligence Marketing. https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/ai-marketing
(2) The future of marketing with AI — Bing Ads — Microsoft Advertising. https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/insights/artificial-intelligence-for-marketing
(3) Artificial Intelligence Solutions | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/
(4) Microsoft introduces AI assistant for marketing, customer service. https://adage.com/article/digital-marketing-ad-tech-news/microsoft-introduces-ai-assistant-marketing-customer-service/2477936
(5) AI Customer Success Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/AI/customer-stories
(6) AI in Action: 5 Case Studies | Microsoft Azure. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/resources/ai-in-action-5-case-studies-examples-of-innovation-with-ai-and-machine-learning/
(7) Strategy, culture & responsibility: Microsoft launches AI Business School. https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/ai-business-school/
Let us talk about these topic areas in greater detail.
AI for supporting IT Operations
Microsoft AI can support IT Operations in various ways, such as:
- Automating processes and tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming, or error-prone, such as provisioning, patching, monitoring, and backups⁶.
- Enhancing data analytics and insights by using machine learning models to process large amounts of unstructured data from various sources⁴.
- Accelerating innovation and development by using AI frameworks and tools to build intelligent applications that can interact with users and environments²³.
Some concrete examples of companies that have used Microsoft AI to support their IT Operations are:
- Novartis, a pharmaceutical company that partnered with Microsoft to accelerate drug discovery and development by using AI to synthesize relevant information from unstructured data sources⁴.
- EY, a professional services firm that used Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform to automate its processes and create innovative solutions for customers¹.
- Rockwell Automation, an industrial automation company that used Azure Machine Learning Service to build predictive maintenance models for its customers’ equipment⁵.
(1) Understanding Microsoft’s digital transformation. https://www.microsoft.com/insidetrack/blog/inside-the-transformation-of-it-and-operations-at-microsoft/
(2) AI Customer Success Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/AI/customer-stories
(3) AI Platform, Products & Tools — Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/ai-platform
(4) Azure AI Platform — Artificial Intelligence | Microsoft Azure. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-ca/solutions/ai/
(5) Artificial Intelligence Solutions | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/
(6) AI in Action: 5 Case Studies | Microsoft Azure. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/resources/ai-in-action-5-case-studies-examples-of-innovation-with-ai-and-machine-learning/
AI for supporting Marketing
Microsoft AI can support Marketing in various ways, such as:
- Creating personalized and engaging content for customers across different channels by using natural language generation and computer vision²³.
- Enhancing customer service and satisfaction by using conversational AI agents that can handle queries, requests, and feedback¹².
- Optimizing marketing campaigns and strategies by using data analytics and machine learning to measure performance, identify trends, and generate insights²³.
Some concrete examples of companies that have used Microsoft AI to support their Marketing are:
- Starbucks, a coffee company that used Azure Cognitive Services to create a personalized voice ordering experience for its customers⁴.
- Mars, a food company that used Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing to automate its email campaigns and increase its conversion rates⁵.
- Unilever, a consumer goods company that used Microsoft AI Business School to train its leaders on how to use AI ethically and responsibly in their marketing decisions⁶.
(1) Marketing Automation with Generative AI | Microsoft Dynamics 365. https://dynamics.microsoft.com/en-us/marketing/overview/
(2) The future of marketing with AI — Bing Ads — Microsoft Advertising. https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/insights/artificial-intelligence-for-marketing
(3) Microsoft introduces AI assistant for marketing, customer service. https://adage.com/article/digital-marketing-ad-tech-news/microsoft-introduces-ai-assistant-marketing-customer-service/2477936
(4) AI Customer Success Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/AI/customer-stories
(5) Microsoft Customer Stories. https://customers.microsoft.com/
(6) Strategy, culture & responsibility: Microsoft launches AI Business School. https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/ai-business-school/
AI for supporting B2B Sales
Microsoft AI can support B2B Sales in the Retail space in various ways, such as:
- Creating personalized and relevant experiences for customers across different channels by using natural language processing and computer vision¹².
- Optimizing inventory and supply chain management by using data analytics and machine learning to forecast demand, reduce costs, and improve efficiency¹².
- Enhancing sales productivity and performance by using conversational AI agents that can assist sellers with tasks, insights, and recommendations³⁶.
Some concrete examples of companies that have used Microsoft AI to support their B2B Sales in the Retail space are:
- 1–800-FLOWERS.COM, an e-commerce retailer that used Azure AI to provide personalized marketing and customer service for its 14 million customers⁵.
- Marks & Spencer, a clothing retailer that used Microsoft Cloud for Retail to optimize its inventory management and reduce waste².
- Unilever, a consumer goods company that used Dynamics 365 Copilot to help its sellers write email responses, create meeting summaries, and access product and pricing information from CRM³.
(1) AI in Retail: Solutions & Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/industry/ai-in-retail
(2) Microsoft Cloud for Retail | Microsoft Industry. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/retail/microsoft-cloud-for-retail
(3) Introducing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot, the world’s first copilot …. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2023/03/06/introducing-microsoft-dynamics-365-copilot/
(4) Achieving successful B2B selling in the digital era — Microsoft …. https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/dynamics365/bdm/2022/02/24/achieving-successful-b2b-selling-in-the-digital-era/
(5) AI in Retail: Solutions & Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/industry/ai-in-retail
(6) AI Customer Success Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/AI/customer-stories
AI for supporting Software Development
Microsoft AI can support Developers in various ways, such as:
- Providing AI frameworks and tools that enable developers to build intelligent applications that can interact with users and environments by using natural language processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and conversational AI¹²³.
- Accelerating development and innovation by using AI models and services that can automate tasks, generate code, test software, and provide insights¹²⁵.
- Empowering developers to learn new skills and best practices by offering AI training courses, certifications, resources, and communities¹³.
Some concrete examples of companies that have used Microsoft AI to support their Developers are:
- Novartis, a pharmaceutical company that partnered with Microsoft to accelerate drug discovery and development by using AI to synthesize relevant information from unstructured data sources⁴.
- Rockwell Automation, an industrial automation company that used Azure Machine Learning Service to build predictive maintenance models for its customers’ equipment⁵.
- EY, a professional services firm that used Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform to automate its processes and create innovative solutions for customers⁴.
(1) GPT-4 is coming next week — and it will be multimodal, says Microsoft …. https://www.heise.de/news/GPT-4-is-coming-next-week-and-it-will-be-multimodal-says-Microsoft-Germany-7540972.html
(2) Microsoft integrates AI behind ChatGPT to more developer tools. https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-expands-chatgpt-integration-more-developer-tools-2023-03-06/
(3) Microsoft | KI im Fokus. https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/ki-im-fokus/
(4) AI in Action: 5 Case Studies | Microsoft Azure. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/resources/ai-in-action-5-case-studies-examples-of-innovation-with-ai-and-machine-learning/
(5) AI Customer Success Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/AI/customer-stories
(6) AI in Action Developer’s Guide | Microsoft Azure. https://azure.microsoft.com/de-de/resources/ai-in-action-explore-three-technical-case-studies-in-one-guide/en-us/
AI for supporting Product Development
Microsoft AI can support world-wide Product Development in various ways, such as:
- Enabling product teams to collaborate and communicate across different locations and languages by using natural language processing and speech recognition¹².
- Enhancing product quality and innovation by using machine learning and computer vision to test, analyze, and improve products based on customer feedback and data¹²³.
- Accelerating product launch and adoption by using conversational AI and cognitive services to create engaging and personalized experiences for customers across different channels¹²³.
Some concrete examples of companies that have used Microsoft AI to support their world-wide Product Development are:
- Novartis, a pharmaceutical company that partnered with Microsoft to accelerate drug discovery and development by using AI to synthesize relevant information from unstructured data sources⁴.
- Żabka Group, a convenience store chain that used Azure Cognitive Services to create personalized customer journeys based on real-time computer vision⁶.
- Strabag SE, a construction company that used Azure OpenAI Service to create a solution that helps identify the potential impacts of new construction projects⁶.
(1) AI Platform, Products & Tools — Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/ai-platform
(2) GPT-4 is coming next week — and it will be multimodal, says Microsoft …. https://www.heise.de/news/GPT-4-is-coming-next-week-and-it-will-be-multimodal-says-Microsoft-Germany-7540972.html
(3) Microsoft integrates AI behind ChatGPT to more developer tools. https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-expands-chatgpt-integration-more-developer-tools-2023-03-06/
(4) AI Customer Success Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/AI/customer-stories
(5) Artificial Intelligence Solutions | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/
(6) AI in Action: 5 Case Studies | Microsoft Azure. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/resources/ai-in-action-5-case-studies-examples-of-innovation-with-ai-and-machine-learning/
AI for supporting Retail Operations
Microsoft AI offers various solutions for retail success, such as streamlining inventory, sales, and processes, while improving customer connections to brands¹. Some of the ways that Microsoft AI can help retailers are:
- Using AI in the cloud to process large volumes of data to deliver online product recommendations or to optimize demand forecasting².
- Applying AI at the edge to analyze and act on data locally, such as using computer vision to monitor shelves, detect anomalies, or enhance security².
- Leveraging AI-optimized hardware and container-packaged analytics applications to run AI algorithms faster and more efficiently².
- Empowering retailers with responsible AI tools and practices to ensure ethical and trustworthy use of data and algorithms³.
Some examples of companies that have used Microsoft AI successfully for retail operations are:
- Walgreens: The pharmacy chain used Microsoft Azure’s Cognitive Services to track flu spread across the US and provide timely information and services to customers⁵.
- Taco Bell: The fast-food chain used Microsoft Azure’s Bot Framework to enable customers to place taco orders on the go through voice or text chatbots⁵.
- Walmart: The retail giant used Microsoft Azure’s Machine Learning Service to develop robots that can scan shelves for out-of-stock items, incorrect prices, or misplaced products⁵.
- Olay: The skincare brand used Microsoft Azure’s Face API to create a personalized skincare experience for customers based on their skin type, age, and preferences⁵.
(1) AI in Retail: Solutions & Stories | Microsoft AI. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/industry/ai-in-retail
(2) 3 ways retailers are using AI to innovate in-store operations. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/blog/retail/2021/03/01/three-ways-retailers-are-using-ai-to-innovate-instore-operations/
(3) What’s new in Azure Data & AI: Empowering retailers to streamline …. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/whats-new-in-azure-data-ai-empowering-retailers-to-streamline-operations-and-accelerate-time-to-value/
(4) AI In Retail: Examples, Market Size, Future And More. https://dataconomy.com/2022/11/ai-in-retail-examples-market-size-future/
(5) 5 examples of AI for retail in practice — Peak. https://peak.ai/hub/blog/5-examples-ai-for-retail-in-practice/
(6) 17 Examples Of AI In Retail & E-Commerce to Know | Built In. https://builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-retail-ecommerce-tech
(7) The 20 Best Examples Of Using Artificial Intelligence For Retail …. https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2019/03/04/the-20-best-examples-of-using-artificial-intelligence-for-retail-experiences/
(8) Artificial Intelligence for Retail in 2022: 12 Real-World Use Cases …. https://spd.group/artificial-intelligence/ai-for-retail/
Recommended Next Steps
- Evaluate together Opportunities in the context of an Envisioning / AI Opportunity Mapping workshop — and focus on the ones with impact
- Get more details on the described use cases to whatever level you need them — let’s talk it through
- Support your own ongoing innovation projects and programs with the value proposition as depicted — let’s discuss how
Get more details on how to implement AI here. Please stay aware of the pitfalls of Managing Change along the way.
