The pace of AI innovation this past year has been truly remarkable. But looking back, what stands out most is the incredible speed at which this technology has diffused. And throughout 2024, I had the privilege of witnessing countless examples of this this around the world.
A new Copilot tool will give Institut Curie researchers more time to focus on cancer
Institut Curie has been at the forefront of cancer work since it was founded by Marie Curie a century ago. Now they continue to adopt the latest technologies, in this case AI, to make the most progress in the fight against cancer. Institut Curie is working with Microsoft and partner Witivio to develop Copilot for Researcher, an agent that can help researchers with some of the administrative tasks in their jobs so they have more time to spend on actual new ideas.
How AI is helping Siemens and thyssenkrupp bridge skilling gaps in manufacturing
Engineers talking to machines? A few years ago it would have sounded like science fiction, but Siemens, thyssenkrupp and Microsoft are making it a reality today. thyssenkrupp is using the Siemens Industrial Copilot, powered by Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service, to address a skilled labor gap while revolutionizing how it programs and operates machinery.
Discovering Rome’s hidden treasures with an AI virtual assistant
Rome is harnessing the power of AI to help make the 2025 Jubilee memorable for an extra 35 million visitors. By equipping travelers with a virtual assistant named Julia, the city hopes to create a quiet revolution in how people experience the city, all while easing congestion around the most popular sites.
India’s schoolteachers are drafting better lesson plans faster, thanks to a copilot
Sikshana Foundation is working with Microsoft Research India to introduce an AI copilot for teachers that shortens preparation time for lessons from an hour or more to just minutes. Teachers in government schools in and around Bengaluru have been trying out Shiksha copilot to create lesson plans complete with activities, video and assessments, modified to match resources. It is part of a wider effort by Microsoft Research India called Project VeLLM to make generative AI copilots accessible to everybody from teachers to farmers to small businesses.
To keep fish and shrimp healthy, farmers in Indonesia now have a copilot to help
Shrimp are sensitive creatures, needing just the right balance of light, oxygen, pH and phytoplankton to thrive in ponds. Farmers in Indonesia are turning to a generative AI assistant to help keep their shrimp healthy. Accessed through a mobile app, the AI assistant is a pilot project by aquaculture startup eFishery using Azure OpenAI Service.
Eduvos simplifies student enrolment experience from 90 days to instant with Microsoft and Dynamics 365
South Africa’s Eduvos has streamlined student enrolment processes, reducing the time from 90 days to nearly instantaneous and associated costs by 90% with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Azure.
Project Guacamaya uses daily satellite images, Amazon-specific AI models in battle against deforestation
The Guacamaya Project, a collaboration between Microsoft and Colombian organizations, applies various AI models tailored to the Amazon ecosystem to help prevent its deforestation. The latest technological advances allow scientists to obtain faster results to act more quickly.
How a women-led tech startup is using AI to motivate Brazilians to take better care of themselves
A Brazilian technology startup that uses generative AI and a unique gamification strategy to encourage healthy habits has transformed what could be a daunting task into something fun and engaging. Launched in 2020 by a trio of women entrepreneurs, RadarFit offers a comprehensive health and wellness program aimed at helping companies reduce chronic disease rates. The app encourages and measures employee activity in four key metrics: healthy eating, hydration, meditation, and physical activity.
Khan Academy and Microsoft partner to expand access to AI tools that personalize teaching and help make learning fun
The online tutoring pioneer is bringing time-saving and lesson-enhancing AI tools to millions of educators. By donating access to Azure AI-optimized infrastructure, Microsoft is enabling Khan Academy to offer all K-12 educators in the U.S. free access to the pilot of Khanmigo for Teachers, which will now be powered by Azure OpenAI Service. The two companies will also collaborate to explore opportunities to improve AI tools for math tutoring with a new version of (SLMs) developed by Microsoft.
Healthcare
A new Copilot tool will give Institut Curie researchers more time to focus on cancer
Manufacturing
How AI is helping Siemens and thyssenkrupp bridge skilling gaps in manufacturing
Public sector
Discovering Rome’s hidden treasures with an AI virtual assistant
Education
India’s schoolteachers are drafting better lesson plans faster, thanks to a copilot
Industry
To keep fish and shrimp healthy, farmers in Indonesia now have a copilot to help
Sustainability
Project Guacamaya uses daily satellite images, Amazon-specific AI models in battle against deforestation
Startups
How a women-led tech startup is using AI to motivate Brazilians to take better care of themselves
Education