Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is planning to focus on artificial intelligence in the future.
According to Microsoft Corporation’s annual report for 2017, it wants to “build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge infused with artificial intelligence.” The company says that changes are taking place in how people interact with devices and it believes that AI is the key to moving forward.
Microsoft Corporation says that it will continue to research artificial intelligence. It notes that it has been spending between 13% and 14% of its yearly revenue on research over the last three years. The company says that it will continue to invest in research and that AI is one of its main focuses.
Microsoft Corporation’s decision to focus on AI is a switch from its previous one. In the company’s annual report for 2016, it was focusing on mobile devices. However, those plans didn’t work out well for it, which makes its decision to move away from the technology unsurprising.
Microsoft Corporation certainty isn’t the only company that has an interest in AI. Its rivals in developing this technology include Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG,GOOGL), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) and International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM). Many of these companies also have virtual assistants to help owners of their devices.
Microsoft Corporation already has its own AI in Cortana, but it can likely do more with the virtual assistant. The company has been focusing AI and now has a group that is solely dedicated to figuring out complicated issues in the technology, reports CNBC.
As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
