At our recent customer conference, one of the questions during a Q&A session was what major initiatives does Microsoft have going forward.   Simply put, Microsoft is making a major push into AI.  In fact, Microsoft is leading the effort in this area and has been for the last 10 years.   What we are seeing today are the results of those efforts: Azure cloud services, Power BI, Big Data Analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT).   Microsoft is bringing the power of AI to the SMB market and to our daily lives.

Now you may think that you never use AI.   However, think about when you use Google Maps or Waze.   That is AI calculating the best route for your travel based on current conditions.  When you see recommendations on your news feeds, that is AI using your viewing preferences to tailor your experience.   Other areas using AI are weather forecasting, stock market analysis and buying suggestions.   All of this is being generated by powerful systems using your information and other big data to formulate a response to your requests.

In the end though it comes down to the simple question of “how can I use this in my business?”   Imagine when you can build a Power BI report that compares your plant efficiency to other businesses of similar type and provide a comparison between best in class and your plant.   Imagine determining the likelihood of customers paying their invoices and the expected time to payment.   Imagine the system providing you a purchasing forecast based on real-time transactions, history and future demands.   Imagine tying your business to external databases for sales forecasting and prospects.   The nice thing is that you don’t have to imagine this.  Microsoft has already put all of this into Business Central and is using AI to provide the results.

AI is no longer the stuff of Science Fiction novels.  It is here and in use today in our lives. Microsoft’s mission statement is: “to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.”   With AI, Microsoft is accomplishing that mission and with Innovia’s help, you can too.  

Alan Wyne, CEO