Understanding artificial intelligence segments with Microsoft

Artificial intelligence (AI) has undoubtedly captured the world’s attention. The ability to replicate human perception with the speed and power of computing has created a race to capitalize on this transformative technology. Large technology companies are fiercely competing to build the smartest, most powerful and most cost-effective models, while businesses seek to leverage AI to enhance market offerings and optimize internal processes.

As tech giants rapidly bring new AI solutions to market — often pivoting as breakthroughs emerge — it can be challenging to navigate the vast array of offerings. Despite constantly evolving marketing strategies and naming conventions, a few components of AI remain consistent. Understanding these segments helps organizations determine where each tool fits and how it can provide strategic value.

To illustrate these segments, examples from Microsoft can be used. Microsoft has quickly established itself as a market leader in AI, offering industry-leading solutions in enterprise software, cloud computing and a significant investment in OpenAI (ChatGPT). With its robust ecosystem and trusted reputation, Microsoft is a great strategic choice for organizations looking to harness the power of AI.

Segment 1: Integrated artificial intelligence

Integrated artificial intelligence refers to AI capabilities embedded directly into existing software applications, enhancing functionality without requiring users to have specialized AI knowledge. These features blend into familiar tools, empowering users to leverage AI in their daily workflows.

Microsoft has embedded AI features into its suite of Office 365 products, including Word, Excel, Outlook and others. Tools like Microsoft Copilot use advanced natural language processing to help users write better emails, generate documents and analyze data more efficiently. Additionally, features like Designer in PowerPoint suggest slide layouts, while Excel’s data analysis tools leverage AI for predictive insights.

Microsoft is also extending the capabilities of its main Copilot offering with Copilot Studio, which enables organizations to create custom Copilot agents tailored to specific business needs. This allows companies to build intelligent assistants that enhance productivity, customer interactions and internal processes.

Segment 2: Artificial intelligence services

Artificial intelligence services provide a flexible and customizable way to integrate AI capabilities into custom applications. These cloud-based services enable developers to leverage advanced AI functionalities through application programming interfaces (APIs), empowering businesses to build intelligent solutions without developing complex algorithms from scratch. Microsoft’s Azure platform offers a robust suite of AI services that are easily integrated and scalable, allowing organizations to enhance their applications with sophisticated AI features. Two of the most powerful AI services from Microsoft Azure are Document Intelligence and Azure AI Search.

Document Intelligence uses advanced machine learning to extract structured information from documents such as invoices, receipts, contracts and more. It goes beyond simple optical character recognition (OCR) by understanding the layout and context of documents, making it capable of identifying fields, tables and even handwriting. This service is ideal for organizations looking to automate data entry, enhance document processing workflows and improve accuracy in data extraction.

Azure AI Search enhances traditional search functionality with AI-powered capabilities, including semantic search and natural language understanding. It enables users to perform more intuitive searches by understanding context and intent rather than relying solely on keyword matching. Azure AI Search can be integrated with internal knowledge bases, document repositories and web content, making it an invaluable tool for organizations seeking to improve information discovery and productivity.

Segment 3: Large language models and machine learning platforms

This segment focuses on tools that provide the flexibility to build, train and deploy custom machine learning or AI models, enabling businesses to create highly tailored AI solutions. These tools allow companies to innovate and solve unique challenges that off the shelf solutions cannot address, offering a competitive advantage through customized AI capabilities.

Azure AI Foundry is Microsoft’s advanced platform designed for building and operationalizing AI at scale. It offers a comprehensive environment for developing custom models, leveraging large language models, and deploying AI solutions securely and efficiently. Azure AI Foundry is ideal for organizations looking to incorporate cutting-edge AI into their products or workflows while maintaining full control over model training, data security and deployment.

Azure ML (Machine Learning) complements this by providing a versatile platform for developing, training and deploying machine learning models. One standout feature is AutoML (Automated Machine Learning), which streamlines the model development process by automatically selecting the best algorithms and tuning hyperparameters based on the data provided. This makes it easier for businesses to build high-performing models without requiring deep data science expertise. AutoML accelerates time-to-value by reducing the complexity of model development and allowing data scientists and analysts to focus on solving business problems rather than fine-tuning algorithms.

How we can help

As AI evolves, understanding its core segments is key to strategic adoption. Microsoft’s ecosystem offers solutions from embedded AI in productivity tools to advanced cloud services and customizable machine learning platforms. Baker Tilly's digital team can guide you in navigating these solutions, ensuring they align with your business objectives. Our professionals can help you implement the right AI technologies to drive efficiency within your organization.

By leveraging AI, businesses can boost productivity, streamline processes and create innovative tailored solutions. Organizations that strategically embrace AI will not only optimize their current operations but also position themselves as leaders in their industries, ready to thrive in an increasingly digital world.