What Role Does Artificial Intelligence Play In Office 365?

​Have you heard of artificial intelligence (AI)? If not, you should consider becoming familiar with the topic as it’s a growing field of study in the technology industry.  You’ve probably seen examples of artificial intelligence (AI) in popular movies such as Iron Man or The Matrix but there are many everyday examples that you’ve possibly overlooked.

Defining Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be defined in many ways, depending on who you ask and the audience you discuss it with. According to the Oxford dictionary, artificial intelligence (AI) is:

“…the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.”

There you have it! Let’s define artificial intelligence as the application of the idea that computers can perform tasks that are normally completed by a human being. I’ll bet ideas are starting to flow in your mind now. Maybe Siri reminds you of upcoming appointments or identifies potential conflicts in scheduling. Perhaps as you type up a report, Microsoft Word suggests a turn of phrase you’ve utilized before in the exact moment you need it. Or maybe your banking app triggers a fraud alert when a suspicious transaction appears outside of your normal spending patterns. Take a look at some of the examples of technology that have AI built into them below:

• ​Cortana Personal Assistant
• Microsoft MyAnalytics
• Dynamics 365

• Microsoft Office Tools
• GPS Navigation
• Google, Bing & other search engines

But Wait, What About Machine Learning?
If you’ve even heard of machine learning then good job, you are well on your way down the path of artificial intelligence. Machine learning is a specific area of focus within artificial intelligence. It’s the pursuit of computer algorithms that allow programs to improve themselves with every experience. YouTube utilizes complex machine learning algorithms to deliver users with better, more accurate search results; search results that aren’t just accurate to the terms used in the search phrase itself but to the user who is searching for them.

​Quick example, a basic search algorithm may compare search terms with the title and descriptions of videos. A level above this could mean the search algorithm also applies audio or visual cues within the video itself to compare against the search terms. The next time a similar search term is captured, the results may be more like videos on a watch list vs. ones that have been ignored by a particular user. Check out some companies that are actively using machine learning as a powerful tool:

• Amazon
• Netflix
• Google

• Salesforce
• Microsoft
• Facebook

How About Office 365 Microsoft Graph?
Good question. Let’s take a step back and review our definitions of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Artificial intelligence is the idea that technology can perform actions that typically require human interaction in some way. Machine learning is a subtopic that states programs can self-improve, learning from each experience to perform future actions in a more efficient manner; but more efficient in what way? In the way that is most accurate to the end user interacting with the program of course.

​If programs are expected to perform actions without human interaction to the degree that another human might perform the action, this requires a vast amount of data to be collected, recorded, parsed and analyzed to determine how the program should proceed in the future. That’s exactly how Office 365 functions on a daily basis; by working to bring you the most valid and appropriate information whenever you need it. Your data is being collected and analyzed to determine how Office 365 can work for you.

​Office 365 includes a wealth of services and tools that support collaboration for organizations of any scale. A large part of the Office 365 ecosystem now is the Microsoft Graph; which connects data into a collection in order to allow programs and users alike to interpret patterns and gain important knowledge. Microsoft Graph can be thought of as the backbone of Office 365 connecting data to drive productivity while using SharePoint, Exchange, Teams, Documents, People Directories and more. Contact Pivotal to see how your organization can take advantage of Office 365 artificial intelligence within your organization!