Microsoft Ignite interview with Executive Team on #ArtificialIntelligence, #Data, #OpenSource and #Cloud

There were a number of announcements across Azure Data + AI at Microsoft Ignite, and Im delighted to say that I had the opportunity to interview Rohan Kumar, Corporate Vice President, Azure Data at Microsoft, and Eric Boyd, Corporate Vice President, AI at Microsoft.

In the interview, Rohan Kumar and Eric Boyd give their opinions and thoughts to myself and Cathrine Wilhelmsen on the big picture across Data & AI.  I was super excited since it was the first time that these Microsoft executives had been interviewed together and I was particularly interested to see how Rohan and Eric cross-reference each other’s areas. It’s clear that they are working in orchestration as a team, and I’m glad to see that because I do see that data and Artificial Intelligence impact one another so much.

Rohan and Eric talk about the announcements that excited them both, and there was also a good discussion on the role of Open Source at Microsoft, and what role it plays in Microsoft’s Data and Artificial Intelligence story.

There was a great discussion on Eric and Rohan’s thoughts on its role in making insights, Artificial Intelligence and insight-driven analysis real for organizations. Every organization on the planet has got data, and Microsoft are carving a path for the organizations that want to make use of it.

I’m personally interested in Amara’s Law, which states that “We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.” So I was interested in Rohan and Eric’s perspectives on what aspects of AI are real versus hype. What is Microsoft doing to make AI real and actionable for customers?

We wrapped up with a great conversation on the Microsoft and Facebook collaboration?, which I personally find interesting.

It was  real life-achievement for me to participate in the Microsoft Ignite Community Reporter team, and it was a real achievement for me to interview the Microsoft Executives. I’d like to thank Rohan Kumar and Eric Boyd for their time and for sharing their wisdom and insights.

I was also glad to be on board with Cathrine Wilhelmsen. Cathrine was a wonderful friend and support throughout the week and she’s not just an expert in her domain, but she’s a very giving person in terms of her friendship and support. So the interview holds special meaning for me since I was glad to have the opportunity to work with her.