Microsoft launches AI Business School focusing on strategy

In recent years, some of the world's fastest growing companies have deployed artificial intelligence to solve specific business problems. In fact, according to new market research from Microsoft on how AI will change leadership, these high-growth companies are more than twice as likely to be actively implementing AI as lower-growth companies.

What's more, high-growth companies are further along in their AI deployments, with about half planning to use more AI in the coming year to improve decision making compared to about a third of lower growth companies. Still, less than two in 10 of even high-growth companies are integrating AI across their operations, the research found.

“There is a gap between what people want to do and the reality of what is going on in their organizations today, and the reality of whether their organization is ready,” said Mitra Azizirad, corporate vice president for AI marketing at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington.

“Developing a strategy for AI extends beyond the business issues,” she explained. “It goes all the way to the leadership, behaviors and capabilities required to instill an AI-ready culture in your organization.”

On the road to developing a strategy, executives and other business leaders are often stalled by questions about how and where to begin implementing AI across their companies; the cultural changes that AI requires companies to make; and how to build and use AI in ways that are responsible, protect privacy and security, and comply with government rules and regulations.

Today, Azizirad and her team are launching Microsoft's AI Business school to help business leaders navigate these questions. The free, online course is a master class series that aims to empower business leaders to lead with confidence in the age of AI.