How Microsoft AI can improve Digital Workplace

Microsoft Office 365 has emerged as one of the pioneers in providing cloud based Office applications that target workplace productivity and information management by allowing users to collaborate and communicate transparently in any organization. The impact of better efficiency and strong compliance has ascertained a diverse range of audience, from students to corporate professionals who as a matter of fact like to invest more time in performing activities effectively rather than just think. Office 365 applications like Microsoft Teams, Delve, Planner etc. have ensured that users achieve team cohesion and thus enforcing the concept of remote teams working together under the umbrella of respective organizations seamlessly.

However, with Microsoft introducing the concept of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through Azure, we are soon likely to see more power features that shall assist further in gaining maximum throughput within minimum time. Microsoft has already boarded the plane to integrate artificial intelligence, which shall enhance its Office 365 applications by providing most relevant information within easy grasp exactly where it is needed. Information management and compliance is most often handled through corporate portals and Office 365 SharePoint ensures that organization can setup intranets and team sites easily. Let us look as to what opportunities can be forged with Microsoft AI for Office 365 SharePoint:

1. Virtual Assistant: How about replacing a conventional HR or IT helpdesk with a virtual assistant that helps to organize and suggest provisions against user queries. Microsoft Bot framework actually allows you to build chatbots that can interact with the users and provide them responses which shall target specific solutions based on policies defined by the client. I find this feature quite interesting as it can reduce the load on HR/IT personnel’s and instead have a virtual assistant that dictates different solutions based on queries.
2. Enhanced User Authentication: Facial recognition can be a powerful tool for user authentication. Most of the modern smartphones have utilized the feature of facial recognition based login mechanism which is quite impressive given it removes the manual effort of entering passwords. Imagine the scope of replacing the conventional login process and replacing it with a facial recognition to verify organization users. Till now I haven’t come across such requirement, but yet again I do feel this can add as an additional layer of security for accessing banking applications or confidential content management systems. It is going to be interesting to see how far I can dig and able to discover the potential of Microsoft Face API powered by Microsoft Cognitive Services
3. Speech Synthesis: It is exciting to see modern websites embracing the concepts of human computing interaction to build flexible interfaces that can be accessible and helpful for all kinds of audience. A special emphasis I believe is to incorporate an audience with special needs who can use the solution just like a normal user. I have investigated and found that Microsoft Speech API can actually allow users to recite spoken words and convert them into simple text. Take an example of a web page that is recited to a user with impaired vision. Or imagine the fact of creating short office notes just by speaking instead of typing. Speech synthesis mesmerizes and has the potential to upgrade the user experience to a whole new level.
4. Customer Sentiment Management: How to ascertain of gaining a customer from a pool of prospects. Is it possible that when a sales manager is interacting with a customer, he can identify the customer’s interest? Sentiment analysis is the process of identifying weightage and understanding of the user and this is really something that I would like to implement. If a sales team knew what the customers think, it can open a pool of opportunities to pitch with different sales tactics. I guess I must see what Text Analytics API has more to offer.

Take your time and ponder as to how Microsoft AI opens endless opportunities to solve real world problems. I personally believe that I should start working on the prospect of virtual assistants as am sure it shall benefit our intranet Titan Workspace powered by Adapt Software India. Catch my experience as I delve into the prospect offered by Microsoft Bot framework and the journey of developing and configuring a chatbots for an intranet.

• Soham Banerjee
• April 9, 2022