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This past quarter was shaped by global events and has renewed our focus on how the cloud enables organizations to manage risk while supporting growth. In my conversations with customers, building more resilient and adaptable supply chains is top of mind. Organizations across industries are using cloud-powered technologies to help predict supplier constraints and deliver on their customer promises. Customers have also shared how the cloud enables them to achieve more with less and better track, measure and report progress toward their sustainability goals. By deploying AI-based solutions, data sensors and predictive analytics, among other digital technologies, they are accelerating their sustainability journey and creating greater business value. That extends to what we term the industrial metaverse, where we are helping companies to drive material outcomes through simulations and artificial intelligence. In parallel, as our customers continue to adapt and transform through cloud adoption, they face increased security considerations. Digital defenses using automation to prevent, detect and contain cyber-risks are helping them innovate in multi-cloud environments.
Microsoft has been at the forefront of delivering the digital tools and services organizations need to lead their teams through unprecedented times, embracing partnerships to achieve more together. Today, Mastercard announced the launch of an enhanced identity solution integrated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fraud Protection to improve the online shopping experience and tackle digital fraud. Through one of Kraft Heinz’s largest technology investments to date, the consumer goods giant is applying SAP on Azure, Microsoft AI and digital twins to transform its operations and create a more collaborative supply chain to enhance experiences for more than 2,500 U.S. customers and millions of consumers. With Azure as its primary cloud provider, U.S. Bank is scaling innovative products to customers and partners while empowering its increasingly agile workforce. Westpac has announced its strategic partnership with Microsoft to help drive the bank’s digital and hybrid multi-cloud strategy, using Azure AI and data services to rapidly respond to customer needs. Boeing is deepening its partnership with Microsoft to update its technology infrastructure and mission-critical applications, unlock innovation and further strengthen its commitment to sustainable operations through the Microsoft Cloud and its AI capabilities. XPENG is reimagining in-vehicle voice experiences with Azure Cognitive Services. We have also completed our acquisition of Nuance to help providers offer more affordable, effective and accessible healthcare.
Manufacturing and logistics leaders are transforming supply chains.
Manufacturers are choosing the Microsoft Cloud to establish more resilient supply chains
Brazil-based food company BRF is leveraging Azure Machine Learning to tightly monitor its supply chain, reduce food waste, produce food more sustainably and personalize recommendations for customers. London-based fashion retailer ASOS is using Azure AI to expand the range and availability of products, and maximize demand conversion, customer choice and stock availability. With Azure IoT Hub and Azure IoT Central, Keurig Dr Pepper is revolutionizing the coffee experience for consumers and simplifying fleet management and maintenance for commercial partners. Siemens Mobility has transformed its CRM with Dynamics 365 and integrated with Microsoft Teams to handle complex sales and service efforts across employees, customers and partners. With Azure, Tekion is modernizing the end-to-end automotive retail journey to enable seamless customer engagements and the highest level of operational efficiencies. Swiss manufacturer Jansen is using Dynamics 365 to resolve complex reporting requirements related to EU cross-border supplier and customer relationships. Indonesia’s largest shipping company, Meratus, is working with Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Azure to increase internal efficiency and improve workplace agility.
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Sustainability is a non-negotiable priority across industries
Spanish firm Nueva Pescanova has built the world’s first intelligent aquafarm to better feed the world through Azure AI- and IoT-enabled sound detection. Danish wind company Vestas is using Azure Machine Learning and High Performance Computing to control the “shadow effect” of wind turbines slowing down each other. Japan’s Seven Bank is working with the Microsoft Emissions Impact Dashboard to help reduce its carbon emissions. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Poland has moved its public-facing applications and internal SAP systems to Azure to help citizens save energy and reduce air pollution. Singapore’s REC Group has also migrated its SAP system to Azure to minimize operating costs, increase efficiency and accelerate growth. Finally, as software is critical for a greener future, Shell is providing a unified development platform with GitHub Enterprise to more than 4,000 developers.
Telecom operators and partners are unlocking 5G.
5G is enabling immersive personal and professional experiences
AT&T is integrating its 5G network with Azure private multi-access edge compute (MEC) to help deploy private wireless networks for low-latency services. e& (formerly Etisalat) is partnering with us to accelerate its transformation and reinvent consumer experiences. We have also expanded our collaboration with Telefónica to the consumer space and are working with Rogers to revolutionize hybrid workplace communications with Operator Connect Mobile across Canada. HARMAN is accelerating smart connectivity innovations with Azure private MEC, and one of the largest airports in the U.S. has already gained significant savings through an IoT-enabled cargo process. Lockheed Martin is collaborating with Microsoft to rapidly advance reliable connections for U.S. Department of Defense systems capable of spanning air, land, sea, space and cyber domains.
Microsoft AI and mixed reality enhance operations and training.
Industrial metaverse technologies are spurring leaders to transform their operations
Australian resources company Newcrest is leveraging Microsoft technology to improve operational performance through a digital twin of its value chain and a high-impact sustainability data model. Renault is optimizing training for its technicians with HoloLens 2 and Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, cutting CO2 emissions by 80% through reduction in travel. With Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Azure Mixed Reality, GE Healthcare is giving service engineers hands-on practice to service complex medical equipment. NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in Singapore is using HoloLens 2 to teach medical and nursing undergraduates. Italian rail infrastructure manager Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane is deploying Azure AI and mixed reality technology for onsite and remote progress evaluation and quality checks of rail construction sites.
Organizations are differentiating through end-to-end security
Swiss agriculture supply chain company COFCO International is using Microsoft Defender for IoT and Microsoft Sentinel to secure its production environment. Heineken is meeting its security and agility needs with Microsoft while “brewing a better world” that is zero waste, carbon neutral and water positive. In Canada, the Government of Alberta has stopped at least 1,000 cyberattacks with our technology. The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology is future-proofing a secure university-to-student connection with Azure Active Directory. Martin & Zerfoss is turning to Microsoft Defender for Business to make enterprise-level security affordable for small businesses. E-commerce company QNET has migrated to Azure with an end-to-end security strategy for more productivity, transparency and return on IT investments.
Digital technologies transform virtual and classroom learning.
Hybrid learning is here to stay
Austria-based SOS Children’s Villages is helping children in more than 130 countries and offers child care training to parents and caregivers through a multilingual digital assistant with Azure Cognitive Services. The Sinjai Regional Office of Education in Indonesia is transforming the way students learn together in hybrid classrooms using Microsoft 365 and Teams. The University of Bath is helping its researchers process high volumes of data faster with Azure HPC + AI. Mexico’s Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey is serving teachers, students and staff with a virtual assistant built with the Azure Bot Framework. The Education Authority is delivering 20,000 new Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ devices to more than 1,100 schools in Northern Ireland. The Tolleson Union High School District is helping develop the next generation of leaders with Surface laptops, and the Space Plants Lab at the University of Florida is pushing the boundaries of botany in space with Microsoft Surface Pro 7.
Despite ongoing headwinds, customers continue to innovate in impressive ways. With the power of the Microsoft Cloud, they are actively mitigating risks to better serve their own customers and reach their targets for sustainable growth and market share. As their most trusted technology partner, we take great pride in co-innovating solutions that help their businesses achieve their potential, and we look forward to our continued collaboration ahead.
Tags: AI, Azure, Dynamics 365, HoloLens 2, metaverse, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Cloud, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Teams, Security, Surface, sustainability
