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(This article was first published on <strong><a href="http://blog.revolutionanalytics.com/2018/10/ignite-ai-announcements.html"> Revolutions</a></strong>, and kindly contributed to <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.r-bloggers.com/">R-bloggers)</a> </div>
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<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ignite" target="_blank">Microsoft Ignite</a>, Microsoft's annual developer conference, wrapped up last week and many of the big announcements focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning. The <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bsD0kde8O0&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">keynote presentation from Microsoft's Cloud AI lead Eric Boyd</a> showcases the major developments, or you can check out his <a rel="nofollow" href="https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/azure-ai-making-ai-real-for-business/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">accompanying blog post</a> for a written summary. </p>
<p>In this post, I'll dive down into the details of the specific announcements and provide links to the associated recorded presentations from Ignite and other technical documents.</p>
<h3>Tools for AI developers</h3>
<p><strong><a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">Azure Machine Learning Service</a> </strong>(Azure ML) adds <a rel="nofollow" href="https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/what-s-new-in-azure-machine-learning-service/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">several new capabilities</a>. These include a new <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/python/api/overview/azure/ml/intro?view=azure-ml-py&WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">Python package</a> that developers can use to <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-data-prep?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">prepare data</a> for analysis, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-track-experiments?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">automate machine learning and deep learning</a> model training, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/experimentation-using-azure-machine-learning/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">track model performance under various conditions</a>, and automate the model selection process (see below). It supports a variety of execution environments, from local desktops to <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-set-up-training-targets?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi#batch" target="_blank">GPU clusters</a>, and deploy trained models with <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-deploy-to-aks?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">containers</a> or even <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-deploy-fpga-web-service" target="_blank">high-performance FPGA chips</a>.  (The desktop &quot;Workbench&quot; client, previously in preview, is no longer required and <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/overview-what-happened-to-workbench?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">has been deprecated</a>.) Watch the Ignite presentation <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWlbhXnnDY4&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">AI with Azure Machine Learning services: Simplifying the data science process</a> for an overview and demo.</p>
<p><strong><a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-automated-ml?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">Automated Machine</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-automated-ml?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank"> Learning</a></strong>, a new Azure ML service in preview,<a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/machine-learning/service/how-to-automated-ml?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank"></a> automates the selection of machine learning algorithms (and associated parameters and hyperparameters) to optimize predictive performance. This <a rel="nofollow" href="https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/announcing-automated-ml-capability-in-azure-machine-learning/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">blog post</a> provides the technical details, and another <a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/ai/automated-ai-development/?utm_source=em&utm_campaign=78594&WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">blog post</a> describes some practical applications. A Microsoft Research paper describes the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.05355" target="_blank">probabilistic matrix factorization</a> technique behind the optimization. This <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEfOWWtwUGQ" target="_blank">Ignite presentation</a> provides further details and includes a <a rel="nofollow" href="https://youtu.be/bEfOWWtwUGQ?t=14m2s" target="_blank">demo</a>.  </p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-toolsai.vscode-ai#overview" target="_blank"><strong>Visual Studio Code Tools for AI</strong></a> has been <a rel="nofollow" href="https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-tools-for-ai/blob/master/docs/releasenotes.md" target="_blank">updated</a> to provide a convenient interface to Azure ML for users of the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://code.visualstudio.com/" target="_blank">popular open-source editor</a>.</p>
<p><strong><a rel="nofollow" href="https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2018/09/24/sql-server-2019-preview-combines-sql-server-and-apache-spark-to-create-a-unified-data-platform/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">SQL Server 2019</a></strong> is now in public preview, with many improvements shown in this I<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaiM89Z01r0&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">gnite keynote</a>. Updates include <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/sql/sql-server/what-s-new-in-sql-server-ver15?view=sqlallproducts-allversions&WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi#bigdatacluster" target="_blank">Spark support</a>, and added Linux support for <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/sql/advanced-analytics/what-is-sql-server-machine-learning?view=sql-server-2017&WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">in-database R and Python</a> (watch this <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkhsbkvKRZQ&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Ignite presentation</a> for details).</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/azure-databricks-delta-in-preview-9-regions-added-and-other-exciting-announcements/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank"><strong>Azure Databricks</strong></a> is now supported in more regions, offers <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNnuim4PM-4&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">GPU support</a> for deep learning, and <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.azuredatabricks.net/delta/delta-intro.html" target="_blank">Databricks Delta</a> is now available (in preview) for transactional data capabilities.</p>
<h3>Customized AI</h3>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/build-conversational-experiences-with-microsoft-bot-framework/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank"><strong>Microsoft Bot Framework</strong> SDK v4</a> is now available. The Ignite presentation &quot;<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpvnqza_OuY&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Creating Enterprise-Scale Intelligent Agents and Bots</a>&quot; provides an overview and several examples.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/ai/cortana-for-enterprise/?utm_source=em&utm_campaign=78690&WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank"><strong>Cortana Skills Kit for Enterprise</strong></a>, a development platform based on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/bot-service/?view=azure-bot-service-4.0&WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">Azure Bot Service</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/cognitive-services/luis/what-is-luis?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">Language Understanding</a> is now in private preview.  </p>
<h3>Pre-trained AI</h3>
<p><strong><a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/cognitive-services/speech-service/overview?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">Speech Service</a></strong> in Azure Cognitive Services is now generally available, and includes a new <a rel="nofollow" href="https://azure.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-s-new-neural-text-to-speech-service-helps-machines-speak-like-people/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">neural text-to-speech</a> capability for humanlike synthesized speech. This <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXSOJx7tOD8" target="_blank">Ignite presentation</a> provides an overview.</p>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fiErVTn3As&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">This Ignite presentation</a> provides an overview of <a rel="nofollow" href="https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/cognitive-services/?WT.mc_id=Revolutions-blog-davidsmi" target="_blank">Cognitive Services</a> with some demos with applications of the pre-trained AI capabilities for computer vision, speech, search and more.</p>
<h3>Programs</h3>
<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/09/24/using-ai-to-help-save-lives/" target="_blank"><strong>AI for Humanitarian Action announced</strong></a>. With this new <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/ai-for-humanitarian-action" target="_blank">AI for Good program</a>, MIcrosoft will dedicate $40m over five years to deploy AI technologies to assist with disaster recovery; the needs of children, refugees and displaced people; and human rights. A <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VqH9mVSWlg" target="_blank">short video</a> summarizes the initiative.</p>
<p>And that's just the highlights — for example, I haven't included the many AI capabilities added to products like Windows and Office. (However I can't resist mentioning the new <a rel="nofollow" href="https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/excels-new-insert-data-from-picture-feature-turns-photos-into-spreadsheets/" target="_blank">Insert Data from Picture</a> feature in Excel, which I'm sure I'll be making a lot of use of.) For more from Ignite, take a look at <a rel="nofollow" href="https://buckwoody.wordpress.com/2018/10/02/syllabuck-ignite-2018-conference/" target="_blank">Buck Woody's index of presentations at Ignite</a>, with highlights of videos focused on AI, machine learning, and data science.</p>
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