In an exciting development, IBM and Microsoft have announced an expanded collaboration aimed at accelerating the adoption of generative AI among companies. By combining their expertise and technology, the two technology giants aim to help businesses innovate their processes and effectively scale generative AI solutions.
IBM Consulting, in collaboration with Microsoft, will be focusing on aiding clients in implementing and scaling Azure OpenAI Service. As part of this effort, IBM Consulting will offer a new Azure OpenAI Service offering on Azure Marketplace. The fully managed AI service enables developers and data scientists to leverage powerful large language models, such as the GPT and Codex series, to address a range of specific generative AI use cases.
The collaboration between IBM and Microsoft extends beyond the new offering. The companies have been working together to develop potential solutions for specific use cases in various industries. Some notable examples include:
– Procurement and source to pay: By combining Microsoft Power Platform and Azure OpenAI Service, IBM and Microsoft are providing businesses with a solution to automate and streamline the sourcing and procurement process. This solution aims to improve operational efficiency, save time, and generate actionable insights.
– Summarization and content generation: Financial institutions are exploring how generative AI can accelerate the development of personalized content. IBM and Microsoft collaborated on a hackathon with Julius Baer Group to efficiently process and summarize financial reports while creating an audio version of the report.
– Streamline healthcare processes: IBM Consulting is leveraging Azure OpenAI Service to offer a solution that automates the analysis of complex medical records and policy documents for the prior authorization process. The solution also includes a virtual assistant to collect information from patient records, reducing the time needed for prior authorization requests.
– Enterprise search and knowledge base: IBM Consulting and Microsoft have assisted Wintershall Dea in implementing a knowledge extraction tool that enables employees to retrieve valuable insights from dispersed knowledge bases effortlessly.
Francesco Brenna, Global VP & Senior Partner, Microsoft Practice at IBM Consulting, highlighted the importance of responsible adoption and integration of generative AI solutions. This partnership allows businesses to augment their work with multi-model generative AI solutions while scaling responsibly.
To assist enterprise customers in implementing generative AI models, IBM Consulting provides access to its team of experts, including over 21,000 data, AI, and experience consultants. Their expertise helps clients define strategies, establish guardrails to mitigate bias, and ensure data security.
An open ecosystem approach is central to IBM Consulting’s AI strategy. By collaborating with multiple cloud providers and industry leaders, IBM Consulting helps clients identify the right models and architecture for their desired outcomes. They work with clients across industries to assess their readiness for generative AI, define suitable strategies, and implement and govern generative AI in production.
This collaboration builds on the momentum of previous successful endeavors between IBM and Microsoft. IBM Consulting’s dedicated global practice focused on Azure Data and AI, along with its vast expertise and capabilities, has earned them recognition as Microsoft’s Partner of the Year in multiple categories. Additionally, IBM Consulting’s Center of Excellence for generative AI, staffed with over 1,000 specialized consultants, is ready to support clients in their AI-driven transformations.
With this exciting collaboration, IBM and Microsoft are poised to drive the adoption of generative AI and empower businesses to transform and innovate their processes.