NEW YORK , NY - APRIL 26: Costumers visit the Microsoft branch on Fifth Avenue in New York City on April 26, 2018 in New York.  (Photo by Kena Betancur/VIEWpress/Corbis via Getty Images)

Microsoft wants to use AI to help people with disabilities

One of Microsoft’s biggest announcements at Build this year is all about using artificial intelligence for social good. Through the new AI for Accessibility program, Microsoft has committed $25 million over the next five years to helping people with disabilities worldwide (a figure that currently sits at over one billion, according to The World Bank). Just like its AI for Earth initiative, which uses the technology for environmental innovations, the company will handle this program through investments, grants and expert assistance when necessary. And, as you’d expect, the AI solutions will also connect to Microsoft’s cloud services.

Specifically, Microsoft says the program will focus on accelerating the development of AI for help with employment, human connection and modern life. You can expect solutions similar to other AI-driven products from Microsoft, like the Seeing AI app, which can narrate what your phone is seeing, and Helpicto, which assists people with autism.

As for other AI news, Microsoft says it’ll be open sourcing the Azure IOT Edge Runtime, which will give developers even more control over how their devices connect to cloud services. Additionally, Custom Vision, the Azure Cognitive Service feature that lets devices detect and learn imagery through cameras, will be available offline. That should make it much more useful for industrial customers, since they won’t be completely out of luck without an internet connection.

Microsoft has also partnered with DJI for a new drone SDK in Windows 10, and it’s made a similar deal with Qualcomm for a computer vision developer kit. That’ll make it simpler to bring AI smarts to camera-equipped IoT devices running Qualcomm mobile chips.

We don’t have many other details on AI for Accessibility yet, but Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will divulge more during his Build keynote this morning.

Source: engadget.com


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