Microsoft is expanding its internal focus on developing artificial intelligence technology, which requires minimal computational power and financial resources. The company is investing in the development of models that are cost-efficient and effective, according to a new report from The Information.
This initiative includes the formation of a new team called GenAI to build what the company refers to as small linguistic models. The team focuses on creating conversational artificial intelligence models with low computational requirements compared to current technology.
Small language models aim to provide conversational capabilities similar to large language models, such as GPT, with low hardware requirements.
This will enable Microsoft’s artificial intelligence products and services to reduce costs and carbon footprint compared to externally developed alternatives.
It is expected that Misha Bilenko, Vice President of Microsoft, will lead a team composed of researchers transferred from the Microsoft Research group, and they might be integrated into the Azure cloud unit.
This step indicates Microsoft’s goal of making these artificial intelligence solutions easily accessible through its cloud platform.
Microsoft has previously heavily relied on OpenAI for its advancements in the field of artificial intelligence, utilizing technologies such as the powerful language model GPT-4 in Bing Chat and the image generator Dall-E 3 in Bing Image Creator.
The GenAI team aims to create artificial intelligence that matches or surpasses the capabilities of models provided by companies like OpenAI, while making it specifically tailored for small-scale applications.
The formation of the GenAI team suggests a potential shift towards a significant level of independence in the development of artificial intelligence.
Microsoft’s strong commitment to artificial intelligence integration is demonstrated by the launch of Copilot Pro, a monthly subscription costing 20 dollars that provides access to AI-powered Office features and advanced language models like GPT-4 Turbo from OpenAI.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 satisfies the needs of enterprise customers and assists companies in harnessing the capabilities of artificial intelligence.
Microsoft has released Copilot applications for Android and iOS mobiles to reach a wide audience.
This leads to expanding the current offering of the basic free version of the AI chatbot Copilot and the paid Copilot Pro subscription, providing users with diverse options based on their needs and budget.
Relying on externally developed artificial intelligence comes with increased cost and lack of control over the technology itself.
Microsoft’s pursuit leads to the development of small and affordable artificial intelligence technology, which opens up new possibilities for the company to provide its own solutions, thus reducing reliance on external companies.
