Microsoft sharpens AI focus with new research group

Microsoft said on Thursday it created a new artificial intelligence unit, as the company pushes deeper into the fast-growing field. Silicon Valley is diving into artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning research, an industry estimated to zoom to 70 billion by 2020 from just 8.2 billion in 2013, according to a Bank of America report that cited IDC research. On Wednesday, Microsoft teamed up with four other big technology companies--Amazon.com, Alphabet unit Google, Facebook and IBM--to create a non-profit organization to advance public understanding of AI technologies. The new unit--Microsoft AI and Research Group--will be headed by Harry Shum, a company veteran who has held senior roles at the Microsoft Research and Bing engineering divisions.