Microsoft bets big on cognitive services in artificial intelligence race

In a race to dominate the artificial intelligence (AI) space, Microsoft is bringing the power of AI to users and organisations through'Microsoft Cognitive Services (MCS).' MCS is a collection of intelligent APIs (application programming interfaces) that allow systems to see, hear, speak, understand and interpret human needs using natural methods of communication. Products that analyse human emotions, AI technology that describes surroundings to visually-challenged and an Indian chatbot that interacts with users like a friend, were some of the innovations that Microsoft recently showcased at its research lab in Bengaluru. "We don't think about computers as competing with humans or replacing them," said Sriram Rajamani, distinguished scientist and managing director, Microsoft Research India Lab. "We think about them as amplifying human ability," he said.