AI-powered bots to change customers' experience: Satya Nadella

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered bots will become the next interface, shaping our interactions with the applications and devices we rely on and Microsoft's latest solutions are set to change the way HP interacts with its customers and partners, Indian-born Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said.

"Bots are now learning in human context and the relevant thing for us is to make them intelligent as we learn from customers' experience. Our solutions are going to give HP a 360-degree view of its customer services," Nadella announced at HP's Global Partner Conference (GPC) 2016 at the Boston Conference and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) here.

HP announced a six-year agreement to deploy Microsoft Dynamics customer relation management (CRM) online in order to enhance collaboration across marketing, sales and service operations.

With Dynamics, as well as Azure, Office 365 and other Microsoft Cloud solutions, HP has invested in the sales and service collaboration platform to deliver a seamless sales experience for customers and partners.

"This brings us a cloud-based solution that delivers a more effective and efficient collaboration engine across our business," said Jon Flaxman, Chief Operating Officer, HP.

In July, Microsoft unveiled plans to introduce a new approach to business process applications with Microsoft Dynamics 365 to help manage specific business functions.

"We are building platforms to help customers. Going forward, we are looking at retail, banking and health care sectors to digitise everything that touches human life. Information technology is no longer just an enabler of office work. We now aim to deliver best services to our consumers," the top Microsoft executive told the gathering.

"Non-IT fields are going digital in a big way. Internet-connected cars, elevators, smart cities, you name it. Internet of Things (IoT) is the future and we at Microsoft are ready for the upcoming challenges," he added.

At Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in August, Nadella had said that AI-powered chatbots will "fundamentally revolutionise how computing is experienced by everybody."

According to him, there are nearly 360 million monthly active devices on Windows 10 adoption cycle.

"Enterprise is what I am more excited about. With HP's well laid out security track and our strong platform, I see tremendous opportunity to get more enterprises get on to Windows 10 with new devices," Nadella noted.

"Custom app development is another field where we see fantastic traction coming. Windows 10 deployment on all connected devices is what we see happening now," he pointed out.

According to Nadella, after PCs, 2-in-1 devices including convertibles are the future.

"Bringing software and hardware together to create a new personal and immersive computing experience is what Microsoft is looking at," Nadella said.

"Microsoft Office 365, Dynamic 365 and Azure Cloud - these are the fastest growing and connected infrastructure which we are using to engage customers and employees in an efficient way," Nadella added.

HP also introduced "Smart Device Services", a set of Cloud tools and device-based sensing capabilities designed to enhance the service experience at the event.

The "Smart Device Services" feature is compatible on HP printers and MFPs with "FutureSmart", introduced in 2012, including the new A3 PageWide and LaserJet devices.