Microsoft announced Microsoft Cloud’s enhanced digital experiences made up of 90 new services and updates at Ignite 2021. Ignite 2021 explored ways of connecting people, organisations and ideas. The conference showcased opportunities in hybrid work, how to assist customers in building hyperconnected businesses, digital transformation, and creating end-to-end digital security.
“Every industry in the region has felt the full force of the digital transformation, as enterprises have had to adopt drastically different strategies to keep their organisations secure and stable, requiring them to be technologically flexible,” said Naim Yazbeck, Regional Director, Enterprise and Partner Group (EPG), Microsoft UAE. “The impactful advantages of the Microsoft Cloud will enable people to safely navigate through today’s digital environment, equipping them with future-proof innovations that empower teams to optimise their productivity and strengthen connections in today’s hybrid workplace.”
Microsoft Cloud’s enhanced digital experiences focused on three key areas:
Powering the metaverse
The company announced Microsoft Mesh, which helps build a shared sense of presence on devices and bridges communication methods that allow people to be virtually present through personalized avatars and immersive spaces that can be accessed from any device. The company also announced Dynamics 365 Connected Spaces, which provides a new perspective on the way people move and interact with nearly any space and how they manage health and safety in a hybrid work environment.
Translating AI
Microsoft’s new Azure OpenAI Service will give customers access to Microsoft’s partner OpenAI’s models in addition to the security, reliability, compliance, data privacy and other enterprise-grade capabilities built into Microsoft Azure. The company is also offering tools to ensure outputs are business-appropriate.
Building trust
Introduced at Ignite, Microsoft Teams Connect has received significant upgrades. The Teams Shared Channels allows external teams to work with internal groups more effectively. Chat with Teams allows users to chat seamlessly with people outside of a work network.
Microsoft also announced Microsoft Loop, a new app that moves freely across applications, enabling teams to think, plan, and create together. The new Microsoft Customer Experience Platform is a marketing solution that puts organisations in control of their customer data and Context IQ is a set of capabilities that will further integrate collaborations, sharing and communication.
