Microsoft’s new corporate vision: artificial intelligence is in and mobile is out – GeekWire

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Microsoft filed its annual report Wednesday, and among the many pages of documents and numbers are insights on what the company sees as its core vision, and that appears to be changing.

As first spotted by CNBC, Microsoft has inserted artificial intelligence into its vision for the first time, and removed references to a mobile-first world. That fits with Microsofts recent push into AI and retreat from the smartphone market.

We believe a new technology paradigm is emerging that manifests itself through an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge where computing is more distributed, AI drives insights and acts on the users behalf, and user experiences span devices with a users available data and information, according to Microsofts vision statement.

Microsoft last year formeda new 5,000-person engineering and research teamto focuson its artificial intelligence products a major reshaping of the companys internal structurereminiscent of its massive pivotto pursue the opportunity of the Internetin the mid-1990s.

Just last month the companymade a series of AI announcements, including a new iPhone app that describes the world for the visually impaired, an AI research and incubation hub inside Microsoft Research, a new Ethical Design Guide for AI andan initiative called AI for Earthto encourage the use of artificial intelligence for environmental solutions.

Here is Microsofts full vision statement from the document:

Microsoft is a technology company whose mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We strive to create local opportunity, growth, and impact in every country around the world. Our strategy is to build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge infused with artificial intelligence (AI).

The way individuals and organizations use and interact with technology continues to evolve. A persons experience with technology increasingly spans a multitude of devices and becomes more natural and multi-sensory with voice, ink, and gaze interactions. We believe a new technology paradigm is emerging that manifests itself through an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge where computing is more distributed, AI drives insights and acts on the users behalf, and user experiences span devices with a users available data and information. We continue to transform our business to lead this new era of digital transformation and enable our customers and partners to thrive in this evolving world.

And for comparison, here is last years:

Microsoft is a technology company whose mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our strategy is to build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for a mobile-first, cloud-first world.

The mobile-first, cloud-first world is transforming the way individuals and organizations use and interact with technology. Mobility is not focused on any one device; it is centered on the mobility of experiences that, in turn, are orchestrated by the cloud. Cloud computing and storage solutions provide people and enterprises with various capabilities to store and process their data in third-party datacenters. Mobility encompasses the rich collection of data, applications, and services that accompany our customers as they move from setting to setting in their lives. We are transforming our businesses to enable Microsoft to lead the direction of this digital transformation, and enable our customers and partners to thrive in this evolving world.

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Microsoft's new corporate vision: artificial intelligence is in and mobile is out - GeekWire