Microsoft, Corporation (MSFT) Launches New AI Box for Its Cloud Customers

Microsoft, Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) unveiled its new AI cloud computing hardware on Monday, competing with similar products from Amazon and Googles.

Amazon’s Snowball product in 2015 was the first attempt to fuse cloud technology with special-process hardware, before Microsoft’s Azure Data Box created a similar model with 100 terra bytes of data. The Azure Data Box Edge is an upgrade adding artificial intelligence into the mix. Customers will not have to input special processors to implement Microsoft’s new artificial intelligence technology.

CNBC provides technical details on the hardware:

Generally speaking, with a trendy type of AI known as deep learning, people train models using large amounts of data, like photos, and then let the models make inferences about new data based on what the models have learned. The chip in the Azure Data Box Edge can handle the inference stage; training can happen elsewhere.

Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer stated he wants the product to give people “a handful of choices of our custom IP (Intellectual Property).” More specifically this would help consumers utilize the technology for their specific needs, avoid problems when networks fail and help businesses comply with specific regulations.

Microsoft,Corporation shares rose $0.04 (+0.03%) in after-hours trading Tuesday. Year-to-date, MSFT has gained 35.53%, versus a 9.88% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.

MSFT currently has a StockNews.com POWR Rating of A (Strong Buy), and is ranked #1 of 68 stocks in the Software – Application category.