Microsoft Equips Employees with AI Skills
As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, Microsoft recognized the importance of equipping its workforce with the necessary skills. The company has implemented an extensive AI curriculum to provide employees with opportunities to expand their reach and impact. To achieve this, a comprehensive data and AI program was developed, using resources from Microsoft Learn and other sources.
This program is designed to empower employees at Microsoft Digital, the company’s IT division, with the knowledge and skills to utilize AI tools effectively. The initiative leverages both Microsoft Viva Learning and Microsoft Learn, two platforms that serve different purposes.
Microsoft Viva Learning and Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Viva Learning acts as a central hub within Microsoft Teams, enabling seamless integration of learning into the workday. Teams can use Viva Learning to discover, share, and recommend content from the organization and its partners without leaving Microsoft Teams.
In contrast, Microsoft Learn is a free online learning platform providing interactive content for Microsoft products and services. It offers courses, tutorials, and certifications to help users improve their abilities and advance their careers. Accessible to anyone with an internet connection, Microsoft Learn is available in multiple languages.
This initiative is part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to integrate AI into all aspects of its operations. The success of this program within Microsoft Digital is crucial, enabling the team to deploy new AI technologies across the organization.
Fully integrating AI across Microsoft necessitates strong guidance and support from the Microsoft Digital team. This is a dual challenge, requiring both technological expertise and a focus on people. “We take a holistic approach,” says Sean MacDonald, partner director of product management in Microsoft Digital. “It’s not just about winning with technology—it’s about supporting the community and doing things the right way.”
Developing the Program
Drawing on a “learn-it-all” culture and resources from Microsoft Viva Learning, Microsoft Learn, and other sources, a progressive curriculum was created to upskill technical professionals.
Microsoft Viva Learning connects content from internal learning libraries and third-party learning management systems, simplifying the creation of learning paths using resources from Microsoft Learn, LinkedIn Learning, and external providers like Pearson.
“As a tech company, we’re always encountering new concepts and new technologies,” says Miguel Uribe, principal product manager lead for Employee Experience Insights in Microsoft Digital. “It’s part of our culture to absorb technology and consume concepts very quickly, and AI is just the latest example.”
AI Center of Excellence
The AI Center of Excellence (AI CoE) is the Microsoft Digital team responsible for leading the organization’s AI implementation and is central to these efforts. The team focuses on standardizing how Microsoft uses AI internally, guided by four key pillars: strategy, architecture, roadmap, and culture.
The Strategy pillar is focused on aligning AI investments with the goals of Microsoft Digital. The Architecture pillar enables crucial infrastructure for AI. Roadmap focuses on implementation plans. Finally, the Culture pillar promotes collaboration, innovation, education, and ethical considerations.
Within the Culture pillar, the AI certifications program has been created. “Our first priority is creating a common understanding and language around these fairly new topics,” says Humberto Arias, senior product manager on the Frictionless Devices team in Microsoft Digital. “The technology changes constantly, so you need to learn continually to keep up.”
Over the years, the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML) community had been working on their own time to deepen their knowledge through research and independent certifications. When generative AI took off at the start of 2023, that community began partnering with the AI CoE and got serious about empowerment. They brought their knowledge, and the AI CoE brought their leadership.
“No other organization within Microsoft can provide such a clear picture of what you need for upskilling,” says Urvi Sengar, AIML software engineer in Microsoft Digital. “Only our IT organization is functionally diverse enough.”
Their work shows the impact of empowering technology champions to lead change. Sengar and her AIML colleagues had previously built a learning path centered on AI-900, which focused on AI fundamentals. They relaunched the course in 2023 to serve as the core of the AI certifications. A multidisciplinary team then collaborated to design, create, and structure learning paths to elevate Microsoft Digital employees’ AI expertise. According to Sengar, Microsoft Viva Learning is essential to this process, providing ongoing support as technology evolves. The result is a detailed, multidisciplinary curriculum that prepares Microsoft Digital employees for AI proficiency.
AI Certification Levels
Microsoft’s AI and Data Learning curriculum is organized into three distinct learning paths: basic, intermediate, and advanced. AI Learning Basic provides a conceptual understanding of the technology. It builds familiarity with generative AI, Azure OpenAI Service, and no-code AI. It also covers concepts like Responsible AI, AI ethics, and aligning AI projects with organizational values.
AI Learning Intermediate is where employees gain functional skills, including natural language processing, prompt engineering, and several AI tools, such as ChatGPT, AI Builder in Power Automate, and more.
AI Learning Advanced delves into more advanced topics, such as large language models (LLMs), training neural networks, and self-supervised machine learning. Completion of each learning path results in a shareable badge, managed through Credly.
Promoting AI Certification Benefits
Curating the curriculum is only one part of the AI CoE’s job. Active promotion of these learning opportunities is also fundamental to their widespread adoption. The Microsoft Viva employee experience suite is used for socialization. These AI certifications are actively shared through Microsoft Viva Engage, the employee communication platform. The share rate for AI Learning badges is 72%, well above Credly’s average of 47%. Even outside Microsoft Digital, other lines of business are adapting these certifications for their own teams.
“People are observing the work we do and looking for ways to bring it into their organizations,” says Nitul Pancholi, engineering product manager in Microsoft Digital leading the AI CoE’s culture pillar. “Even external customers are asking how they can set up their own centers of excellence and what to prioritize.”
By focusing on AI knowledge, these certifications ensure technical professionals are ready to take on the future and lead Microsoft.
“That’s one of the super cool things about Microsoft,” MacDonald says. “We have the playground at our fingertips, and we have the autonomy and opportunity to dream up whatever we want.”
By unlocking AI for employees through education, organizations are positioned to ride the wave of the next digital revolution.
