Microsoft has been working to understand how organizations can drive lasting business value as the platform shift to AI continues to gain momentum. A recent study commissioned by Microsoft with IDC, ‘The Business Opportunity of AI,’ uncovered new insights around business value and helped guide organizations on their journey of AI transformation. The study found that for every $1 organizations invest in generative AI, they realize an average return of $3.70. More than 85% of the Fortune 500 are using Microsoft AI solutions. Microsoft has collected over 400 real-life examples of how organizations are embracing Microsoft’s AI capabilities to drive impact. The four major business outcomes driving transformation initiatives are enriching employee experiences, reinventing customer engagement, reshaping business processes, and bending the curve on innovation.
Enriching Employee Experiences
Generative AI is transforming employee productivity and well-being by automating repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on complex and creative work. Customers have reported significant improvements in employee productivity using AI solutions. Examples include Aberdeen City Council, which projects a 241% ROI in time savings and improved productivity using Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Allpay, which increased productivity by 10% using GitHub Copilot.
Reinventing Customer Engagement
Generative AI can automate content creation, personalize customer experiences, and drive innovation. Examples include 17Life, which uses Azure OpenAI Service to generate product tags and improve customer recommendations, and ABN AMRO Bank, which developed AI assistants for customers and employees using Microsoft Copilot Studio.
Reshaping Business Processes
AI is transforming operations across various business functions, including marketing, supply chain management, human resources, and financial services. Examples include Aegea, which uses AI to analyze news and identify potential operational impacts, and AGMC, which created the Sphere 360 solution using Azure AI to improve logistics and customer satisfaction.
Bending the Curve on Innovation
Generative AI is revolutionizing innovation by speeding up creative processes and product development. Examples include Avex Group, which developed the HUMANOID DJ using Azure OpenAI Service to create immersive experiences, and Bayer, which built an agent using Copilot to help researchers and scientists search for information more efficiently.
Microsoft’s AI solutions are driving business transformation and innovation across industries. Organizations can assess their AI readiness using Microsoft’s AI Readiness Wizard and build a strategic plan for AI using the AI Strategy Roadmap.
