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Satya Nadella at India Today Conclave Next 2017 on how tech will change our world

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Sushant Talwar
Sushant TalwarNov 07, 2017 | 13:34

Satya Nadella at India Today Conclave Next 2017 on how tech will change our world

Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, started the last day of his India visit by addressing a gathering of industry experts and academics at the first edition of the India Today Conclave Next 2017. Nadella delivered the keynote address at the conclave where he outlined his views on the impact of some of the biggest technology trends on our future. 

Nadella, who is on a trip to promote his book, Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft’s Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone, spoke about how India faces an immense opportunity to use the advancements in technology that will not only help spur growth but also shape the future of the world.

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In his half-an-hour-long address, he also stressed upon the need of democratising and using advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, cloud and Quantum Computing in the coming days to change the way we do business, commute, make friends and even save lives with the integration of technology with healthcare. 

Here are the most important takeaways from the keynote address.

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Technology to empower people

In what was a recurring theme in his keynote address, the India-born CEO explained his views on the role that technology can play in our lives in the coming days. Speaking about it he stressed that technology, much like it did in the past, can play a great part in empowering people. 

The key, however, for this he said is to build trustworthy products that use the power of AI and cloud computing to help empower people. 

He further said: "How we empower people using technology will define our future. How algorithms and technologies work without any bias will shape the future... This is where trust will come in. We will need to build trust for technologies so that they can empower each and every individual on the planet... Today it is not about celebrating technology or any technological advancements but rather celebrating how technology will work for people."

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Computing experience will transcend platforms

Talking about the exciting times ahead, Nadella said that even though we are already in the midst of an "amazing cloud and mobile revolution", a deeper revolution is already taking place. 

With the world becoming more connected by the day, he said that our computing experience will become a fluid one that will not just be bound to one machine but will work seamlessly across multiple devices. "No computer experience in the future is going to be bound to one device. It will be expanded across multiple devices – smart speakers, televisions, mobile devices, computers and intelligent cars."

To explain how this works for the end user, Nadella called OLA Cabs CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, who explained how the cab aggregator is partnering with Microsoft to use cloud computing to help people make seamless transitions from their homes to vehicles for commute and then to work. 

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AI, cloud computing to take center stage

Another key takeaway from Nadella's address was his emphasis on how AI, Machine Learning, and cloud computing will revolutionise businesses in the days to come. With advancements in silicon technology, and organisations and countries taking to cloud computing, Nadella explained that these technologies will become part and parcel of our lives. 

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Microsoft's CEO also showed an AI and Machine Learning based project, RUUH, a social bot for India. The bot was launched nine months ago and already had the experience of 17 million conversations, Microsoft revealed. 

During the presentation for the bot that uses AI and a deep learning neural network to interact with humans, Microsoft touched upon ways in which RUUH is already changing lives in the country. 

"Behind the scenes, RUUH looks at thousands of pictures and learns using a deep learning neural network... Previously, the handloom industry has remained untouched by technology. The work is done mostly by a master weaver. They use simple designs on paper and pass it down... RUUH now makes 1000 customisable design by democratising AI and helps new people come into the handloom weaving business."

Democratising technology

Arguably the most important point raised by Microsoft's CEO during the address was how modern day technologies need to be used in a way that benefit not just benefit big businesses, but also help bring its benefits to the average individual. To this effect, Nadella stressed on the need for "democratisation" of technology that he said will be crucial in solving many of the problems faced by smaller industries and even farmers and weavers. 

He added: "Digital transformations will be needed by the industry... Instead of AI being a tech that you admire, the trick will be to bring AI everywhere, and commoditise it so that each and every one can use the benefits of AI tech through the cloud." 

'Mixed Reality and Quantum Computing the next step in technological evolution'

Speaking of the future, Nadella explained that Microsoft is giving great importance to Mixed Reality and Quantum Computing to help business and consumers.

Speaking about Mixed Reality, Nadella explained that it is the next step in technological evolution that mixes reality with the virtual and augmented sphere. He said, "Mixed reality is the ultimate computing experience. All that we have done before was a build-up to the Mixed Reality... Holo Lens and other projects that we have worked on can be used in India to reimagine how we do things here." 

To explain how Mixed Reality is already touching industries in India, he then invited Dr Anthony Vipin Das of the LV Prasad Eye Institute, who elaborated on the use of Mixed Reality in healthcare. The doctor also explained the use of Artificial Intelligence in diagnosis and predictive analysis.

Nadella spoke of the challenges that remain for technology, many of which he explained will be tackled by Quantum Computing. 

"We still cannot model enzymes in food production that will be crucial to solving the world's food needs... For the last 10 years, Microsoft has been working towards Quantum Computing that will help find solutions to such problems currently not possible to solve using brute force methods of modern day technology... Quantum Computing is the future of technology that will change the way the world works."

Last updated: November 12, 2017 | 11:10
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