Microsoft and Intel are making massive investments in AI companies
Microsoft and Intel missed the trend when it came to developing smartphones and tablets, but don’t want to be caught on the wrong foot again, so they are making massive investments in artificial intelligence, according to VentureBeat.
The two tech giants are giving lots of funds to start-ups focusing on developing software and artificial intelligence services through their Intel Capital and Microsoft Ventures.
Therefore, the two invested alongside Nvidia in Canadian company Element AI, which raised $102 million from investors. Element AI connects companies with experts in machine learning.
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Both Microsoft and Intel united their forces and invested $15 million in Cognitive Scale, a Texas company that uses artificial intelligence and data collecting for making recommendations and analysis.
Intel has also been engaged in a $16 million investment in a start-up focusing on robotics, called Aeye, while Microsoft participated in a $20 million investment in CrowdFlower, a platform that combines scientists and machines in order to make sure that scientists have access to ”clean” data.
Yet the largest of these is the acquisition of Israeli company MobileEye for $15 billion, the company handling computer vision and manufacturing sensors for autonomous cars.
On the other hand, Microsoft contributed to a $3,5 million investment in Agolo, a New York company that helps clients sort through data by making summaries with the help of artificial intelligence. Microsoft Ventures also led a $7,6 million investment in Bonsai, a start-up that helps companies introduce intelligent systems in their businesses.
Finally, Microsoft has just bought Israeli security company Hezadite in order to introduce defense ways governed by artificial intelligence in Windows 10. In January, Microsoft also bought the Maluuba start-up, focused on deep learning. This represents a category of algorithms of automatic learning that first understand how to go through data and then execute the desired command.
Furthermore, Microsoft formed last year a special start-up investment fund that focuses on artificial intelligence, and by October 2016 it already had 19 companies in its portfolio. On the other hand, Intel Capital has 25 artificial intelligence start-ups in its portfolio, with these being specialized in robotics, autonomous vehicles, intelligent software or artificial intelligence.
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