CSIRO wields data and AI as sword and shield to protect the planet
Every year, 12 million tons of plastic pollution finds its way into our rivers and oceans, creating a huge threat to wildlife and the environment. To track garbage flows, inform intervention efforts, and assess waste management programs, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is combining Microsoft’s machine learning and AI with indigenous knowledge of the land. By leveraging Microsoft Custom Vision, plastic debris in marine environments can be counted much faster and can be used in areas that are unsafe for manual collection and counting. CSIRO is also partnering Microsoft to tackle other major global challenges, such as illegal fishing and farm management in countries like Indonesia.
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Read our top Asia Pacific customer and partner stories across key vertical sectors
Manufacturing
Digital technologies are transforming the face of manufacturing across Asia Pacific. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, mixed reality, edge computing, and the Internet of Things are empowering organizations at all levels. This is producing exciting new business outcomes through increased security, productivity, and efficiency.
SONY
Microsoft is collaborating with Sony Japan to integrate Azure AI with intelligent vision sensor to advance smart cameras and video analytics. From helping to identify hazards before injuries occur on the manufacturing floor, to detecting when to refill retail shelfs, this integration will boost efficient allocations of resources between the edge and the cloud.
Downer
Downer, a company with over 100 years’ rail experience in Australia, is using AI to make sense of operational data and put it into the hands of the workers that need it. It is working together with Microsoft to support the smooth delivery of Waratah commuter services across Sydney.
Financial Services
Digital economies are evolving at pace. And financial institutions of all sizes and scope are facing challenges including higher customer expectations, drawbacks from legacy systems, dangers of cybercrime, and complexities of new regulatory environments. Technology helps transform customer experiences, optimize operational efficiencies, and tap new revenue streams.
Moula
Moula in Australia is using AI to accelerate the speed at which small businesses can get a loan with AI and machine learning. With smaller businesses moving online, this translates into triple-digit growth for Moula. Over the next year, Moula aims to lend $250 million to businesses after major banks pulled back from SME lending.
China Asset Management Co., Ltd
One of China’s largest investment houses, China AMC partnered with Microsoft researchers to develop a new AI model that sifts and analyzes vast amounts of real-time financial data. It empowers financial professionals to make better informed buy-and-sell market decisions.
Healthcare
Providing affordable and accessible healthcare is a key challenge for Asia Pacific countries. Organizations, professionals, and policymakers are using digital solutions to guide treatment choices, deliver better diagnoses, optimize clinical trials, accelerate drug development, and streamline administration. Technology and the information it provides also empowers patients.
Zuellig Pharma
Zuellig Pharma in Singapore launched a 24/7 interactive engagement platform for customers to order prescription drugs and supplies anytime, anywhere, with an app to verify authenticity of medicines. Now, patients and facilities will have reliable and authentic lifesaving supplies even during lockdown.
Yuanying Medicine
To intuitively understand the pandemic and make quicker, better management decisions, Yuanying Medicine created a data analysis platform with Microsoft’s Power BI. It visualises the speed and trend of the spread of infectious diseases, and monitors the safety of the reserves of medical supplies needed
Retail
Consumers are becoming more demanding as the digital economy generates greater choice. They also expect higher levels of personalized service. To meet this need, retailers are turning to technologies to boost their businesses. By leveraging data and deploying new systems, they can better understand what their customers want.
Trakomatic
With AI and facial recognition, Trakomatic in Singapore has developed a solution that allows retailers to identify VIP customers and enhances customer experience through predictive and personalized service, and helps service staff provide personalized attention.
Coles
Coles, a leading retailer in Australia, uses advanced analytics and AI to manage 40,000 products, 115,000 team members, and 2,450 stores, while optimizing the storage of 20,000 different items with different legal requirements in individual stores. Dynamics 365, Office 365 and Microsoft Azure serves as a digital foundation to enhance the retail experience, support employees, and strip waste and delay from the business.
Public Sector
Asia Pacific governments are turning to technology to help raise the well-being of their citizens, influence positive societal change, and bring new efficiencies to administration. Data and digital solutions are promoting efficiency, collaboration, transparency, and sustainability. Governments are also being empowered to better engage and connect with people.
Families, Communities and Disability Services of NSW
The NSW state government is leveraging Microsoft’s data collection tool to power the By Name List multi-platform app, which matches people with suitable, safe accommodation and care. As a result, 1,000 rough sleepers have found permanent housing across the state in recent weeks.
Supreme Court of Philippines
Due to safe distancing measures, the Supreme Court of Philippines decided to enable video conferencing hearings using Microsoft 365, innovative Office web applications, and cloud combined with world-class security. Since then, courts nationwide have implemented Microsoft 365 to expedite trials and liberate more than 4,000 people.
Education
The world is changing fast. And so are the skills that today’s students will need to be life- and career-ready when they graduate and move into the workforce. Affordable and user-friendly technologies are empowering educators to deliver impactful and personalized learning experiences in the classroom and beyond.
Ministry of Education, Taiwan
Taiwan’s Ministry of Education and Microsoft worked together to enable continuous learning for some 2.5 million students and 200,000 teachers from grade one to university nationwide. With newly-created Microsoft Office 365 (A1) accounts, they can now use Office 365 and Microsoft Teams for free with their National ID.
Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)
The population of the aggressive simian monkey in India is booming. With a lack of predators, they cause injury to humans and the displacement of other wild animals. Using the Microsoft AI for Earth grant to use AI, machine learning and Azure, an app is created and used by citizens to record the monkeys’ geolocation and movements and work towards controlling the wild population with contraception procedures.
Other Industries
The rise of the digital age is transforming how we learn, work, and play. Breakthroughs in technologies – like artificial intelligence and the intelligent edge – are also changing how we do business. Organizations throughout Asia Pacific stand to reap significant rewards as they embrace new solutions and adopt new business models.
TalentCloud
Chinese company TalentCloud created Agro-Brain, a solution built on Microsoft Azure, to shift farmers to data-centric practices resulting in less pollution and use of pesticides, higher quality and safety, and wins for everyone, from producer to consumer to the environment.
Duotel
Chinese hotel, Duotel is now working together with partners like People’s Health to create smarter and safer health-oriented hotel solutions. These will empower the hotel industry to pursue new business models that are focused on smart health and promote healthy travel.
