![A collage featuring six people with the words Year of AI in the front](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/2023_EOY_Art_v02.jpg)
2023: The year of AI
The pace of AI innovation in 2023 was astounding — but even more impressive was how people applied this technology to make a real difference in their careers, communities and countries. Here are some of their incredible stories.
![Satya portrait video thumbnail](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/Satya-2023-EOY-Video-thumbnail.jpg)
Expanding opportunity
![A woman in a green shirt smiles and looks at a cellphone](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/M-KOPA-12.jpg)
Making loans more accessible
M-KOPA is a fintech company that is using AI to provide credit and essential products to over 3 million low-income customers in Africa, helping them to improve their livelihoods.
![Three people stand smiling on a stage](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/micrsofot-ai-skills.jpg)
Empowering youth with AI job training
Youth Employment Service is upskilling young South Africans with AI and computer science training, addressing unemployment while fostering a culture of innovation.
![A woman with glasses smiles](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/Audrey_Wordpress_header.jpg)
Closing the gender gap
Simplon is training people across the globe with crucial AI skills as part of its work to increase the number of women working in the technology industry.
![Three girls play soccer](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/NC-Fusion.jpeg)
Using data and AI to promote inclusivity
NC Fusion is applying Power BI and Copilot in Dynamics 365 to address high dropout rates in girls’ youth soccer through data analysis and an innovative ad campaign.
![A man sits smiling](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/AI-tutors-UAE-header.jpg)
Supporting educational equity
UAE’s Ministry of Education and local startup ASI are building an AI tutor that will provide 24/7 assistance to every student in the country’s school system.
Earning trust
![A man types on a laptop and smles](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/CLO23_Collaboration_001-1024x683-1.jpg)
Cybersecurity made simple
The City of Brampton in Ontario, Canada, is enhancing its cyber resilience and data governance through AI.
![Two men walk down the stairs](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/KC7.jpg)
Transforming cybersecurity education
KC7, a realistic cybersecurity training game, brings together immersive scenarios and real-time feedback to break down barriers and diversify the cyber workforce.
![Two people look at a laptop screen](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/Azure-AI-Content-Safety-to-deploy-AI-responsibly-hero.jpg)
Protecting students from harmful content
South Australia’s Department of Education is applying AI safety guardrails so students can take advantage of breakthrough learning capabilities without exposing them to harmful content.
Protecting fundamental rights
![Two people stand outside and look at a cellphone screen](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/Azure-OpenAI-Service-India-blog-hero-1536x1024-1.jpg)
Making government services more accessible
The Indian Government’s Bhashini initiative is helping farmers navigate government aid programs, regardless of their spoken language, using AI.
![A man sits at a table](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/Anton.png)
Enabling greater accessibility and opportunity
Anton Mirhorodchenko is using GitHub Copilot to expand his capabilities as a developer in ways that were previously impossible for him.
![Two physicians walk down a hallway](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/Getty_Healthcare_.png)
Reducing physician burnout
Providers are implementing Nuance DAX Copilot into their clinical practices to focus on patient interaction without tedious notetaking.
Advancing sustainability
![A beekeeper works outside](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/BeeOdiversity-lead.jpg)
Tracking pollution with bees and AI
BeeOdiversity is using data from 50,000 bee colonies coupled with analysis from machine learning and AI to identify pesticides, heavy metals and invasive species and their impacts on biodiversity.
![An aerial view of a forest](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/amazon-rainforest-0.jpg)
Preserving the Amazon
Project Guacamaya is using satellite images, cameras, and bioacoustics to monitor and protect the Amazon’s biodiversity.
![Four people sit at a table during a meeting](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/SEEDS.png)
Predicting climate threats to protect people
SEEDS is using AI to forecast and mitigate the impact of disasters like cyclones and heatwaves on low-income communities in India.
![Four people work to put out a fire](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/alberta-wildfire.jpg)
Fighting fires with AI
Alberta Wildfire is using AI tooling to predict when and where a fire might spring up, allowing the organization to optimize its resources and save lives.
![A person looks at a tablet](https://news.microsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/prod/sites/675/2023/12/FarmVibes-tablet.jpg)
Revealing the future of farming
Nelson Farms is leveraging AI models and fusion techniques to generate robust insights, revealing the underlying health of it operations.