- Vodafone and Microsoft to remodel the client expertise utilizing Microsoft’s generative AI
- Vodafone to scale its new standalone IoT enterprise with Microsoft
- Partnership will broaden M-Pesa to enhance monetary inclusion throughout Africa
- Vodafone to develop enterprise enterprise with new Microsoft companies for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs)
- Vodafone to speed up digital transformation and operational efficiencies in digital knowledge heart migration to Microsoft Azure
LONDON and REDMOND, Wash. — Jan. 15, 2024 — Vodafone and Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday introduced a brand new, far-reaching 10-year strategic partnership that leverages their respective strengths in providing scaled digital platforms to greater than 300 million companies, public sector organizations, and customers throughout Europe and Africa.
By the partnership, the businesses will collaborate to remodel Vodafone’s buyer expertise utilizing Microsoft’s generative AI; hyperscale Vodafone’s main managed IoT connectivity platform; develop new digital and monetary companies for companies, notably SMEs throughout Europe and Africa; and overhaul its world knowledge heart cloud technique.
Vodafone will make investments $1.5 billion over the subsequent 10 years in cloud and customer-focused AI companies developed along with Microsoft. Moreover, Microsoft will use Vodafone’s fastened and cellular connectivity companies.
Microsoft additionally intends to spend money on Vodafone’s managed IoT connectivity platform, which is able to turn into a separate, standalone enterprise by April 2024. The brand new firm will entice new companions and clients, driving progress in functions and increasing the platform to attach extra units, autos and machines.
The digital companies generated by the brand new partnership will use the newest generative AI know-how to supply a extremely personalised and differentiated buyer expertise throughout a number of channels. They are going to be constructed on unbiased and moral privateness and safety insurance policies below Vodafone’s established framework for accountable AI.
Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group chief govt, stated: “At this time, Vodafone has made a daring dedication to the digital way forward for Europe and Africa. This distinctive strategic partnership with Microsoft will speed up the digital transformation of our enterprise clients, notably small and medium-sized firms, and step up the standard of buyer expertise for customers.”
“This new era of AI will unlock large new alternatives for each group and each business world wide,” stated Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “We’re delighted that along with Vodafone we’ll apply the newest cloud and AI know-how to boost the client expertise of a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of individuals and companies throughout Africa and Europe, construct new services and products, and speed up the corporate’s transition to the cloud.”
The businesses have recognized 5 key areas of collaboration:
- Generative AI: To extend buyer satisfaction, the businesses will apply the ability of Microsoft Azure OpenAI to ship frictionless, real-time, proactive and hyperpersonalized experiences throughout all Vodafone buyer touchpoints, together with its digital assistant TOBi (out there in 13 international locations). Vodafone workers will even have the ability to leverage the AI capabilities of Microsoft Copilot to remodel working practices, enhance productiveness and enhance digital effectivity.
- Scaling IoT: Microsoft intends to spend money on Vodafone’s new, standalone world Web of Issues (IoT)-managed connectivity platform, which connects 175 million units and platforms worldwide. Vodafone additionally plans to turn into a part of the Azure ecosystem making the IoT platform out there to an enormous developer and third-party neighborhood utilizing open APIs.
- Africa digital acceleration: Microsoft intends to assist additional scale M-Pesa, already the most important monetary know-how platform in Africa, by housing it on Azure and enabling the launch of latest cloud-native functions. The businesses are additionally launching a purpose-led program that seeks to counterpoint the lives of 100 million customers and 1 million SMEs throughout the African continent. The purpose is to boost digital literacy, skilling and youth outreach applications, in addition to provide digital companies to the underserved SME market. The partnership goals to spice up monetary companies innovation, constructing a neighborhood of licensed builders.
- Enterprise progress: Vodafone will lengthen its dedication to distributing Microsoft companies, together with Microsoft Azure, safety options and fashionable work choices equivalent to Microsoft Groups Cellphone Cellular, as a part of its technique to turn into Europe’s main platform for enterprise. This permits enterprise clients to deploy Microsoft’s cloud-based companies at tempo with low adoption and working prices, in addition to assist the estimated 24 million SMEs throughout Europe via the supply of a managed platform that grows with their enterprise.
- Cloud transformation: Vodafone will speed up its cloud transformation by modernizing its knowledge facilities on Microsoft Azure. This can enhance its responsiveness to clients, whereas simplifying and lowering the operational prices of its IT property. Because of this, Vodafone will have the ability to change a number of bodily knowledge facilities with digital ones throughout Europe, simplifying and lowering the operational prices of its IT property, in addition to lowering vitality necessities and serving to ship in opposition to its sustainable enterprise technique.
About Vodafone
For extra info, please go to www.vodafone.com, comply with us on Twitter at @VodafoneGroup or join with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/firm/vodafone.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) allows digital transformation for the period of an clever cloud and an clever edge. Its mission is to empower each individual and each group on the planet to realize extra.
For extra info, press solely:
Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rapidresponse@we-worldwide.com
Vodafone Group Media Relations, GroupMedia@vodafone.com
Word to editors: For extra info, information and views from Microsoft, please go to the Microsoft Information Middle at http://information.microsoft.com. Internet hyperlinks, phone numbers and titles have been appropriate at time of publication however might have modified. For added help, journalists and analysts might contact Microsoft’s Fast Response Crew or different acceptable contacts listed at https://information.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.
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