Microsoft unveils it’s new real time AI engine
AI's that can analyse data in real time will become increasingly important as we come to rely on them more and more to help us make, and automate, decisions.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'Microsoft unveils it’s new real time AI engine', 311 Institute, 1 September. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/microsoft-unveils-its-new-real-time-ai-engine/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
It’s probably fair to say that in many cases, whether it’s the new breed of Personal Digital Assistants, or in the healthcare and security industries particularly, that you want your Artificial Intelligence (AI) to work in real time, on data as it happens. And Microsoft knows this as well.
This week the software juggernaut, who recently bought us AI’s that have learnt how to create their own programs, and wrangle pigs to make them better at cooperating, just unveiled its new hardware acceleration platform, Project Brainwave, that promises speedy, real time AI in the cloud.
Thanks to Intel's new Stratix 10 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip, which Microsoft have been using to turn their Azure cloud platform into the world’s biggest supercomputer, their new AI can crunch a hefty 39.5 teraflops in machine learning tasks with less than 1 millisecond of latency, without having to batch tasks together. In other words it can handle complex AI tasks as they're received, and that’s huge.
The new platform is considerably more flexible than many of its hard coded rivals, too, and it relies on a “soft” Dynamic Neural Network (DNN) processing engine that’s just “dropped” into the new FPGA’s whereas most of Microsoft’s competitors often have to lock their AI’s into their FPGA’s from the outset and that limits their flexibility and performance.
The new platform is also integrated with Microsoft's own AI framework, called Cognitive Toolkit, and works with a variety of other AI platforms including Google's TensorFlow, an open approach gives users the flexibility to build new machine learning systems the way they want to while giving them the advantage of letting them run them all in real time, instead of letting the hardware dictate their methods.
To no one's surprise, Microsoft plans to make Project Brainwave available via its own Azure cloud services so companies can make use of live AI, and while there’s no guarantee that it’s going to be widely adopted it’s a bold and important step forwards, and one that Microsoft hopes will give it an edge over its rivals in what’s becoming an increasingly competitive market.
What this means for your organisation
Decisions move to real time.
Processing each task as it arrives removes the wait of batch jobs. That suits healthcare, security and live customer service. Leaders should find decisions that lose value with every second of delay.
Flexible hardware reduces lock-in.
Soft processing engines can be changed without new chips. Support for several AI frameworks keeps options open. Technology teams should favour platforms that do not tie them to one method.
Cloud giants compete on chips.
Hyperscalers are building their own AI hardware to win customers. That will shape the speed and terms of cloud AI services. Leaders should review how dependent they are on a single cloud provider.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our decisions would gain most from real time AI?
- Are we locked into one AI framework or cloud?
- What data do we need to stream for live analysis?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
AI's that can analyse data in real time will become increasingly important as we come to rely on them more and more to help us make, and automate, decisions.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Microsoft unveils project brainwave microsoft.com
- Intel delivers real time ai microsofts accelerated deep learning platform newsroom.intel.com
- Dynamic Neural Network en.wikipedia.org
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 1 September 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). Microsoft unveils it’s new real time AI engine. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/microsoft-unveils-its-new-real-time-ai-engine/
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