- Vodafone and Microsoft to rework the shopper 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 providers for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs)
- Vodafone to speed up digital transformation and operational efficiencies in digital information middle 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 shoppers throughout Europe and Africa.
Via the partnership, the businesses will collaborate to rework Vodafone’s buyer expertise utilizing Microsoft’s generative AI; hyperscale Vodafone’s main managed IoT connectivity platform; develop new digital and monetary providers for companies, notably SMEs throughout Europe and Africa; and overhaul its world information middle cloud technique.
Vodafone will make investments $1.5 billion over the following 10 years in cloud and customer-focused AI providers developed at the side of Microsoft. Moreover, Microsoft will use Vodafone’s mounted and cellular connectivity providers.
Microsoft additionally intends to spend money on Vodafone’s managed IoT connectivity platform, which is able to grow to be a separate, standalone enterprise by April 2024. The brand new firm will appeal to new companions and prospects, driving progress in functions and increasing the platform to attach extra units, automobiles and machines.
The digital providers generated by the brand new partnership will use the newest generative AI expertise to offer 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 government, mentioned: “Right this moment, 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 prospects, notably small and medium-sized corporations, and step up the standard of buyer expertise for shoppers.”
“This new era of AI will unlock huge new alternatives for each group and each trade around the globe,” mentioned Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “We’re delighted that along with Vodafone we’ll apply the newest cloud and AI expertise to reinforce the shopper expertise of lots of 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 facility of Microsoft Azure OpenAI to ship frictionless, real-time, proactive and hyperpersonalized experiences throughout all Vodafone buyer touchpoints, together with its digital assistant TOBi (obtainable in 13 nations). Vodafone workers will even be capable of leverage the AI capabilities of Microsoft Copilot to rework working practices, increase 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 grow to be a part of the Azure ecosystem making the IoT platform obtainable to an enormous developer and third-party group utilizing open APIs.
- Africa digital acceleration: Microsoft intends to assist additional scale M-Pesa, already the biggest monetary expertise platform in Africa, by housing it on Azure and enabling the launch of recent cloud-native functions. The businesses are additionally launching a purpose-led program that seeks to counterpoint the lives of 100 million shoppers and 1 million SMEs throughout the African continent. The purpose is to reinforce digital literacy, skilling and youth outreach packages, in addition to supply digital providers to the underserved SME market. The partnership goals to spice up monetary providers innovation, constructing a group of licensed builders.
- Enterprise progress: Vodafone will lengthen its dedication to distributing Microsoft providers, together with Microsoft Azure, safety options and trendy work choices comparable to Microsoft Groups Cellphone Cell, as a part of its technique to grow to be Europe’s main platform for enterprise. This permits enterprise prospects to deploy Microsoft’s cloud-based providers at tempo with low adoption and operating prices, in addition to help the estimated 24 million SMEs throughout Europe via the availability of a managed platform that grows with their enterprise.
- Cloud transformation: Vodafone will speed up its cloud transformation by modernizing its information facilities on Microsoft Azure. This may enhance its responsiveness to prospects, whereas simplifying and lowering the operational prices of its IT property. In consequence, Vodafone will be capable of exchange a number of bodily information facilities with digital ones throughout Europe, simplifying and lowering the operational prices of its IT property, in addition to lowering power 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) permits 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 attain extra.
For extra info, press solely:
Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, [email protected]
Vodafone Group Media Relations, [email protected]
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