Microsoft and Hitachi Announce Multibillion-Dollar AI Partnership

The TDR Three Key Takeaways regarding Microsoft and Hitachi’s Partnership: 

1. Major AI collaboration between Microsoft and Hitachi targets multiple sectors.
2. Hitachi invests $2.1 billion in GenAI and workforce training.
3. AI collaboration targets social innovation in the energy and mobility sectors.

Microsoft Corporation ( NASDAQ: MSFT) and Hitachi Ltd. (OTCMKTS: HTHIY) announced a multibillion-dollar, three-year partnership focused on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) adoption on Tuesday. This collaboration aims to accelerate the integration and development of AI technologies across various sectors, leveraging the strengths of both companies.

Under this partnership, Hitachi will integrate several of Microsoft’s advanced AI services into its Lumada Solutions business. These include Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service, Dynamics 365, Copilot for Microsoft 365, and GitHub Copilot. This integration is expected to enhance Hitachi’s AI capabilities, driving innovation and efficiency in its operations and offerings.

To support this initiative, Hitachi plans to invest 300 billion yen ($2.1 billion) in GenAI in fiscal year of 2024. This investment will be directed towards developing new AI technologies and applications, as well as upskilling Hitachi’s workforce. The company intends to train over 50,000 professionals on AI skills, ensuring that its employees are equipped to leverage the latest AI advancements.

The partnership offers significant benefits for both Microsoft and Hitachi. For Hitachi, the collaboration provides an opportunity to expand its AI offerings and enhance its technological capabilities. The integration of Microsoft’s AI services into Hitachi’s Lumada Solutions will enable the company to deliver more sophisticated and efficient solutions to its clients. Additionally, the extensive training program will help upskill Hitachi’s workforce, ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of AI innovation.

Keiji Kojima, President and CEO of Hitachi, emphasized the potential of this partnership. “Under this new agreement, we are excited to further accelerate social innovation by expanding our efforts to social infrastructure areas such as energy and mobility, and by applying generative AI to improve the productivity of frontline workers, which will become even more important in the future. By combining our capabilities, we can help solve the issues faced by our customers and society, and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

For Microsoft, the partnership represents a valuable opportunity to expand its AI monetization efforts. By growing its enterprise customer relationships through Hitachi’s extensive client base, Microsoft can further establish itself as a leader in the AI market. The adoption of Microsoft’s AI services by Hitachi is expected to drive significant revenue growth, while also showcasing the capabilities of its AI technologies to a broader audience.

Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, highlighted the significance of this partnership. “Our expanded partnership with Hitachi will bring together the power of the Microsoft Cloud — including Microsoft Copilot — with Hitachi’s industry expertise to improve the productivity of 270,000 Hitachi employees and help address customers’ biggest challenges, including sustainability.”

The Microsoft and Hitachi partnership aims to advance AI adoption and innovation across industries, emphasizing ethical and responsible development. The collaboration is expected to bring important advancements, making this partnership one to watch closely in the coming years. Want to be updated on all things Psychedelic, Cannabis, AI, and Crypto? Subscribe to our Daily Baked in Newsletter!