By Vesna Marinkovic U.
The Microsoft executive argues that this is because technology is one of the few factors of production that allows us to do more with less.
1• In 2023, the topic of technology is commonplace. How does Microsoft view this strengthening of digital transformation, especially in Latin America?
Digitization has become a strategic imperative to remain competitive amid the uncertain times we are going through. This is because technology is one of the few factors of production that allows us to do more with less. Companies in our region have realized that digital transformation enables them to increase operational efficiency, facilitates data-driven decision-making, provides the agility needed to adapt quickly to changes, and stay competitive in an ever-evolving business environment.
2What are the most prominent Microsoft solutions and tools recently, and their role in this world of rampant access to technology?
We believe we are in the midst of the next massive shift in computing with AI, a turning point similar in magnitude to the personal computer, the internet, mobile devices, and the cloud. We are witnessing rapid advancements in large and generative AI models that not only capture our imagination but unlock even more possibilities in search, productivity, creativity, and uses such as healthcare or security.
Driven by advances in supercomputing and machine learning, the industry has managed to train large artificial intelligence models that can perform a wide variety of tasks using natural language, from summarizing and generating text to creating photorealistic images and writing sophisticated computer code. These models are already assisting in tasks such as content synthesis, document management, and sales flow optimization, and could eventually extend to areas such as designing new molecules for drugs or creating manufacturing recipes for 3D models.
3• Microsoft has consolidated its presence in Costa Rica since February 2022. What advantages are generated for Latin America from this situation?
Costa Rica is a talent hub for the region, and Microsoft is aware of this. That’s why, for 29 years, we have had operations in the country. The local team has grown, and today, these offices serve clients from all the Americas. In fact, our regional centers for Latin America, both for Customer Technical Support and Internal Sales, are located in Costa Rica.
4How many Business Units provide regional services from Costa Rica?
Currently, in Costa Rica, three business units can be found: operations, digital sales, and support, providing services for the entire American continent. Additionally, we have a growing engineering team based in San Jose, contributing to the creation and design of Microsoft’s key products and solutions.
5What is the impact of AI and the future of Microsoft’s business model with all the improvements already detected in the Bing search engine, which already has integrated ChatGPT, and especially the much-anticipated arrival of Microsoft 365 Copilot?
AI is the defining technology of our time. Microsoft’s advances in AI align with our company’s mission to help every person and organization on the planet achieve more. Our investment in AI spans the entire company, from Teams and Outlook to Bing and Xbox, and our goal is to democratize our AI advances through Azure to help people and organizations be more productive and solve society’s most pressing problems. We are committed to realizing the promise of AI, and to do so responsibly.
Microsoft is already using these models in a wide range of scenarios in our services such as Bing, Office 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, GitHub, and LinkedIn.
