AI Use Cases

for Business Leaders

Realise Value with AI
Table of
Contents

03 / 10 /
The Transformative Harness the Opportunities
Business Value of AI of AI for Your Business

05 / 11 /
Cultivate Trust with Secure Take the Next Step on Your
and Responsible AI AI Transformation Journey

06 /
Identify Business Scenarios
EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

The Transformative
Business Value of AI The Business Impact of Microsoft AI
Microsoft AI can have a tangible economic impact
While AI itself is not new, the ongoing explosion on businesses. In one example, a recent study
of data, coupled with the steady increase in conducted by Forrester Consulting concluded that
Azure AI benefits include:4
computational power, is having a significant
impact on business operations. Deep learning has • A 150% increase in work output
produced essential breakthroughs in computer • Improved spending optimisation, reducing costs
vision and language capabilities. And the rapid by 7%
adoption of generative AI technologies – the
subset of AI that involves the use of algorithms
and techniques to generate new data, such as
with language models like ChatGPT – has made it will only become more vital in the years to come.
AI products and services easier to use. As a recent Globally, businesses are projected to double their
Forrester study summarised, “AI adoption is no AI investments from 2021 to 2025.2
longer an emerging trend, with 73% of data and AI is a quickly evolving field, particularly for
analytics decision-makers building AI technologies business applications. This eBook is designed to
and 74% seeing a positive impact in their help you get up to speed on the current state of AI
organisations.”1 in business and to give examples of AI use cases so
AI is the next technological revolution for business, that you and your business can take the lead.
building on the cloud, the internet, PCs and
transistors (as shown in Figure 1). AI already plays a
crucial role in business strategy and operations, and

Global GDP and Technological Revolutions

Real GDP in trillions of 2011 GK$, logarithmic scale Cloud
Smartphone
Internet
100 PCs +AI
Transistors
Synthetic fertiliser
Flight
Internal combustion engine
10 Mass production and assembly lines
Mass steel production
Electrification
Telegraph
Steam engines
1
Printing press

1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000

GDP growth multiplier 0.4× 1× 1× 2× 4× 20×

per century

Figure 1. AI is poised to be the next epoch-defining technology for the global economy3

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

The Current State and Potential • Decision capabilities include everything from
anomaly detection to automatic content
of AI Today personalisation to automated content
AI provides an array of capabilities, many of moderation for text, image and video
which are new to the current generation of AI. applications. Machine learning and advanced
For business, these capabilities encompass four analytics are good examples of this domain.
broad categories: Many of the most promising future-oriented
• Vision capabilities range from image analysis benefits of AI for business will come from
to facial recognition and optical character combining capabilities across these domains.
recognition (OCR), but they also include spatial As AI becomes more flexible and transparent
analysis of people’s presence and movements, in for businesses and customers, expect greater
addition to content discoverability to classify and automation and heightened employee
caption images. productivity, operational cost optimisations and
new, innovative services and products. In short,
• Speech capabilities include well-known uses enterprises are using AI today to create new value,
such as speech-to-text and text-to-speech, but increase productivity and reduce costs. This eBook
they can also recognise the intent of people uncovers some of the ways that you can start or
independent of their exact wording, automate continue your AI journey.
video captioning and create audio content.
• Language capabilities extend to not just
translation, but also sentiment analysis,
key-phrase extraction and opinion mining.
OpenAI – the AI research organisation behind
well-known AI models like ChatGPT – is a good
representation of the natural and intuitive AI
interface that natural language provides.

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

Cultivate Trust with Secure These principles are vital both for developing
AI technologies and for implementing them in
and Responsible AI business operations.

AI can be a revolutionary tool for business, but its Microsoft is committed to security, privacy and
power must be founded on trust. One part of that compliance across everything it does, and its
trust is built on stakeholders inside and outside approach to AI is no different. Microsoft published
of your business knowing that your AI tools are the Microsoft Responsible AI Standard based on
ethically developed and responsibly deployed. The years of AI development and implementation
other part of building trust in AI arises from it being to help every organisation use AI responsibly.
secure – that is, knowing that both potentially Microsoft can help every organisation build safety
sensitive data that powers AI is secure from and responsibility into their AI journeys from
breach and that the AI tools themselves are not the very beginning. For more information about
compromised by malicious actors. Microsoft’s commitment to the advancement of
AI driven by ethical principles, visit the Microsoft
Using AI Responsibly Responsible AI page.

Leaders from companies across industries want to Securing Your Business

be ready for AI. Research conducted by Microsoft
indicates that more than 64% of business leaders The costs of security breaches continue to mount
surveyed believe that AI will have a positive impact for businesses. Organisations that use AI security
on leadership, and more than 67% of leaders and automation tools reported breach-related
report that they would support changing their skill costs USD 1.76 million lower than organisations that
emphasis so that they’re better prepared for the do not use them, in addition to taking an average
age of AI.5 of 108 fewer days to identify and contain breaches.6

In order to fully harness the benefits of AI, business The costs to companies from cybercrime can
leaders and other stakeholders must trust AI. And extend beyond data breaches, including fraud
fundamental to trust in AI is using AI responsibly. and other forms of theft. By analysing patterns
Microsoft has demonstrated leadership and and anomalies in large datasets, businesses can
delivered powerful tooling to help build safety make use of generative models to detect and
and responsibility into AI solutions from the start. prevent fraud, safeguard sensitive information and
This includes Microsoft’s Responsible AI Principles protect their digital assets. For example, in financial
and the product capabilities developed to help services, businesses can protect loan and credit
customers build AI safety into their solutions. privacy with shareable data, detect suspicious and
Microsoft has committed to ensuring trust, security fraudulent transactions and turn data trends into
and privacy in the era of AI by establishing a core risk assessments.
set of six principles:
AI solutions like Microsoft Security Copilot can
• Fairness work seamlessly with security teams. This solution
can synthesise data from multiple sources into
• Reliability and safety clear, actionable insights to simplify incident
• Privacy and security responses, triage signals faster and surface threats
earlier. Solutions like Security Copilot can empower
• Inclusiveness defenders to see what is happening in their
environments, learn from existing intelligence,
• Transparency
correlate threat activities and make more informed,
• Accountability effective decisions at machine speed.

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

Identify Business Scenarios intricate development processes. For businesses

navigating the digital landscape, the capabilities
for Success of AI in content generation, content linking and
information management can help ensure that a
For businesses of all types and sizes, the importance business remains agile and optimally engaged with
of staying ahead of the curve cannot be overstated. its stakeholders. In the realm of data, AI can help
This section explores the transformative role that turn vast data repositories into actionable insights,
AI can play in optimising business productivity, simplifying tasks like real-time transcription,
streamlining processes, enhancing decision- document processing and market analysis. These
making and ultimately driving robust, sustainable benefits can enable organisations to stay agile,
growth. It provides a variety of scenarios spanning informed and ahead in a data-driven world.
the finance, manufacturing, retail and healthcare Across industries, AI can streamline operations,
sectors to illustrate how AI can revolutionise reduce manual workloads and anticipate future
everything from content management and needs, culminating in heightened productivity and
development processes to communication, enhanced profitability. Ultimately, AI doesn’t merely
employee tasks, service delivery and efficiency. enhance productivity – it serves as a cornerstone
AI is a strategic tool for shaping the trajectory of for transformative growth and long-term success.
businesses in an ever-evolving marketplace. By
Speed Up Communication with AI-Generation
embracing AI, businesses can benefit from hyper- Content
personalisation, predictive analytics, AI-powered
AI-powered content generation can serve as an
virtual assistants, intuitive business reporting and
invaluable resource to speed up communication.
more. Whether it’s about enhancing customer
Consider quarterly reports and market trend
service, tailoring products and services, expediting
analyses for a financial firm. AI natural language
compliance and auditing, avoiding downtime or
processing can collate complex data from different
anticipating future needs, AI offers a powerful suite
sources, transforming it into comprehensive
of capabilities that can set the stage for sustainable
yet accessible reports, market summaries and
growth, innovation and long-term success.
personalised investment strategies. Less analytically,
Dive into the following sections to discover how, AI can speed up communication by drafting blog
by integrating AI into your operational strategies, posts, videos and images, in addition to graphics,
you can transform your business outcomes, foster freeing up creative staff for more strategic
customer loyalty, boost profitability and set your communication. For banks and investment
organisation on a path to transformative growth. firms, this means AI can not only speed up the
communication process, but it can help ensure that
Boost Productivity communications are tailored, precise and in line
with client and shareholder expectations. This can
AI technology is revolutionising business boost trust, increase stakeholder satisfaction and
productivity by optimising processes, enhancing potentially even grant a competitive edge in the
decision-making and boosting operational market.
efficiency. AI-driven solutions can help businesses
stay ahead of the curve, manage vast amounts Streamline Employee Tasks
of data and predict future needs. As industries
Keeping employees engaged and satisfied is vital
become increasingly complex and fast-paced, AI’s
for both customer service and talent retention. In
role in enhancing productivity becomes even more
the fast-paced world of retail, employees often find
pivotal.
themselves juggling multiple roles – from inventory
AI can revolutionise various facets of business management to sales and routine customer
productivity, from content management to service – leaving them little time for meaningful

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

interactions with customers. AI can help streamline

these tasks.
Customer Success Story
For example, consider a retail associate who Nota strengthens local news – and American
spends hours manually checking and updating democracy – with Azure OpenAI Service
stock levels. AI-powered inventory-management To help the remaining organisations compete more
systems can automate this process, allowing the effectively and continue to bring important stories
associate to focus on assisting customers and to their constituents, Nota has used Microsoft Azure
OpenAI Service to build two AI-assisted tools – SUM
creating a personalised shopping experience. and VID. These tools do a lot of the heavy lifting
Similarly, automated chatbots can handle routine needed to optimise stories for distribution and turn
customer inquiries online, freeing up staff to deal written pieces into engaging videos that can produce
up to 10 times as much revenue as written pieces.
with more complex customer needs. By reducing Early response from users has been extremely positive
repetitive tasks, AI enables employees to engage and Nota is attracting the attention of a wide range of
in more rewarding work, which can enhance job news firms of all sizes.
satisfaction, reduce turnover and ultimately lead to
more positive customer experiences.

Accelerate Service Delivery Optimise Efficiency

Staying ahead in terms of service delivery – the AI offers powerful tools for optimising efficiency at
process of providing services to end users, patients every level of operations. In retail and healthcare, it
and other beneficiaries – is crucial for organisations. shines by forecasting demands, predicting patient
For example, imagine healthcare operations in loads and even guiding resource allocation. AI
which AI not only aids in administrative tasks, such transforms efficiency into a tangible asset for
as patient registration, but also assists doctors in businesses.
diagnosing ailments and analysing medical images.
Retail businesses benefit immensely from
Implementing AI in such a situation can mean
AI’s prowess in anticipating market shifts and
faster service delivery, enhanced patient care and
streamlining supply-chain operations. It’s not just
reduced operational costs. For IT organisations,
about predicting changes in inventory or customer
AI copilots can enhance software development
preferences, but also ensuring that supply chains
by suggesting optimised code and automating
run smoothly, inventory management remains
workflows. Automation and optimisation for
optimal and customer experiences are consistently
developers can accelerate development and
exceptional.
reduce bugs in new applications, resulting in better
applications and products getting to market sooner
and at less cost.

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

On the manufacturing front, AI’s influence is Avoid Downtime with Predictive Maintenance
profound. Predictive maintenance and safety and AI-Powered Incident Management
help manufacturers pre-empt production-
Due to the operational and financial setbacks
line disruptions and identify potential safety
involved, unplanned downtime can be a nightmare
vulnerabilities. This foresight doesn’t just prevent
for manufacturers. However, AI-driven predictive
costly downtime, but ensures that the workforce
maintenance can help mitigate this operational risk.
remains protected, further bolstering operational
By continuously analysing machine and equipment
efficiency.
data, AI can identify patterns signalling a potential
malfunction or wear-and-tear long before a human
Anticipate Future Needs with Predictive Analytics
eye catches them.
In the fast-paced worlds of retail and healthcare,
forecasting needs and trends can be the difference Consider an automotive assembly line: before a
between thriving and merely surviving. AI-powered critical machine component fails, triggering delays,
predictive analytics turns vast data repositories AI can give a heads-up to the maintenance crew,
into actionable insights. For instance, a retail ensuring timely replacements or fixes. AI could
executive can anticipate seasonal demands or also detect anomalies in production that might
pinpoint emerging product trends, enabling stock cause unexpected maintenance issues. AI can
optimisation and strategic marketing campaigns. help avoid downtime triggered by accidents, such
On the other hand, healthcare administrators can as by quickly spotting incidents like spills before
foresee patient load spikes, ensuring adequate workers are injured and automatically generating
staffing and resource allocation. Both scenarios automated video summaries of incidents to speed
lead to better customer or patient experiences, up reporting. For every manufacturing leader, this
efficient resource utilisation and improved bottom can mean fewer production disruptions, enhanced
lines, all of which highlight the indispensable employee safety and a potential significant uptick
nature of AI in modern decision-making. in production efficiency and profitability.

Accelerate Operations with Amplified

Automation Customer Success Story
The retail industry thrives on precision and timely Strabag SE builds a risk management solution to
action. Efficiency encompasses more than just improve efficiency using Microsoft Intelligent Data
Platform
sales; it’s about adept inventory management,
supply-chain synchronisation and seamless Strabag SE, the global construction company,
customer experiences. AI-driven automation can partnered with Microsoft to build a Data Science
Hub to collect decentralised data and leverage it for
revolutionise how retailers manage inventory, insights. This enabled the organisation to develop
ensuring real-time tracking and automatic use cases to prove the value of data including its
restocking as items run low. Along the supply risk management project. The solution uses an
algorithm to pinpoint at-risk construction projects,
chain, AI can pinpoint bottlenecks, optimise routes saving Strabag SE time and reducing financial losses.
and help coordinate multi-channel distribution. With data now at the helm, Strabag SE is cementing
Automated checkout systems can expedite the its future in a traditional industry on the path to
digitalisation.
payment process, minimising waiting times for
customers. By integrating these AI solutions,
retailers can achieve smoother operations
and thereby fostering an enhanced shopping
experience that can drive both sales and customer
loyalty.

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

Create New Business Value Personalise Customer Experiences

In the modern business landscape, creating value In today’s marketplace, businesses must meet
extends beyond mere profits. Whether by aiding customer expectations precisely. AI offers a
the medical field in pioneering research and solution, enhancing both marketing and customer
diagnostics, enhancing software development service. For retailers, AI can analyse customer
with AI copilots or guiding retail customers with behaviour and preferences to send targeted,
personalised recommendations, AI is instrumental hyper-personalised product recommendations that
in reshaping industries. It stands as a beacon, can improve sales and strengthen brand loyalty.
driving innovation, fostering sustainable growth Beyond marketing, AI-driven virtual assistants and
and setting the trajectory for businesses in a rapidly call centres are enhancing customer interactions.
evolving marketplace. In healthcare, for example, AI tools can quickly
guide patients to relevant specialists based on their
AI-driven personalisation doesn’t just improve symptoms and medical history. Or in finance, AI
sales; it fundamentally enhances the entire chatbots can direct customers to relevant products
customer experience. From guiding patients to based on the details of their financial situation. By
specialists to directing customers toward suitable integrating AI, businesses can put their customers
financial products, AI ensures that businesses first with both marketing and service.
meet precise customer needs. Beyond this, virtual
assistants and modern call centres – powered by AI
– redefine customer interaction by offering deeper
and more relevant engagements, thus transforming
the landscape of customer service.

Accurate, timely and actionable reporting is

essential for informed decision-making. In
manufacturing, AI elevates this process by
autonomously collecting and presenting vital
data and by offering insights, trends and intuitive
discovery mechanisms. Instead of sifting through
databases, executives can query advanced
AI systems to enable proactive responses to
challenges, fine-tune strategies and maintain a
competitive edge in dynamic markets.

Generate New Products and Services

AI is reshaping product and service creation across
industries. In healthcare, for example, AI can assist
in faster diagnoses and aid in pioneering medical
research, including expediting drug discovery. In
financial services, retail and manufacturing, leaders
are creating tailored AI models to solve specific
industry challenges, such as fraud detection,
sustainable retail and manufacturing efficiency.
By harnessing AI, organisations can not only
enhance existing offerings, but also introduce
groundbreaking products and services, which can
help drive both innovation and business growth.

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

Improve Decision-Making with Intuitive

Business Reporting Harness the Opportunities
Efficient decision-making for companies is of AI for Your Business
underpinned by timely, accurate and actionable
business reports. For manufacturers, AI can The increasing capabilities of AI create vast
streamline the reporting process by autonomously opportunities for businesses. This is all made
collecting, processing and presenting relevant data. possible through AI processes that range from
Imagine a manufacturing executive seeking a quick direct production of materials by AI to automation
overview of the month’s production metrics, supply and information synthesis carried out by AI.
chain inefficiencies or inventory levels. Instead of AI can enhance business operations through
trawling through multiple databases or waiting its transformative impact on data access,
for compiled reports, the executive could query decision-making, customer engagement and risk
an advanced AI system. This system, equipped management. The business scenarios in this eBook
with natural language processing, would not only illustrate the benefits of AI in optimising efficiency
present the required data, but it could also offer across various industries, streamlining compliance
insights, trends and suggestions. Such intuitive and auditing processes, preventing downtime with
discovery mechanisms empower decision-makers predictive maintenance and anticipating future
with on-demand information, enabling them to needs. Furthermore, AI’s capabilities in tailoring
proactively address challenges, optimise strategies products and services, improving customer
and stay ahead in a dynamic marketplace. service and enabling intuitive business reporting
underscore its role as a pivotal tool for driving
productivity, fostering efficiency and elevating
business outcomes.
Customer Success Story
The AI capabilities from Microsoft included in
Jumbo turns customers into fans using automation this eBook are examples of what organisations
and AI
are adopting today. The applications of AI to
After realising the potential insights that its business are as varied as the businesses within each
data could bring, Jumbo embarked on a digital industry. However, a key point to remember is that,
transformation that saw traditional processes
revitalised using automation and AI. Using Microsoft regardless of the application, the successful use of
Synapse for analytical power, Databricks for AI in your organisation depends on stakeholder
predictive power and a BI dashboard to visualise trust and responsibly deploying AI in an ethical and
and understand that data, Jumbo not only improved
customer experience, but also started turning its beneficial manner.
millions of customers into loyal fans.
Now, you have a better understanding of how
you can take advantage of the benefits of using AI
across your day-to-day business operations. The
information in this eBook should help you kick-
start your journey to adopt and implement AI to
increase your business potential.

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

Take the Next Step on Your AI Transformation Journey

To help you in the implementation of AI, Microsoft has introduced copilot solutions – AI assistants infused
into the tools your employees use. Copilot solutions can help handle lower-productivity tasks so that your
employees can focus on more valuable work.

To prepare your organisation to deploy these powerful AI copilot tools, Microsoft recommends taking the
following next steps in your AI journey:

1 Assess the drivers of AI success from Microsoft to realise meaningful business impact.

2 Learn how to power your AI transformation journey with Microsoft and how Microsoft can help
every organisation build safety and responsibility into their AI journeys from the start.

3 Take action with Microsoft AI today:

• Boost creativity and work more productively with an early access preview for
Microsoft 365 Copilot.

• Explore how to use Azure AI to power new AI apps or add capabilities to existing apps.

• Start using GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Sales Copilot, now available for individuals
and businesses.

• Check out the latest updates across Microsoft Security, Dynamics 365 and
Microsoft Power Platform.

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EBook | AI Use Cases for Business Leaders: Realise Value with AI

Learn More
Get more information about how you can lead the AI transformation at
Microsoft.com/AI.

Learn how you can use the most trusted AI platform to transform your business at
Microsoft.com/Microsoft-Cloud and Aka.ms/Transform-With-AI.

1
Forrester. ‘Predictions 2023: Artificial Intelligence.’ October 2022. www.forrester.com/report/predictions-2023-artificial-intelligence/RES178186.
2
Forrester. ‘Global AI Software Forecast, 2022.’ September 2022. www.forrester.com/report/global-ai-software-forecast-2022/RES178146.
3
World historical GDP figures source: University of Groningen. ‘Maddison Project Database 2020.’ May 2022.
www.rug.nl/ggdc/historicaldevelopment/maddison/releases/maddison-project-database-2020?lang=en. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International (CC BY 4.0): https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
4
Forrester Consulting. ‘The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Azure AI.’ Commissioned by Microsoft. April 2023.
https://tools.totaleconomicimpact.com/go/microsoft/azureai/index.html?lang=en-us.
5
Microsoft. ‘Leaders look to embrace AI, and high-growth companies are seeing the benefits.’ March 2019.
https://news.microsoft.com/europe/features/leaders-look-to-embrace-ai-and-high-growth-companies-are-seeing-the-benefits/.
6
IBM and Ponemon Institute. ‘Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023.’ July 2023. www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach.

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