Microsoft AI for Good Lab comes to Kenya, Egypt

Microsoft AI for Good Lab comes to Kenya, Egypt

Microsoft is announcing plans to build a new team of data scientists on the ground in Africa to work to improve climate resilience, by setting up AI for Good Labs in Nairobi, Kenya, and Cairo, Egypt. This will be the company’s first global expansion of the AI for Good Lab. The new team will work with local partners to use AI on new climate initiatives.

Currently, statistics show that for every five data scientists in the Global North there is one in the Global South. In Africa the situation is dire and the gap is wider. For every data scientist in Africa, there are 14 in the Global North. This means a gap in the available reliable data to work with. As well as being able to turn them into insights for the decision-makers to use. This is why Microsoft is planning to open AI for Good Labs in Africa to help close that divide.

As world and business leaders gather in Egypt for COP27, Juan Lavista Ferres, Chief Data Scientist, AI for Good, Microsoft, reveals Microsoft’s plans to close the climate data divide in the Global South. The work of the Labs he notes will be informed by the Microsoft Africa AI Innovation Council. Another new establishment by Microsoft in partnership with representatives from African organizations such as the AfDB, and African Climate Foundation.

We see these days ahead as an opportunity to engage in important discussions and take steps toward solutions. Today we are sharing details about our work to support new climate solutions. By harnessing the power of data and artificial intelligence (AI), with an expansion of our AI for Good Research Lab into Egypt and Kenya.

Juan Lavista Ferres
AI for Good Lab, 
peson wearing a Microsoft HoloLens with streched hand and standing of a desk monitor  showing what the person is seeing in the mixed reality device

Access to reliable climate data is critical to inform decision-making and avoid the worst effects of climate change“, says Wael El Kabbany, General Manager, Africa Regional Cluster, Microsoft. “We believe these labs will be significant in closing the climate data divide“, he adds.

Microsoft AI for Good Lab

The Microsoft AI for Good Lab consists of data scientists and researchers who use AI, Machine Learning, and statistical modeling to address human challenges. Across the AI for Good program portfolio—Earth, Accessibility, Humanitarian Action, Cultural Heritage, and Health. They work on issues that improve societies and environments with a focus on sustainability.

Juan adds that Microsoft “will work to scale AI for Good projects and support startups in the region to deliver new AI innovations“. Africa-based data scientists will have access to satellite imagery thanks to a partnership between Microsoft and Plant Labs. To address challenges nominated by the Africa AI Innovation Council with a special focus on adaptation and early warning systems.

 The new Microsoft AI for Good labs in the region will bring in new jobs as it hires data scientists and researchers with experience in computer vision, statistics, and artificial intelligence.

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Microsoft is phasing out the Resume Assistant tool in word

Microsoft is phasing out the Resume Assistant tool in word

Microsoft is phasing out the resume assistant tool in Microsoft Word which gives people ideas for work experiences and skills. The company started by removing the CV assistant feature from the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) in September 2022. With plans to fully remove the feature from Word for Microsoft 365 and no longer support it by January 2023.

In a blog post, it notes “Microsoft is committed to improving your Microsoft 365 subscription. As a result, we occasionally remove features and benefits that duplicate equivalent offerings that are available to subscribers.”

By January 2023, Microsoft will remove the resume assistant feature across Windows (Current Channel, Monthly Enterprise Channel, Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel), Mac, and Word for the web. Microsoft recommends using a resume template in Word or the LinkedIn Resume Builder as a replacement.

Resume Assistant Microsoft Word LinkedIn

The resume assistant tool is a feature powered by LinkedIn in Word for Microsoft 365 that helps resume/CV writers craft compelling resumes with personalized insights. They get real-world examples of work experiences and top skills related to a role or industry. It shows a CV writer examples of descriptions to use as inspiration to tailor theirs so recruiters and hiring managers can notice them.

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Microsoft to introduce new innovations at October 12 event

Microsoft to introduce new innovations at October 12 event

Microsoft will host an event on October 12 2022 at 2 pm GMT, 5 pm EAT and make some announcements. The company put out a “save the date” invite with the details “Watch live to see what’s next [at] 10 am ET on October 12, 2022″. The invite poster doesn’t give many details save for the Windows 11 blossom image splashed with different colours.

In past October events, the company showcased new hardware as well as announced Windows features and updates. I’m not expecting this format to change even though Microsoft could mix things up. It also appears it might be online only as Microsoft hasn’t fully resumed in-person events.

Microsoft event October 12, 2022, details with Windows 11 blossom image with save the date

A few days ago Panos Panay, Microsoft EVP, Chief Product Officer, Windows and Devices announced the Windows 11 2022 Update, noting an “additional set of experiences coming in October“. This event will give the company a good opportunity to demonstrate some features to consumers. Additionally, there have been rumours and leaks of the next generation of Microsoft Surface devices.

The guys over at Windows Central expect to see a new Surface Pro 9, Surface Laptop, and Surface Studio that combines both Intel and ARM and new colour configurations. Could we see a new dual-screen product category news, Surface Duo 3? Well, anything is possible since Panos has in the past been able to keep things tight-lipped.

We will bring you all the updates from the event, so be sure to check back. Let’s know what you think. What are you looking forward to seeing or hearing about at the Microsoft event on October 12?

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Microsoft to celebrate 15th OneDrive birthday with major update

Microsoft to celebrate 15th OneDrive birthday with major update

Microsoft has been at the vanguard of the technical revolution for a long time. And to celebrate the 15th anniversary of OneDrive, the cloud-based system will be given a massive revamp.

Over the coming months, there will be a new landing page – OneDrive Home – which will be the focal point of the app. It will contain a whole host of innovative features to simplify the file-sharing experience.

In many ways, OneDrive Home mimics the Office web app, where you can organize all the files you recently accessed, and this will be split into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF file types.

OneDrive Home Microsoft new feature update

The OneDrive home experience will be more efficient, so you will be able to catch up on any work or tasks you have missed while you have been away on holiday.

There will also be an array of updated collaboration tools so that colleagues can work on active tasks remotely. This will include threaded comments, @mentions, real-time co-authoring, and highlighted changes. These features will all be available in the Activity tab, so you can see any updates in real-time.

To a certain extent, there are elements of OneDrive Home that will mirror Google Docs as you will be able to view any edits made and any issues can be resolved.

The new home page will act as the central hub, and the OneDrive home landing page will be rolled out to schools and offices.

But it’s not just the OneDrive home page that will be given a makeover. No, Microsoft is also expected to roll out a special photo story feature for the OneDrive mobile app, which will essentially replicate the stories section of Instagram. While this will be available to Australian users soon, US users won’t benefit from this service until later in the year.

onedrive photo story

Companies are always finding new and intuitive ways to make tweaks so that they can remain relevant and connect with their target audiences. This is prevalent with technology businesses, as software updates need to be carried out to ensure computers can run to optimal performance. The same could be said of the retail industry where shops want to tailor the experience for clients especially when buying products online.

However, the same can be said of digital casinos. Gamblers will want to play at the best sites that are user-friendly, have a good collection of titles, and rewards them for the time spent there. Many of the top operators will be well stocked with an array of casino promotions to tap into, such as no deposit bonuses as well as free spins to entice new players and retain the loyalty of existing players. 

Microsoft’s plans for the OneDrive home are bold but exciting. If anything, it will enhance the user experience and make collaborating with colleagues easier.

If you have enjoyed what you have read, you should check out the OneDrive home page when it is finally released. In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled on Microsoft for any further updates about the remodelled product.

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GitHub Sponsors is now available to open source developers in Africa

GitHub Sponsors is now available to open source developers in Africa

GitHub announces the availability of GitHub Sponsors in 30 new regions including six located in Africa. The GitHub initiative is now available to open source developers and organizations in Kenya, Gambia, Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia and Morocco. Developers and creators located in these countries can start receiving financial support for their work.

GitHub says there is no waitlist and anyone in these countries with a bank account can sign up right away. All you have to do is to create a GitHub Sponsors profile. Check this post out on how to create a profile. Alternatively, if you were on the waitlist you are now automatically in the program. You should see an email in your inbox welcoming you to the program. Anyone can sponsor, but you must reside in a supported region to receive funds.

we are here to support the humans behind human progress

GitHub Sponsors is an initiative by GitHub that allows anyone who contributes to open source to receive financial support. It is built for funding all types of work that advance open source software. Providing opportunities to participate in and build on open source, either through code, documentation, design, technical writing, mentorship, etc. It also provides a platform for the developer community to financially support the people and organizations who design, build, and maintain the open source projects they depend on, directly on GitHub.

GitHub says financially supporting the people who build and maintain open source is key to ensuring a healthy and sustainable open source ecosystem. The announcement makes the initiative now available in 68 countries or regions.

GitHub Sponsors Kenya Egypt South Africa Morocco Tunisia Nigeria

Through the GitHub Sponsors explore tool, GitHub has made it easy for anyone across the world to discover projects and maintainers and support them.

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2022 Microsoft Partner of the year Africa award winners

2022 Microsoft Partner of the year Africa award winners

We bring you a list of the 2022 Microsoft Partner of the year country award winners from across Africa. The announcement comes ahead of Microsoft Inspire 2022 where Microsoft will celebrate exemplary achievements from across its global partner ecosystem. The 2022 Microsoft Inspire partner event is set to take place July 19-20 as a free global digital event.

Microsoft uses the partner award to recognize outstanding partner accomplishments within its community. Highlighting organizations building new and innovative solutions for their customers using Microsoft technologies. This year, the company received over three thousand nine hundred entries from one hundred and twenty-six countries. Across categories including, partner competencies, cloud-to-edge technologies, entrepreneurial spirit and social impact.

Below are Microsoft Partner Africa winners from the country and region category.

At Microsoft, we believe our partners make more possible.
That’s why we recognize exceptional partner contributions.

2022 Microsoft Partner Africa award winners – country category

2022 Microsoft Partner country winners

Côte d’Ivoire Partner of the Year
TransNumerik

Egypt Partner of the Year
Link Development

Ethiopia Partner of the Year
Liquid Telecommunications Operations Limited

Kenya Partner of the Year
Cloud Productivity Solutions Limited

Morocco Partner of the Year
Casanet SA

Nigeria Partner of the Year
Reliance Infosystems Limited/Cloudware Africa

Senegal Partner of the Year
TransNumerik

South Africa Partner of the Year
Mint Group

Tunisia Partner of the Year
INSOMEA Computer Solutions (PUNICS)

Uganda Partner of the Year
Computer Revolution Africa U Ltd

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