AI humanisation company Soul Machines has signed a five-year agreement with Microsoft, utilising Azure technology and further creating growth opportunities in the service AI field.

With the rise in automation and hybrid solutions becoming more prevalent throughout the pandemic, Soul Machines partnership with Microsoft signals a move towards more varied opportunities to create personalised AI experiences.

The company will work with Microsoft to implement new solutions and products while using Azure technology to help meet its business needs.

They aim to implement a digital workforce that focuses on customer experience, engagement, and solutions for a variety of industries, including the retail, healthcare and service sectors.

Using the expertise of AI researchers, neuroscientists, psychologists, they have created a patented digital brain that makes emotionally responsive digital people with personality and character that allow machines to talk to us face-to-face.

Partnership with Microsoft will lead to a range of new opportunities across all levels of the business, says Soul Machines co-founder and chief business officer Greg Cross.

“In Microsoft, we saw an organisation who shared our principles with regards to responsible AI, a leader in cognitive services, machine learning, and in relationship-building. This isn't just an agreement to use Microsoft services – it will be a partnership in every sense of the word,” he says.

“Soul Machines has already established a reputation for its lifelike CGI characters and autonomous animation platform which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and neuroscientific principles to reflect human behaviors and emotions in conversation with real people. This [partnership] represents the next phase in Soul Machines' evolution as a company, which will help us take our AI and innovation to the world at a whole new level.

Microsoft's global general manager strategy and commercialisation, Azure and AI Platform, Ali Dalloul, says that the partnership illustrates the power of AI in pushing the boundaries of technology and democratising access.

“For us, this is about innovating with AI to support humanity,” he says.

“As the world increasingly uses digital technologies like AI to address major global challenges or provide better services and more equitable access, collaboration on what this future looks like is essential.

Dalloul believes that the partnership will be well-matched, and the opportunity for growth and enhancement will help provide better, more personable AI solutions for the future.

We are delighted Soul Machine chose Azure AI for their products and services. Partnering with Soul Machines is a tremendously important opportunity to learn from each other and co-innovate new solutions that make life easier and better for people around the world, as we share a common vision.

Based in Auckland, Soul Machines has over 200 employees with offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, London, Tokyo, and Melbourne.