Microsoft posted an overview of how they use AI (and a bot) to score leads in their sales process — Microsoft IT Showcase/Microsoft increases sales by using AI for lead qualification. My personal ‘most interesting thing’ is that they’re using scikit-learn in Python for some of the analysis — I’m using similar components in a custom-written spam filter at home. Their idea of running the text through a spell checker first is interesting — I want to try running my e-mails through Aspell and see if there are statistically significant changes in classifications.

 

They’ve previously detailed reducing energy usage through machine learning — that’s something I’d love to see more companies doing. Energy can be a significant operating cost, and reducing energy use has a positive environmental impact.