Microsoft acquires AI programming bot Genee for Office 365 intelligence

Microsoft has announced that it has acquired Genee, an artificial intelligence startup that specializes in creating intelligent scheduling bots. Genee’s technology will be integrated into Office 365, Microsoft’s cloud-based productivity suite, to enhance its capabilities and offer users a more efficient and personalized way to manage their calendars.

Genee was founded in 2014 by Ben Cheung and Charles Lee, two former Microsoft engineers who wanted to create a solution to the common problem of scheduling meetings and events. Genee’s bot acts as a virtual assistant that can understand natural language requests and automatically find the best time and place for any appointment. For example, a user can simply send an email to Genee with a request such as «Schedule a lunch with John next week» and Genee will take care of the rest, sending invitations, confirming availability and reserving a place.

Microsoft dijo que la tecnología de Genee complementará sus funciones existentes en Office 365, como Cortana, Outlook y Skype for Business. Al agregar el robot de programación inteligente de Genee a la mezcla, Microsoft espera brindar a los usuarios una forma más fluida e intuitiva de organizar su trabajo y su vida personal. Microsoft también dijo que el equipo de Genee se unirá a su grupo de investigación y inteligencia artificial, donde trabajarán en nuevos proyectos e innovaciones.

Microsoft did not disclose terms of the deal, but said it expects to close the acquisition by the end of August. Genee said it will shut down its service on Sept. 1 and will no longer send reminders and schedules to its existing users. Genee also thanked its customers, partners and investors for their support and feedback over the years.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Genee is part of its broader strategy to invest in artificial intelligence and machine learning, which it sees as key drivers of the future of computing. Microsoft has acquired several AI startups in recent years, including SwiftKey, Maluuba and Wand Labs, in addition to developing its own platforms and tools, such as Azure Machine Learning, Cognitive Services and Bot Framework. Microsoft believes that AI can empower people and organizations to achieve more by enhancing their capabilities and improving their experiences.

Microsoft has made a new acquisition in the field of artificial intelligence: Genee, an intelligent assistant that helps users schedule meetings with large groups or people who do not share their calendars.

Genee is a chatbot that can be accessed through various platforms, such as the iPhone app, email, SMS, FB, Twitter or Skype. It can understand natural language requests and generate meeting invitations accordingly. For example, you can simply tell Genee that you want to have lunch with your team next week and it will find a suitable date and time for everyone.

However, Genee’s service will no longer be available after September 1, 2016, as the company announced on its blog. Existing calendar entries created by Genee will remain valid, but no new ones will be added or updated. Genee co-founders Ben Cheung and Charles Lee expressed their excitement about joining Microsoft, which they consider «the leader in personal and business productivity, artificial intelligence and virtual assistant technologies.»

Microsoft did not disclose the terms of the agreement or how it plans to integrate Genee into its products. However, Genee’s technology is likely to enhance Microsoft’s existing artificial intelligence offerings, such as Cortana and Office 365.