This post is authored by Anil Bhansali, Managing Director at Microsoft India R&D.

It is a time of transformation at Microsoft as we sharpen our focus around mobile and cloud and lay out ambitious plans that will have big impact on the future of computing as it is experienced by billions of users around the world.

Machine Learning is one of our key focus areas and one in which where we are making significant inroads, both in terms of research and development breakthroughs as well as translating the outcome of our work into real customer impact.

At the upcoming Machine Learning and Data Sciences Conference (MLADS), which will run on August 8-9, 2016 at the ITC Gardenia in Bangalore, India, we will showcase some of the very latest developments in this area. This two-day conference will host 600 attendees including government elites, CIOs and other top partners, startups, developers and students and faculty from India’s top engineering colleges.

This event will be a great way to gain new insights into how the power of analytics and ML can transform businesses and society. It’s an opportunity to network with top companies, government and academia, and to engage with seasoned experts from Microsoft.

Embracing the Future of Data

Aside from being a key pillar of our future growth, the Data Sciences are also a critical way we could bring about meaningful change in the lives of millions. Over the past couple of years, we have actively worked with numerous organizations to bring about grassroots level changes through the power of ML and related technology, especially in the fields of education, agriculture, healthcare, and microfinance.

Here are a few examples of the kinds of intelligent apps we have been developing:

• An app that helps farmers in India predict the right sowing dates for particular crops, reducing crop failure and increasing yield.
  
• A predictive analytics app that can effectively identify students at the risk of dropping out of school, providing an opportunity for targeted intervention before this actually happens.
  
• An app that identifies individuals who are most likely to default on loans taken from the government’s microfinance schemes.
  
• An app to predict the outcome of eye surgeries based on an analysis of past healthcare data.
  

The MLADS conference will feature over 30 technical sessions, tutorials, demos and more that will showcase our thought leadership in this space. In addition to large enterprise, government and academia, these sessions will be particularly beneficial for startups including for current and future applicants to the Microsoft Accelerator program.

Keynotes

We have an exciting opening keynote planned for MLADS: Joseph Sirosh, Corporate Vice President of the Data Group, will talk about how Microsoft’s Intelligent Cloud and Cortana Intelligence Suite are helping power the next generation of intelligent applications. Joseph’s talk, titled “The Unreasonable Effectiveness of A.C.I.D – Algorithms, Cloud, IoT, and Data,” will be followed by a special panel discussion.

As the leader of Microsoft’s Database, Big Data, Information Management and Machine Learning teams, Joseph is very passionate about the application of these technologies in the real world and has been involved in Machine Learning since 1990. Click here to view his recent talk at Strata + Hadoop World in San Jose.

At the Day 2 keynote, Dr. Graham Williams, Director of Data Science at Microsoft, will deliver a keynote titled “Opening the Future through Machine Learning.”

Dr. Williams will also be conducting a workshop on Intelligent Cloud focused specifically at academic faculty, partnering with Siva Harinath, Principal Program Manager in the Microsoft Business Intelligence team.

Hackathon

One of things I personally look forward to at the conference is an overnight hackathon to build an intelligent app. Participants will be asked to create cool apps that take advantage of Microsoft Cognitive Services. Top participants will get a unique opportunity to pitch their ideas to top Indian VCs, faculty and Microsoft executives. In addition to the hackathon, the event will also feature demo booths showcasing the exciting capabilities of our Machine Learning platform and APIs.

Register Now!

Click here to register for MLADS – the deadline for registration is August 1^st, 2016.

Hackathon participants also need to submit an intelligent app idea, once they browse relevant themes and criteria. The hackathon is open to all – all students and developers are encouraged to participate, and this is also open to all Microsoft employees.

The Machine Learning & Data Sciences Conference will demonstrate how we are using the power of ML to realize Microsoft’s vision, namely to empower every individual and organization on the planet to achieve more.

I look forward to welcoming you to the conference.

Anil