Microsoft has announced an extension to its strategic partnership with C3 AI at Ignite 2024, which it says will accelerate the adoption of enterprise AI on Microsoft Azure.
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The US-based enterprise AI specialist, C3 AI, was already a Microsoft partner, but the latest agreement between the two companies will further integrate C3 AI’s artificial intelligence software into the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.
The renewed partnership will also see the integration of one of C3 AI’s leading technologies, C3 Generative AI.
Thomas M. Siebel, Chairman and CEO, C3 AI, outlined some of the partnership’s benefits for customers: “C3 AI has pioneered Enterprise AI for over a decade, accelerated by collaboration with Microsoft to enable iconic organisations to solve some of the hardest business challenges of the 21st century.
“This strategic alliance accelerates the adoption of Enterprise AI, benefiting customers with broadly available enterprise AI application software to achieve rapid time-to-value in supply chain optimisation, production optimisation, predictive maintenance, government efficiency, ESG goal attainment, and energy management.”
Microsoft and C3 AI Partner Initiatives
Microsoft and C3 have signed up to various strategic initiatives as part of their new agreement, including a technical integration, product development, joint delivery, joint sales and marketing, plus instant availability to joint customers.
C3 AI’s full Enterprise AI suite of software will be available via Microsoft Commercial Cloud Portal. The C3 AI applications will also be orderable through the Azure Marketplace.
The companies have committed to take part in regular roadmap alignment sessions to keep C3 AI’s solutions aligned with Azure’s capabilities and customer requirements as they evolve.
Both Microsoft and C3 AI will work to harmonise their marketing strategies, which includes sales training, co-hosted webinars, collaborative marketing campaigns, joint solution offerings, and joint selling.
The AI partners will help to ensure their joint customers’ success by engaging in sales, marketing, and support coordination.
Finally, all C3 AI enterprise AI solutions across Azure sales channels will be made immediately deliverable by both companies to joint customers.
Through this agreement, Microsoft asserts it has positioned itself as the “preferred cloud provider” of C3 AI solutions, while also making C3 AI the go-to software provider on Microsoft Azure.
Judson Althoff, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Microsoft, commented on its extended partnership with C3 AI: “C3 AI and Microsoft are committed to helping enterprise organisations across industries address complex challenges with AI to accelerate their business transformation and sustainability goals.
“Through our alliance, we will enhance existing capabilities and introduce new innovations that help our mutual customers maximise delivery of high-value enterprise AI solutions with Azure.”
Since first partnering in 2018, Microsoft and C3 AI have provided Enterprise AI solutions to major global organisations, such as Shell, Dow, Nucor, and others.
Microsoft Ignite 2024
For more Microsoft Ignite 2024 announcements, check out our compilation of all the big AI news from this year’s conference.
The long list of AI announcements includes additional AI agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, agent building and agent capabilities via Copilot Studio and Azure AI, Copilot updates for Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, and more.
It also delves into Copilot analytics, a strategic partnership, plus the results from a study into generative AI in business.
Microsoft Ignite is the tech giant’s largest annual conference for IT professionals, developers and partners to gain insight into the latest innovations and initiatives at Microsoft.
