Login
Login

Microsoft Research

{{Short description|Research division of Microsoft}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox organization

| image = File:Segoe msr logo.png

| caption =

| type = Division

| founders = {{Ubl|Richard Rashid|Bill Gates|Nathan Myhrvold}}

| founded = {{Start date and age|1991}}

| owner = Microsoft

| num_employees = ~500{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-microsoft-research/|date=January 25, 2016|access-date=November 3, 2021|website=Bloomberg|first=Jack Clark|last=Dina Bass|title=How Microsoft plans to beat Google and Facebook to the Next Tech Breakthrough}}

| num_employees_year = in 2016

| key_people = {{Ubl|Lili Cheng (corporate vice president)}}

| subsid = Havok Group

| website = {{URL|https://www.microsoft.com/research/}}

}}

Microsoft Research (MSR) is the research subsidiary of Microsoft. It was created in 1991 by Richard Rashid,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Rick Rashid: Emeritus Researcher|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/people/rashid/|access-date=|website=Microsoft}} Bill Gates and Nathan Myhrvold with the intent to advance state-of-the-art computing and solve difficult world problems through technological innovation in collaboration with academic, government, and industry researchers. The Microsoft Research team has more than 1,000 computer scientists, physicists, engineers, and mathematicians, including Turing Award winners,{{Cite web|last=McCraken|first=Harry|date=13 February 2019|title=Still Boldly Going|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90305091/this-is-microsofts-ai-pipeline-from-research-to-reality|access-date=|website=Fast Company}} Fields Medal winners, MacArthur Fellows, and Dijkstra Prize winners.

Between 2010 and 2018, 154,000 AI patents were filed worldwide, with Microsoft having by far the largest percentage of those patents, at 20%.Louis Columbus, January 6, 2019 [https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2019/01/06/microsoft-leads-the-ai-patent-race-going-into-2019/#26e74c6944de Microsoft Leads The AI Patent Race Going Into 2019], Forbes According to estimates in trade publications, Microsoft spent about $6 billion annually in research initiatives from 2002 to 2010 and has spent from $10–14 billion annually since 2010.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=9 May 2018|title=Microsoft research and development expenses|url=https://notesmatic.com/microsoft-research-and-development-expenses/|access-date=|website=Notesmatic}}{{Cite news|last=Togyer|first=Jason|date=7 August 2009|title=Still Boldly Going|url=https://www.cs.cmu.edu/link/still-boldly-going|access-date=|newspaper=Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science}}

Microsoft Research has made significant advances in the field of AI which it has infused in its products including Kinect, Bing, Holo Lens, Cortana, Microsoft Translator, Linkedin, Havok and Dynamics to provide its customers with more benefits and better service.

The mission statement of MSR is:

  1. Expand the state of the art in each of the areas in which we do research
  2. Rapidly transfer innovative technologies into Microsoft products
  3. Ensure that Microsoft products have a future

Key people

Microsoft Research includes the core Microsoft Research labs and Microsoft Research AI, Microsoft Research NExT (for New Experiences and Technologies), and other incubation efforts all directed by corporate vice president Peter Lee.

Research areas

Microsoft research is categorized into the following broad areas:{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/|title=Microsoft Research – Emerging Technology, Computer, and Software Research|website=Microsoft|access-date=26 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180429165820/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/|archive-date=29 April 2018|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|

}}

Microsoft Research sponsors the Microsoft Research Fellowship for graduate students.

Research laboratories

Microsoft has research labs around the world including the following non-exhaustive list:{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/about/|title=About Research at Microsoft – Microsoft Research|website=Microsoft|access-date=26 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161211040256/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/about/|archive-date=11 December 2016|df=dmy-all}}

File:Microsoft Research's new building "99".jpg

File:Beijing Zhongguancun Microsoft Tower 2 微軟大廈2號樓 May-2017.jpg

File:Microsoft Research's soon-to-open fancy new home in central Cambridge. (8052982186).jpg

File:Microsoft_Bangalore.jpg

  • Microsoft Research Redmond was founded on the Microsoft Redmond campus in 1991. It has about 350 researchers and is headed by Donald Kossmann. The bulk of research on the Redmond, Washington campus focuses on areas such as theory, artificial intelligence, machine learning, systems and networking, security, privacy, human–computer interaction, and wearable technologies.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
  • Microsoft Research Cambridge was founded in the United Kingdom in 1997 by Roger Needham and is headed by Christopher Bishop. Antony Rowstron and Abigail Sellen are Deputy Directors. The lab conducts research on topics including machine learning, security and information retrieval, and maintains close ties to the University of Cambridge and the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory.{{citation needed|reason=There is a redirect here that has citations not necessarily matching this content but these are needed here and I dont have time to sort it on this pass|date=July 2019}}
  • Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA or MSR Asia) was founded in Beijing in November 1998. It has expanded rapidly and now has more than 300 researchers and developers, along with approximately 300 visiting scientists and students (including its new satellite office in Shanghai). Its focus includes natural user interfaces, multimedia, data-intensive computing, search and online advertising, natural language processing, and computer science fundamentals.{{cite web|url=https://www.msra.cn/zh-cn/about|title=关于研究院 - 微软亚洲研究院|website=www.msra.cn}} This lab forms part of the Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group (ARD) R&D center, which also has campuses in Suzhou, Shenzhen, Tokyo, and Taipei.{{cite web |title=Microsoft Asia-Pacific R&D Group |website=Microsoft|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ard/overview}}
  • Microsoft Research India is sited in Bengaluru (Bangalore) and is headed by Sriram Rajamani.{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/about/|title=About Research at Microsoft – Microsoft Research|website=Microsoft|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161211040256/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/about/|archive-date=11 December 2016|df=dmy-all}}
  • Microsoft Research Station Q, on the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara, was founded in 2006.{{cite news |title=Microsoft Makes Bet Quantum Computing Is Next Breakthrough |work=The New York Times |date=23 June 2014 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/technology/microsoft-makes-a-bet-on-quantum-computing-research.html |last1=Markoff |first1=John }} Its collaborators explore theoretical and experimental approaches to creating the quantum analog of the traditional bit—the qubit. The group is led by Michael Freedman.{{cite arXiv |last1=Fabinger |first1=Michal |last2=Freedman |first2=Michael H. |last3=Weyl |first3=E. Glen |date=2022 |title=Prospecting a Possible Quadratic Wormhole Between Quantum Mechanics and Plurality |eprint=2209.08144 |class=econ.TH}} Its Quantum Architectures and Computation (QuARC) group is based in Redmond,{{cite web |title=

Station Q: the Quest for a Quantum Future |website=Microsoft|date=24 July 2014 |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/station-q-the-quest-for-a-quantum-future/}} while other Station Q satellite locations exist on the campuses of Delft University of Technology, Purdue University, University of Copenhagen, and University of Sydney.{{cite web |title=

Microsoft's Station Q Sydney investment intensifies global effort to build a quantum economy |website=Microsoft Australia|date=25 July 2017 |url=https://news.microsoft.com/en-au/features/microsofts-station-q-sydney-investment-intensifies-global-effort-build-quantum-economy/}}

  • Microsoft Research New England was established in 2008 in Cambridge, Massachusetts adjacent to the MIT campus by Jennifer Chayes who also managed the New York and Montreal labs. The lab is now managed by Susan Dumais. The lab collaborates with the broader research community and pursues interdisciplinary research that brings together computer scientists and social scientists to develop future applications.{{cite web |title=Microsoft Research New England |website=Microsoft|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/lab/microsoft-research-new-england/}}
  • Microsoft Research New York City was established on May 3, 2012. Susan Dumais serves as Managing Director of this location as well as the New England and Montreal labs. The lab collaborates with academia and other Microsoft Research labs in computational and behavioral social sciences, computational economics and prediction markets, machine learning, and information retrieval.{{cite web |title=Microsoft Research New York |website=Microsoft|date=16 November 2023 |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/lab/microsoft-research-new-york/}}
  • Microsoft Research Montreal was established after the acquisition of Maluuba by Microsoft in 2017. Susan Dumais serves as Managing Director of this location as well as the New England and New York City labs. The lab collaborates with academia and other Microsoft Research labs in natural language processing (specifically machine reading comprehension), deep learning and reinforcement learning.{{cite web |title=Microsoft Research Montreal |website=Microsoft|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/lab/microsoft-research-montreal/}}
  • Gray Systems Lab, in Madison, Wisconsin. Named after Jim Gray, GSL opened in 2008 to research database technologies.{{cite web | url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/gray-systems-lab/ | title=Gray Systems Lab | website=Microsoft }}
  • Microsoft Research Asia - Tokyo was established in November 2024 and is headed by Yasuyuki Matsushita. The lab focuses on embodied AI, societal AI, well-being and neuroscience, and industry innovation. It collaborates with Japanese academic and industry partners while maintaining close ties with other Microsoft Research Asia facilities. The lab operates various research programs including joint research initiatives and internship opportunities, contributing to AI innovation in the Asia-Pacific region.{{cite web |title=Microsoft Research Asia - Tokyo |website=Microsoft|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/microsoft-research-asia-tokyo/}}{{cite web |title=Microsoft establishes a new lab, Microsoft Research Asia – Tokyo |website=Microsoft|date=18 November 2024 |url=https://news.microsoft.com/apac/2024/11/18/microsoft-establishes-a-new-lab-microsoft-research-asia-tokyo/}}

= Former research laboratories =

  • Microsoft Research Silicon Valley,{{cite web | url=http://msrsvc.org/ | title=Class of 18th September 2014 | publisher=MSR Silicon Valley | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124081231/http://msrsvc.org/ | access-date=June 6, 2021| archive-date=2021-01-24 }} located in Mountain View, California, was founded in August 2001 and closed in September 2014. Silicon Valley research focused on distributed computing and included security and privacy, protocols, fault-tolerance, large-scale systems, concurrency, computer architecture, internet search and services, and related theory.

Collaborations

Microsoft Research invests in multi-year collaborative joint research with academic institutions at Barcelona Supercomputing Center,{{cite web|url=http://www.bscmsrc.eu/|title=BSC-Microsoft Research Centre - BSC-Microsoft Research Centre|access-date=26 January 2017}} INRIA,{{cite web|url=http://www.msr-inria.inria.fr/|title=Microsoft Research Inria Joint Centre|access-date=26 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629073928/http://www.msr-inria.inria.fr/|archive-date=29 June 2012}} Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), the Microsoft Research Centre for Social NUI and others.{{cite web|url=http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/collaboration/institutes/default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214173917/http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/collaboration/institutes/default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 14, 2008|title=Academic Programs - Microsoft Research|access-date=26 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/msidc/|title=Microsoft India Development Center - MSIDC|website=www.microsoft.com}}

Since 2016, Microsoft has partnered with Toyota Connected to research technology for telematics, data analytics and network security services.{{Cite web|last=Lippert|first=John|date=4 April 2016|title=Toyota, Microsoft Team Up on Connected-Car Technologies|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-04/toyota-microsoft-form-joint-venture-for-connected-technologies|access-date=|website=Bloomberg}}

In October 2019, Microsoft partnered with Novartis to apply artificial intelligence to enhance personalized medicine research.{{Cite web|last=Neville|first=Sarah|date=1 October 2019|url=https://www.ft.com/content/93e532ee-e3a5-11e9-b112-9624ec9edc59 |title=Novartis and Microsoft join forces to develop drugs using AI |newspaper=Financial Times}}

In 2023, Microsoft signed a multi-year deal to collaborate with Syneos Health in development of a platform to leverage machine learning for the optimization of clinical trials.{{Cite web|last=Keenan|first=Joseph|date=20 March 2023|title=Syneos in AI-focused pact with Microsoft to speed up trials|url=https://www.fiercebiotech.com/cro/syneos-pact-microsoft-speed-trial-commercial-drug-development

|access-date=|website=Fierce Biotech}}

= AI for Good =

Microsoft's "AI for Good" initiative represents a significant commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence technology for social and environmental benefits. This initiative is part of a broader vision by Microsoft to utilize AI in addressing some of the world's most challenging issues, including those related to health, the environment, accessibility, cultural heritage, and humanitarian action.{{Cite web |title=Using AI for Good with Microsoft AI |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/ai-for-good |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Microsoft |language=en-us}} AI for Good includes topics like Microsoft AI for Earth.

Quantum computing

Microsoft Azure Quantum has researched quantum information science since 2000 and is developing a topological quantum computer based on Majorana zero modes.{{Cite web |title=Microsoft hopes to build topological quantum computer |url=https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/microsoft-hopes-to-build-topological-quantum-computer/|access-date=2024-08-27 |website= |date=22 November 2016 |language=en-US}}

In 2000, physicist Alexei Kitaev at Microsoft Research proposed developing a topological quantum computer from Majorana quasiparticles.{{Cite journal |title=Unpaired Majorana fermions in quantum wires |url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1070/1063-7869/44/10S/S29 |access-date=2024-06-26 |journal=Physics-Uspekhi |date=2001 |doi=10.1070/1063-7869/44/10S/S29 |language=en-US |last1=Kitaev |first1=Alexei |volume=44 |issue=10S |pages=131–136 |arxiv=cond-mat/0010440 }}

In 2002, Michael Freedman, who led Microsoft’s quantum research at Station Q in 2005, authored a paper with Kitaev demonstrating how a topological quantum computer could perform any computation that a conventional quantum computer could.{{Cite journal |title=Topological Quantum Computation |url=https://www.ams.org/journals/bull/2003-40-01/S0273-0979-02-00964-3/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |journal=American Mathematical Society |date=2002 |language=en-US |last1=Freedman|first1=Michael |last2=Kitaev |first2=Alexei |last3=Larsen |first3=Michael |last4=Wang |first4=Zhenghan |volume=40 |pages=31–38 |arxiv=quant-ph/0101025}}

In 2005, 2006 and 2008, Sankar Das Sarma, Freedman and Chetan Nayak developed theoretical proposals for a topological qubit using the fractional quantum Hall effect and for topological quantum computing based on non-abelian anyons.{{Cite journal |title=Topologically Protected Qubits from a Possible Non-Abelian Fractional Quantum Hall State |url=https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.166802 |access-date=2024-06-26 |journal=Physical Review Letters |date=2005 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.166802 |language=en-US |last1=Das Sarma |first1=Sankar |last2=Freedman |first2=Michael |last3=Nayak |first3=Chetan |volume=94 |issue=16 |page=166802 |pmid=15904258 |arxiv=cond-mat/0412343 |bibcode=2005PhRvL..94p6802D }}{{Cite journal |title= Topological quantum computation |url=https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article-abstract/59/7/32/1040851/Topological-quantum-computationThe-search-for-a?redirectedFrom=fulltext |access-date=2024-06-26 |journal=Physics Today |date=2006 |doi=10.1063/1.2337825 |language=en-US |last1=Das Sarma |first1=Sankar |last2=Freedman |first2=Michael |last3=Nayak |first3=Chetan |volume=59 |issue=7 |pages=32–38| bibcode=2006PhT....59g..32S |url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |title=Non-Abelian anyons and topological quantum computation |url=https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/RevModPhys.80.1083 |access-date=2024-06-26 |journal=Reviews of Modern Physics |date=2008 |doi=10.1103/RevModPhys.80.1083 |language=en-US |last1=Nayak |first1=Chetan |last2=Simon |first2=Steven H. |last3=Stern |first3=Ady |last4=Freedman |first4=Michael |last5=Das Sarma |first5=Sankar |volume=80 |issue=3 |pages=1083–1159 |arxiv=0707.1889 |bibcode=2008RvMP...80.1083N }}

In 2015, Microsoft developed the theoretical framework of Majorana zero modes for information processing through braiding-based topological quantum computing.{{Cite journal |title=Majorana zero modes and topological quantum computation |journal=npj Quantum Information |date=2015 |doi=10.1038/npjqi.2015.1 |language=en-US |last1=Sarma |first1=Sankar Das |last2=Freedman |first2=Michael |last3=Nayak |first3=Chetan |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=15001 |bibcode=2015npjQI...115001S |doi-access=free |arxiv=1501.02813 }}

In 2023, Microsoft research demonstrated the creation and control of Majorana quasiparticles for topological quantum computing.{{Cite journal |title=InAs-Al hybrid devices passing the topological gap protocol |url=https://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.107.245423 |access-date=2024-06-26 |journal=Physical Review B |date=2023 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevB.107.245423 |language=en-US |last1=Aghaee |first1=Morteza |last2=Akkala |first2=Arun |last3=Alam |first3=Zulfi |last4=Ali |first4=Rizwan |last5=Alcaraz Ramirez |first5=Alejandro |last6=Andrzejczuk |first6=Mariusz |last7=Antipov |first7=Andrey E. |last8=Aseev |first8=Pavel |last9=Astafev |first9=Mikhail |last10=Bauer |first10=Bela |last11=Becker |first11=Jonathan |last12=Boddapati |first12=Srini |last13=Boekhout |first13=Frenk |last14=Bommer |first14=Jouri |last15=Bosma |first15=Tom |last16=Bourdet |first16=Leo |last17=Boutin |first17=Samuel |last18=Caroff |first18=Philippe |last19=Casparis |first19=Lucas |last20=Cassidy |first20=Maja |last21=Chatoor |first21=Sohail |last22=Christensen |first22=Anna Wulf |last23=Clay |first23=Noah |last24=Cole |first24=William S. |last25=Corsetti |first25=Fabiano |last26=Cui |first26=Ajuan |last27=Dalampiras |first27=Paschalis |last28=Dokania |first28=Anand |last29=De Lange |first29=Gijs |last30=De Moor |first30=Michiel |volume=107 |issue=24 |page=245423 |arxiv=2207.02472 |bibcode=2023PhRvB.107x5423A |display-authors=1 }}

In 2024, Microsoft created 4 logical qubits from 30 physical qubits, demonstrating reliable logical qubits by reducing the logical error rate by 800x compared to the physical error rate.{{Cite web |title=Microsoft says it's cracked the code on an important quantum computing problem |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/8/24120103/microsoft-says-its-cracked-the-code-on-an-important-quantum-computing-problem |access-date=2024-09-03 |date=8 Apr 2024 |last1=David |first1=Emilia |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • {{Official website|https://www.microsoft.com/research/}}
  • [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/ The Microsoft Research Blog]
  • [http://news.softpedia.com/cat/Microsoft/Developing-Projects/ Microsoft Developing Project] (news archive from Softpedia)
  • [https://www.msra.cn/ Microsoft Research Asia] local Chinese website

{{Microsoft Research Labs|state=uncollapsed}}

{{Microsoft}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1991 establishments in the United States

Category:Computer science research organizations

Category:Organizations established in 1991

Category:Research and development organizations

Category:Research institutes in Washington (state)

Category:Artificial intelligence laboratories