By Guest contributors |
Generative AI is currently redefining how businesses work, but it’s just one facet of the broader AI opportunity. The organisations that focus solely on generative AI risk missing out on the wider transformation potential that AI offers.
True business value comes from integrating generative AI with predictive analytics, real-time decision-making and autonomous systems, all powered by governed, real-time data. AI is only as powerful as the data that fuels it and for tools to drive real productivity, organisations need data that is not only complete and current but also trusted and instantly accessible.
This is where the partnership between Microsoft and Denodo comes into play. Microsoft Copilot offers a powerful and intuitive way to interact with data, while Denodo provides businesses with a data layer that connects and activates information across cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments without the need for data movement, so that users can get more out of their Copilot experience.
Microsoft’s belief is that AI should be woven into the tools people already use to transform everyday actions into intelligent outcomes. For instance, Microsoft 365 Copilot turns familiar applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word and Teams into intelligent assistants. Many organisations are now taking this one step further and realising that Copilot is so much more than just a productivity assistant.
The tool is a gateway to an entire armoury of AI capabilities powered by the Microsoft Cloud. Behind the scenes lies a formidable infrastructure made up of Azure OpenAI, Azure Machine Learning, Azure AI Foundry, Cognitive Services, Microsoft Fabric and more. However, these capabilities can only be fully realised when there is access to high-quality data.
Denodo’s mission is to support this by enabling real-time, secure access to distributed data across cloud and on-premises environments, helping organisations to maximise the value of their Microsoft investments. The aim is to eliminate the data bottleneck and put insights into the hands of those who drive the business. Instead of spending months integrating sources or duplicating data sets, Denodo’s Logical Data Management platform gives Copilot the context and continuity it needs from day one.
Success has to start somewhere and for the AI implementation process it comes down to having a smooth transition from proof-of-concept to production.
The most successful AI initiatives start with a clearly defined business use case. Whether its improving customer retention, reducing risk or speeding up decision-making, the goal must come first and ideally have a measurable impact.
Once the customer has identified their AI goal, Denodo can help the firm get their data in order while Microsoft delivers the targeted AI insights, working in tandem to ensure business value is both measurable and scalable.
We are already seeing this collaboration unlock value across industries by accelerating compliance, improving frontline decisions and transforming citizen services. That’s the difference between AI that generates answers and AI that generates action.
Denodo’s Logical Data Management approach also enables the creation of highly valued, reusable data products in the form of modular, governed views of enterprise information that can be analysed by Copilot or other business applications. It reduces time to insight, builds trust in AI outputs and helps scale generative AI without spawning new silos.
Generative AI may be impressive, and it can be easy to rush ahead, but in regulated sectors this isn’t enough. Use cases need to be explainable, auditable and compliant. That’s why Denodo and Microsoft are aligned not just on innovation, but also on responsibility. Microsoft’s Responsible AI framework is the industry benchmark and Denodo is reinforcing it by delivering lineage, role-based security and policy enforcement at the data layer. Together we don’t just power AI, we make it safe to scale.
Even with a strong start, many organisations can still stumble at the final step: making sure the AI tool has the data it needs, when it needs it. Denodo aims to eliminate that friction and its platform delivers real-time access without delays, making Copilot a true decision-making partner, not just a chatbot.
You shouldn’t have to rethink your infrastructure to adopt AI. You just need to rethink how you activate your data.
Errol Rodericks is director of product marketing for EMEA and LATAM at Denodo. Peter Humble is director of Azure technology specialists at Microsoft UK
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