Grab is one of Asia’s largest ride-hailing platforms, especially when they managed to edge out Uber in the Southeast Asian market. Of course the company can’t simply rest on its laurels if they hope to remain a dominant force in the region, which is why together with Microsoft, they have announced a partnership which will see Grab utilize Microsoft’s various AI and cloud technology.This will involve AI technology like machine learning, which according to Microsoft will help enhance Grab’s security with features like facial recognition for drivers and customers. There are also plans to leverage Microsoft’s natural language processing capabilities to provide better real-time translations, and also to provide more personalized services and recommendations.
The partnership will also involve Grab using Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and data analytics feature and fraud detection to try and prevent fraudulent transactions on Grab’s platform. There is also mention of using image recognition and computer vision technology, where this will allow users to snap a photo of their location and it will be translated into addresses for drivers, thus allowing for more accurate pickups and less complications.
According to Peggy Johnson, executive vice president at Microsoft, “Our partnership with Grab opens up new opportunities to innovate in both a rapidly evolving industry and growth region. We’re excited to team up to transform the customer experience as well as enhance the delivery of digital services for the millions of users who rely on Grab for safe and affordable transport, food and package delivery, mobile payments, and financial services.”
Filed in . Read more about AI (Artificial Intelligence), Grab and Microsoft.