Microsoft launches entry-level software development and AI courses

Microsoft today launched two new courses in its online education program for developers: an entry-level software development class and an AI course for more advanced developers who want to expand their knowledge of machine learning.

It’s no secret that there aren’t enough data scientists and machine learning developers available to fulfill the current demand. It’s no surprise then that a number of large companies have started to teach the fundamentals of these disciplines to their existing employees and starting today, anybody can take the AI courses that Microsoft first developed for its own employees.

The Microsoft Professional Program for Artificial Intelligence is available for free on edX.org, though you can also opt to pay for a certificate. Each course runs for three months and starts at the beginning of the quarter. Unsurprisingly, there’s a bit of a focus on Azure and Microsoft’s Cognitive Services here (and you need an Azure account), but otherwise the course is agnostic to the operating system you run.

The overall program consists of ten courses that range from introductions to AI and Python for data science, to a class on ethics for AI developers and lots of hands-on work with training models. Most of the ten required courses should take about eight to sixteen hours to complete.

In addition to the AI class, Microsoft also today announced a similar program for entry-level software developers. This edX-based program consists of 13 courses that teach students the basics of software development with a focus on Python and JavaScript. What’s maybe more important than just teaching those languages, though, is that the course also looks at basics like data structures and how to use GitHub and other tools to write code professionally.

These two new courses join a growing number of similar programs in Microsoft’s so-called ‘Professional Program‘ (why they don’t just call it the Microsoft Academy is beyond me, but I’m not a marketer…) These existing courses range from front-end development classes to a program for cloud admins and a course for IT support professionals.

from Microsoft – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/02/microsoft-launches-entry-level-software-development-and-ai-courses/

Microsoft launches 2 new Azure regions in Australia

Microsoft continues its steady pace of opening up new data centers and launching new regions for its Azure cloud. Today, the company announced the launch of two new regions in Australia. To deliver these new regions, Azure Australia Central and Central 2, Microsoft entered a strategic partnership with Canberra Data Centers and unsurprisingly, the regions are located in the country’s capital territory around Canberra. These new central regions complement Microsoft’s existing data center presence in Australia, which previously focused on the business centers of Sydney and Melbourne.

Given the location in Canberra, it’s also no surprise that Microsoft is putting an emphasis on its readiness for handling government workloads on its platform. Throughout its announcement, the company also emphasizes that all of its Australia data centers are also the right choice for its customers in New Zealand.

Julia White, Microsoft corporate VP for Azure, told me last month that the company’s strategy around its data center expansion has always been about offering a lot of small regions to allow it to be close to its customers (and, in return, to allow its customers to be close to their own customers, too). “The big distinction is the number of regions we have. “White said. “Microsoft started its infrastructure approach focused on enterprise organizations and built lots of regions because of that. We didn’t pick this regional approach because it’s easy or because it’s simple, but because we believe this is what our customers really want.”

Azure currently consists of 50 available or announced regions. Over time, more of these will also feature numerous availability zones inside every region, though for now, this recently announced feature is only present in two regions.

from Microsoft – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/02/microsoft-launches-2-new-azure-regions-in-australia/

Walmart brings its partnership with JD.com into the food business

Walmart is bringing its partnership with JD.com into its grocery business.

The Chinese physical store will stock products that customers can also buy through its Walmart’s virtual storefront on the Chinese electronic marketplace, JD.com, according to a report in Reuters.

Walmart first partnered with JD.com two years ago as both companies struggled to overcome the retail dominance of Alibaba, China’s ecommerce juggernaut.

Throwing the ouroboros of 21st century economics into sharp relief, the partnership was established in 2016 to sell Walmart’s China-made, U.S.-branded products to Chinese consumers through JD.com’s online marketplace and by setting up electronics showrooms hawking JD.com’s tech wares in Walmart locations throughout China.

Now the integration of JD.com’s online and Walmart’s offline supply chains will extend to groceries. Beginning with a store in China’s southern megacity — Shenzhen — 8,000 items ranging from fresh fruit to seafood will not only be stocked in stores, but will also be available for online orders through JD.com.

Customers in a 3 kilometer radius from the store will get their food delivered within 30 minutes — and will be able to use a new shopping application available through WeChat to skip checkout counters. 

The new stores step up the competition for convenience that’s now top of mind for big retailers from Amazon and Alibaba to Target and Walmart.

The integration of the online and physical retail experience for consumers through mobile purchasing, contactless check-out and delivery and in-store pickup are going to be the next front in the war for customers’ clicks and trips online and offline.

from Amazon – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/02/walmart-brings-its-partnership-with-jd-com-into-the-food-business/

Alexa users can now donate to charity with their voice

Just in time to be too late for your 2017 taxes, Amazon’s added a new skill for Alexa that lets users donate with their voice. The command is pretty much as you’d expect — say, “Alexa, donate $20 to the American Cancer Society” and the smart assistant will pull that money from your associated account.

Alexa uses a four-digit voice confirmation code to help users from making accidental purchases — and so other people in your household don’t go around donating away your life savings. Not that that would be the worst thing to spend that money on, I guess.

Amazon also says it shares users’ name, email and address with the organization, but not credit card info. Users will also get an email confirmation of the donation and can track that info over at Amazon Pay.

The list is 40 charities long and can be found here. Users can also just say, “Alexa, make a donation,” and the assistant will help you select a name from the list. The action joins the site’s existing Amazon Pay offering, which the company says more than one million customers have used to make donations to charity. 

from Amazon – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/02/alexa-users-can-now-donate-to-charity-with-their-voice/

Who's meeting is this? A simple checklist

Can your next meeting (not conversation, not presentation, but meeting) pass this test?

There's one person responsible.

The time allocated matches what's needed, not what the calendar app says.

Everyone invited is someone who needs to be there, and no key party is missing.

There's a default step forward if someone doesn't come.

There's no better way to move this forward than to have this meeting.

The desired outcome is clearly stated. The organizer has described what would have to happen for the meeting to be cancelled or to stop midway. "This is what I want to happen," and if there's a "yes," we're done.

All relevant information, including analysis, is available to all in plenty of time to be reviewed in advance.

If you score a seven, count me in.

 

[Join us for a Facebook Live at 3 pm today. We'll be discussing mindfulness and making an impact with the remarkable Susan Piver. Also! Application deadline for the next altMBA is next week, April 9th.]

       

from Seth Godin's Blog on marketing, tribes and respect http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/536552830/0/sethsblog~Whos-meeting-is-this-A-simple-checklist.html

Happy Anniversary

Today's the seventeenth anniversary of the founding of Acumen, a groundbreaking non-profit that's changing the world sees poverty (they've already made a difference to 100,000,000 of the poorest people on Earth.). In addition to a great idea and passionate leadership, the secret is obvious--showing up.

Showing up day after day after day.

Today's the first anniversary of Sam joining our team at the altMBA. Sam's secret: Her consistent contribution, showing up day after day after day.

And today, give or take, is the sixteenth anniversary of this blog. Not quite on April Fool's Day a bunch of years ago, but close enough. I feel badly that so many people were fooled by this morning's post, and I'm grateful to those that wrote in with concern. But no, I was making a point, not telling the truth. It turns out that showing up is a great way to find new ideas, and I have no plans on stopping.

It's easy to come to the conclusion that someone's generous or inspired and so they do the work. But it's more likely that doing the work makes you generous or inspired.

Go make your ruckus. See you tomorrow.

       

from Seth Godin's Blog on marketing, tribes and respect http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/536412228/0/sethsblog~Happy-Anniversary.html

I used them all up (a warning to creatives)

When I was 12, I brought 100 comic books with me to summer camp. That's a lot of comic books, an essentially infinite number.

So, if someone wanted to borrow one, I said, "sure."

Within a week, they were all gone. I was comicless for the rest of the summer.

Well, I didn't think it would happen, in fact, I said it would never happen, but now, in April 2018, after so many blog posts, after 18 books, dozens of projects and a bunch of ebooks and videos and podcasts, I'm now completely out of ideas. Big ideas, small ideas, any ideas. All gone. Used up.

I have none left.

I always believed that creativity was generative, that one led to two, that holding back was selfish and foolish. More connection begets more value begets more creation. A virtuous cycle for the ages.

And yet, here I am, sixteen Aprils in a row on this blog so far, and now, finally, zilch. Empty. Nothing even close to a new idea, a generous insight or a whisper of novelty. Nothing to say that might prompt you to do more important work. I don't even know what to make for dinner tonight.

So, be warned.

Apparently, all each of us get is seven or eight thousand ideas. I wish I'd known in advance, perhaps I would have been more circumspect with them. Hoarded them. Watched them more carefully.

There you go. Better be careful not to waste yours.

       

from Seth Godin's Blog on marketing, tribes and respect http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/536393146/0/sethsblog~I-used-them-all-up-a-warning-to-creatives.html