Authored by Miles Mikkelsen

Collaboration and interviews with experts Sebastian Sanchez, Ryan Murphy and Ernesto Samudio.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, and Microsoft stands at the forefront with a suite of AI-enabled tools that empower businesses to innovate, optimize, and scale. At Nextant, we specialize in helping organizations unlock the transformative potential of AI, providing not only the strategic roadmap to get started but also the hands-on expertise to deliver measurable results. Recognized as Microsoft’s top-rated supplier and recipient of their prestigious Supplier of the Year award (Microsoft Supplier of the Year), Nextant offers unparalleled expertise in leveraging Microsoft’s cutting-edge solutions.

The Power of Microsoft’s AI Ecosystem

Microsoft’s unified AI solutions—Copilot M365, Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI, Azure Functions, and Azure Machine Learning—represent a robust ecosystem designed to address modern business challenges. From automating routine tasks to transforming decision-making processes, these tools have already demonstrated their ability to create value across industries. Nextant brings these solutions to life for businesses by aligning them with strategic goals and executing seamless implementations to enhance overall performance and efficiency.

Copilot M365: Boosting Everyday Efficiency

Seamlessly integrated within Microsoft 365 applications like Word, Excel, and Outlook, Copilot M365 provides AI-powered suggestions to boost efficiency. From drafting emails to generating data insights in Excel and even summarizing meetings and identifying next steps in Microsoft Teams, Copilot helps users work smarter and faster.

Copilot Studio: Tailored AI Solutions

Copilot Studio empowers businesses to create custom AI solutions that automate workflows and enhance business processes. Copilot Studio enables the creation of Chatbots and Agents that are integrated with Microsoft Teams to enable a seamless conversational experience that allows users to consult information, delegate tasks to an AI agent or get proactively reminded by an AI agent to complete a task.

At Nextant, we work with clients to design and deploy Copilot Studio solutions that fit their unique needs. By analyzing workflows and identifying inefficiencies, we ensure that AI-powered assistance maximizes productivity and aligns with business objectives.

Azure OpenAI: Harnessing Advanced Language Models

Provides access to advanced AI Models like GPT-4. Think of building solutions that consult and process your company’s confidential information with the same algorithms that power Chat GPT while removing the risk of exposing information to external individuals. Solutions built utilizing Azure Open AI vary in range with AI functionalities that can be embedded in applications, chatbots or automated workflows. Cost per query or transactions tends to be lower than Copilot Studio, making it a good candidate for scenarios that imply a large volume of queries and transactions. Development of these solutions requires a longer timeframe and more specialized skills so balancing the cost of development with future cost per transaction is a key factor when selecting the best AI platform.

Azure Functions: Enhancing Workflow Automation

Azure function is a service that allows us to execute serverless code based on preset conditions. The execution of this code can then be integrated into existing applications or systems. This is a key service that we often use at Nextant to integrate AI solutions running on different AI platforms into the systems and tools that your employees are familiar with, this enables high adoption and ease of use of valuable AI assets.

Azure Machine Learning: From Data to Decisions

With Azure ML, businesses can develop, deploy, and manage machine learning models at scale. Within Azure Machine Learning we can efficiently go through the end-to-end development of a Predictive Model solution that utilizes your historic data to provide real-time predictions and recommendations. This includes data preparation, model selection and experimentation, model training and finally deployment into production environment.

The benefits of consolidating multiple data sources into a single comprehensible picture are highlighted in Microsoft’s recent article, "How Unifying Data Improves Shopper Experiences". It demonstrates how businesses can see and measure employee needs and customer preferences, allowing them to transform customer interactions and drive better outcomes through unified data strategies.

AI’s financial impact further underscores its value. According to McKinsey, 65% of organizations are now regularly utilizing AI, nearly doubling from previous figures, and corporate profits have increased by 45% in early 2023 due to AI adoption (McKinsey, Vena Solutions). Additionally, AI is projected to contribute a 21% net increase to U.S. GDP by 2030 (Forbes). These statistics illustrate how AI drives efficiency, enhances productivity, and accelerates growth.

Nextant’s data experts specialize in harnessing the power of Microsoft’s AI tools to eliminate data silos and optimize analytics strategies. From data migration to custom dashboard creation, we ensure businesses can seamlessly leverage AI to transform their operations.

Nextant: Your Trusted Partner for AI Excellence

Embarking on an AI journey requires more than technology; it demands a clear strategy, robust execution, and measurable outcomes. This is where Nextant excels. As a trusted Microsoft partner and leader in AI consulting, we help businesses:

1. Develop a Detailed AI Roadmap: We begin by understanding your unique challenges and goals, then create a comprehensive strategy to guide your AI adoption journey. Our roadmaps outline clear milestones, ROI projections, AI feasibility and risk mitigation plans.

2. Execute Seamless Implementations: With unmatched expertise in Microsoft’s AI solutions, our team manages end-to-end implementations—from system integration to user training—ensuring a smooth transition and rapid adoption.

3. Drive Measurable Results: Our focus is always on outcomes. By aligning AI initiatives with business objectives, we deliver solutions that reduce costs, increase efficiency, and create competitive advantages.

Real-World Impact: Microsoft AI Solutions in Action

Case Study: Rabobank Streamlines and Personalizes Customer Support

Rabobank, a multinational banking institution headquartered in the Netherlands, implemented Microsoft Power Virtual Agents to enhance its customer service operations. By adopting AI-powered virtual agents, Rabobank simplified operations, reduced costs, and created a more cohesive experience for customers. Read the full case study

Case Study: Transforming Candidate Selection with AI-Driven Resume Processing

Nextant leveraged AI to streamline candidate selection for a client by implementing an AI-driven resume processing solution. The system automatically scanned resumes, ranked candidates, and provided data-driven insights into the best-fit candidates. This reduced the manual effort of sorting through resumes, increased efficiency, and significantly improved the quality of hire. Read the full case study.

Don’t Get Left Behind

The AI revolution is here, and businesses that fail to act risk falling behind. With Microsoft’s advanced tools and Nextant’s expertise, you have the opportunity to lead your industry and achieve transformative growth.

Contact us today to discover how Nextant can help your business harness the power of AI. Let’s build a smarter, more efficient future together.