Course Description

Innovations and advances in analytics through Data Science, Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have spurred a new technological and innovation paradigm in our business landscape today. AI is a powerful and growing field that can unlock the value of data, and ultimately transform business models, industries, and our work experiences.

Companies around the world weave AI-fueling data acquisition into the DNA of each product and process which in turn drives new Digital business models. Any company in any vertical industry can do the same, and in doing so achieve remarkable results. But successful AI implementation in the enterprise depends on more than the technology - AI adoption in the enterprise needs four strong pillars on which to rest:

  • A clear business value to be achieved through AI.
  • A strong AI culture in the enterprise
  • Clear compliance for the use and design of AI
  • A general understanding of how AI works


The Microsoft AI Business School Workshop provides a context for business and technology leaders within an enterprise to embark on their AI journey with all of the above in place.

The Course is delivered in 1 full day online or onsite, or can be delivered as 2 ½ day sessions. Prior to delivery, Fast Lane’s AI Expert facilitator will preferably meet with customer stakeholders in order to understand current AI Strategy, initiatives and opportunities. This will allow for an impactful, tailored delivery, specific to your strategic imperatives.


Course Goal

Participants will attend this one-day workshop, which will employ presentations, case-studies, discussions, and exercises which will achieve the following objectives:

  • Learn how to get started in your AI journey by clarifying the elements in defining an AI strategy for your business and leveraging that strategy to create a project vision;
  • Develop an acumen to assess your organization across the different elements of Data, Technology, Talent and Organizational Model which will help determine if you have the right ingredients for a successful AI initiative;
  • Learn how to develop Applied AI solutions and consider Ethics in your AI initiative;
  • Describe how to operationalize AI solutions in your Enterprise;
  • Develop an awareness of Microsoft’s portfolio, resources and tools for ensuring success around your AI initiative.


Course Flow

Workshop exercises and forum-style discussions will augment and reinforce the courseware to provide a great interactive and collaborative experience for the participants.

* Note that this program can be delivered as 2 half-days, covering Modules 1 and 2 on day 1, and 3 – 5 on Day 2.


Course Outline for 1-day Workshop

Module 1: Defining an AI strategy

  • Need for a holistic AI strategy
  • Bringing AI to every employee, application and business process
  • Creating personalized customer experiences Integrate AI throughout your organization
  • Introducing the citizen data scientist
  • Starting your AI transformation today
  • Understanding your AI maturity
  • Drive immediate value from AI

Module 2: Enabling an AI-ready culture

  • Culture is just as important as strategy
  • What are the qualities of an AI-ready culture?
  • Cultural change is driven by leadership
  • A robust change management approach can help
  • Finance: Freeing up employee time with machine learning–based forecasts
  • Sales: Empowering sellers with data-driven recommendations
  • Marketing: Enabling intelligent lead qualification
  • Customer service: Driving improved customer experiences with feedback analysis

Module 3: Fostering responsible and trustworthy AI

  • Impact on organizations and society as a whole
  • Guiding principles need to be part of a holistic approach - Fairness - Reliability and Safety - Privacy and Security - Inclusiveness - Transparency - Accountability
  • Choose the governance approach best suited for your organization - Office of Responsible AI - AETHER committee - Responsible AI Champs
  • Establishing a governance model to oversee the development and management of AI solutions
  • Engage with external stakeholders
  • Contributing solutions to societal challenges
  • Building a better future with AI

Module 4: Scaling AI in your organization

  • Everybody’s role to play in AI transformation
  • Best practices for managing AI throughout your organization
  • Fueling innovation in your organization
  • Enable a culture of meaningful innovation
  • Strategically apply innovation to real business challenges
  • Keeping responsibility at the center throughout the innovation process
  • Finding a use case that provides value
  • Estimating AI costs and benefits
  • Leveraging a horizon-based framework
  • Prioritizing investments and organizing phases
  • Define clear value drivers and KPIs for your AI investments
  • Translate your vision and research into reality
  • MPOps: Create and manage the machine learning lifecycle with MLOps
  • Model reproducibility, validation and deployment
  • Model monitoring & retraining
  • Business outcomes of adopting MLOps
  • Establish AI-related roles and responsibilities

Module 5: Resources and Next Steps

  • Accelerate your enterprise adoption of AI through Microsoft.
  • Examine the Microsoft approach to pre-trained AI / cognitive services
  • Example the Microsoft approach to cognitive search
  • Examine the Microsoft approach to conversational AI
  • Examine the Microsoft approach to SaaS AI and embedded AI.
  • Overview of the Resources available to you today.