Microsoft is restructuring some of its business units, merging the Bing and Cortana product groups with Microsoft Research to create a new division called the AI and Research Group. In all, the artificial intelligence-focused group will include 5,000 engineers and computer scientists led by Harry Shum, who was formerly the executive vice president of technology and research. The AI group will be Microsoft’s fourth engineering group; it has others for Windows, Office and the Azure cloud computing service.
In addition, the company is renaming the Application and Services Group as the Office Product Group, and it will be led by Rajesh Jha.