Updated May 7, 2018

Microsoft pledges $25 million to aid those with disabilities using AI

Ina Fried

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has expanded Microsoft's work on accessibility. Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is using its annual Build developer conference to talk up a number of artificial intelligence efforts, including a new project to explore ways AI can help people with disabilities.

Why it matters: As Microsoft looks to expand its use of AI, it aims to show that it is doing so responsibly and with the betterment of civilization in mind. Google is expected to make a similar case at I/O later this week and Facebook also touted its AI ethics last week.

Microsoft's "AI for accessibility" effort will be a mix of technology commitments, grants and other assistance.

Also at Build, Microsoft is announcing partnerships with drone maker DJI and Qualcomm and offer up Kinect for Azure, bringing its motion-sensing camera technology into the cloud era.

History lesson: Kinect initially debuted as a means for maneuvering Xbox games with body movements. Microsoft later brought it to Windows but had stopped selling Xbox and Windows versions.

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 8 a.m. ET: 679,977 — Total deaths: 31,734 — Total recoveries: 145,625.
  2. U.S.: Leads the world in cases. Total confirmed cases as of 8 a.m. ET: 124,686 — Total deaths: 2,191 — Total recoveries: 2,612.
  3. Federal government latest: Trump announces new travel advisories for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, but rules out quarantine enforcement. Per CDC, those residents should "refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days," with the exception of critical infrastructure industry workers.
  4. State updates: Alaska issues a stay-at-home order — New York tries to nearly triple hospital capacity in less than a month and moved presidential primary to June 23. Some Midwestern swing voters who backed Trump's initial handling of the virus balk at call for U.S. to be "opened up" by Easter.
  5. World updates: In Spain, over 1,400 people were confirmed dead between Thursday to Saturday.
  6. 🚀 Space updates: OneWeb filed for bankruptcy amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
  7. What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk
  8. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

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