Microsoft has hired former FTC Commissioner Julie Brill to oversee privacy and data protection issues, reporting directly to the company's president and chief legal officer Brad Smith.

Why it matters: Brill's hire signals how important big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning are to the tech giant's future, and the crucial role privacy and security play in keeping consumers' trust. Microsoft says Brill will work closely with its engineering teams to build privacy protections into cloud and other services.

Background: Brill served at the FTC from 2010-2016, and most recently co-led the Global Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group at law firm Hogan Lovells in DC. Her new gig will be based in Redmond.