Microsoft chooses Uruguay as the location for its new artificial intelligence and Internet of Things lab.

Microsoft announced that Uruguay will host its AI & IoT Insider Lab in Montevideo, the first of its kind in Latin America and the third outside the United States. Today there are only two, one in China and the other in Germany. This lab will help solve many technological challenges for organizations in the region, as well as provide guidance and recommendations from experts to realize the full potential of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

Both are transforming the way people, devices, and data interact in all spheres of life. Driven by the transformative power of the cloud, these technologies enable smarter computing and will play a key role in helping to solve some of the world's biggest challenges, from agriculture and healthcare to the environment and education.

The announcement followed a meeting between Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou and a Microsoft delegation led by Rodrigo Kede Lima, the company's head of Latin America. The Uruguayan Minister of Industry, Omar Paganini, and the Ambassador to the United States, Andrés Durán Hareau, also participated in the meeting.

The initiative reflects the Uruguayan government's vision of becoming an "innovation hub" for the region, positioning the country and the laboratory as a facilitator of innovation and creativity in which new ideas or business challenges could become a reality.

Minister Paganini pointed out that the country "has been a pioneer developing a dynamic technological ecosystem, with startups, international companies, and the new unicorns." He added that, from the government's perspective, the next stage involves the creation of an 'innovation hub' in the country, including a network of laboratories and platforms to drive new disruptions.

"We are very pleased to announce this initiative with Microsoft, the installation of a state-of-the-art laboratory, the fourth in the world, developed in alliance with the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay (LATU), to boost disruptive technologies," said the minister.

Main functions of the laboratory
The lab works on a project basis, focusing on understanding business challenges and prototyping potential solutions. Therefore, the added value of the lab is to quickly show organizations and business partners how to leverage AI and IoT technologies to visualize, transform, innovate and solve their transformation challenges.

The Microsoft AI and IoT Lab will offer:
- Knowledge from the experience of experts: electrical engineers, cloud engineers, data scientists, program managers, project managers, and software engineers.
- Investment of time from highly qualified Microsoft people as needed for each requested project.
- Project management, design, architecture, prototyping, and post-implementation customer and partner guidance.

"We are extremely excited about what this new AI and Cloud Lab will accomplish in driving the country's technological development in conjunction with local creativity and vision. Uruguay has shown itself to be a hotbed of innovation internationally, and initiatives like this reflect the great opportunity the market has to accelerate the region's digital transformation," commented Microsoft Latin America President Rodrigo Kede Lima.

"At Microsoft, we are committed to our mission of empowering every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. We look forward to working in the AI and IoT Lab side by side between organizations and our experts to create creative and cutting-edge solutions, positioning Uruguay as a benchmark in technological development in the region," said Alejandro Pazos, general manager of Microsoft Uruguay.

Source: Presidency