Inspire 2018: Microsoft reveals CSP growth, AI priorities, AppSource adjustments

With Inspire 2018 and their new fiscal year just around the corner, Microsoft has begun a wave of partner-focused announcements covering everything from partner programs like Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) to products and service updates to technical priorities for the year to come.

Message: Unlock insights with AI

Artificial intelligence, and more specifically the opportunity to deliver of Azure-based AI-related capabilities throughout partner product and services offerings, will be a key talking point at Inspire. The company wants partners to apply AI in the maximum number of scenarios, One Commercial Partner leader Gavriella Schuster told reporters today and wrote about in a new blog post. "We want to empower partners to realize this significant opportunity," she said.

The company is ramping up programs like an "AI inner circle" for partners and workshops focused on building AI development practices that Schuster says has already been "wildly successful." Microsoft also plans to work with partners on developing AI-based solutions, Schuster said, noting that partners should be talking to clients about the ability to apply AI as a means of unlocking siloed data.

AppSource to add services, cross-partner solutions

AppSource will be the "front door" for partners that want to sell with Microsoft, Schuster said. Everything captured today in the One Commercial Partner catalog, used internally by Microsoft sellers, will become available via AppSource. That move means partners, customers, and Microsoft account teams will now see the offerings, she said.

Microsoft says AppSource exposes ...