Microsoft’s cognitive services provide access to tools (e.g., APIs or application programming interfaces) that developers can use to incorporate AI (or artificial intelligence) functionality into their applications quickly and easily. It appears the data that powers Microsoft’s cognitive services includes data obtained from the services’ customers and end users, and that Microsoft doesn’t provide the same control over this cognitive services data that it applies to other cloud-based services. According to Microsoft’s agreement covering cognitive services, Microsoft has the right to “collect, retain, use, reproduce, and create derivative works of” customer data in order to “improve Microsoft products and services.” As a result, developers and enterprises that use Microsoft’s cognitive services don’t have the option of deleting this data when they stop using Microsoft’s services. It appears that Microsoft’s ability to retain such data indefinitely dissuaded an Australian government agency from using Microsoft’s cognitive services. It appears the agency was concerned that Microsoft’s data retention could result in the agency’s “loss of ownership” over its data.

Source: Forbes February 15, 2018 16:41 UTC