Vodafone Group and Microsoft have entered into a 10-year partnership aimed at bringing generative AI, digital, enterprise, and cloud services to over 300 million businesses and consumers across European and African markets.
As part of this collaboration, Vodafone will invest $1.5 billion (R28 billion) in customer-focused AI developed in conjunction with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI and Copilot technologies. The initiative involves replacing physical data centers with more cost-effective and scalable Azure cloud services.
In return, Microsoft will become an equity investor in Vodafone’s managed Internet of Things (IoT) platform when it becomes a standalone business by April 2024. Microsoft will also support the expansion of Vodafone’s mobile financial platform in Africa, with Vodafone’s African assets housed under its JSE-listed subsidiary Vodacom Group.
Vodafone’s CFO, Luka Mucic, highlighted the transformative impact of Microsoft’s leadership in AI, particularly through the implementation of the OpenAI partnership. He emphasized that Microsoft’s AI-powered TOBi chatbot would enhance customer service by providing more consistent and intelligent responses to queries.
Microsoft’s Chief Commercial Officer, Judson Althoff, underscored the strategic importance of Vodafone’s strength in IoT and financial services. He highlighted the critical role of Vodafone’s IoT assets in addressing sustainability needs, leveraging digital twins to model manufacturing environments and using AI to support sustainability goals.
The collaboration also extends to Vodafone’s M-Pesa mobile money platform operating in various African countries, aligning with Microsoft’s regional objectives in building digital literacy and offering generative AI capabilities to assist customers in making more intelligent financial decisions.
