Microsoft acquires AI firm Nuance to boost contact centers
Tech giant Microsoft recently acquired artificial intelligence (AI) software company Nuance Communications in a $19.7 billion deal to secure the digital transformation of their contact center offering.
In an interview with Fierce, Nuance Chief Strategy Officer Peter Durlach said that the contact center tends to be one of the first operational areas that get targeted for an overhaul.
He added that the combination of Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure and AI resource to Nuance’s tech will help “accelerate the raw performance” of their automation systems.
“When they [clients] see Nuance and Microsoft together that will look very different to them from a KPI capability and outcomes point of view than when they’re looking at potentially other large cloud providers,” added Durlach.
Recent data from consulting firm Grand View Research showed the global contact center is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.2% through 2030.
The US region accounted for $4.6 billion in revenue in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.9%.
