Close Cookie Notice

Welcome to the MIT CISR website!

This site uses cookies. Review our Privacy Statement.

Working Paper hero
Working Paper: Vignette

Microsoft’s AI Scaling Journey for Occupancy Prediction

Microsoft scaled out a building occupancy AI model to support a collection of use cases that served both Microsoft and its customers.
VIGNETTE

A description of a firm’s approach to an IT management issue, written according to a prescribed template

Abstract

In 2021, Microsoft was a $168 billion technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. The company employed 190,000 people who operated out of more than six hundred office buildings worldwide. This vignette describes how Microsoft used AI techniques to reduce the company’s carbon footprint and optimize facilities investments. Initially, a multidisciplinary AI team developed a machine learning model that informed building occupancy. Over time, the mode was recontextualized for a variety of use cases, including building optimization, dynamic HVAC management, and parking garage optimization, which served Microsoft and its customers. The vignette is part of a series of stories that illustrate value creation using AI.

Access More Research!

Any registered, logged-in user of the website can read many MIT CISR Working Papers in the webpage from 90 days after publication, plus download a PDF of the publication. Members of MIT CISR Patron and Sponsor organizations get access to additional content.

About the Authors

Profile picture for user iasadi@mit.edu

Ida A. Someh, Lecturer in Business Information Systems, UQ Business School at The University of Queensland, Australia

Profile picture for user ramona_ionescu2@baylor.edu

Ramona M. Ionescu, Ph.D. Candidate – Information Systems, Baylor University

Profile picture for user dorothy_leidner@baylor.edu

Dorothy E. Leidner, Ferguson Professor of Information Systems, Baylor University

MIT CENTER FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS RESEARCH (CISR)

Founded in 1974 and grounded in the MIT tradition of rigorous field-based research, MIT CISR helps executives meet the challenge of leading dynamic, global, and information-intensive organizations. Through research, teaching, and events, the center stimulates interaction among scholars, students, and practitioners. More than seventy-five firms sponsor our work and participate in our consortium. 

MIT CISR Patrons
AlixPartners
Avanade
Axway, Inc.
Collibra
Pegasystems Inc.
The Ogilvy Group
MIT CISR Sponsors
Allstate Insurance Company
Amcor
ANZ Banking Group (Australia)
Ascend SC
AustralianSuper
Banco Bradesco S.A. (Brazil)
Banco do Brasil S.A.
Bank of Queensland (Australia)
Barclays
BlueScope Steel (Australia)
BNP Paribas (France)
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bupa (Australia)
Cabot Corporation
CarMax
Caterpillar, Inc.
Cemex (Mexico)
Cencora
CIBC (Canada)
Cochlear Limited (Australia)
Commonwealth Superannuation Corp. (Australia)
Cuscal Limited (Australia)
CVS Health
Dawn Foods
DBS Bank Ltd. (Singapore)
Doosan Corporation (Korea)
Fidelity Investments
Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B., de C.V.
Fortum (Finland)
General Mills, Inc.
Gilbane Building Co.
Henkel AG & Co. (Germany)
Johnson & Johnson (J&J)
Kaiser Permanente
King & Wood Mallesons (Australia)
Koç Holding (Turkey)
Mercer
Nasdaq, Inc.
National Australia Bank Ltd.
Nomura Holdings, Inc. (Japan)
Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. Systems Consulting Division (Japan)
OCP Group
Pacific Life Insurance Company
Posten Bring AS (Norway)
Principal Financial Group
QBE
Ramsay Health Care (Australia)
Raytheon Technologies
Scentre Group Limited (Australia)
Schneider Electric Industries SAS (France)
Stockland (Australia)
Suncorp Group (Australia)
TabCorp Holdings (Australia)
Telstra Limited
Tetra Pak (Sweden)
Truist Financial Corporation
UniSuper Management Pty Ltd (Australia)
Uniting (Australia)
USAA
Webster Bank, N.A.
Westpac Banking Corporation (Australia)
WestRock Company
Wolters Kluwer
Xenco Medical
Zoetis Services LLC
Find Us
Center for Information Systems Research
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sloan School of Management
245 First Street, E94-15th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
617-253-2348