What you need to know
- Microsoft has completed its $19.7 billion of Nuance, a company that specializes in artificial intelligence.
- Nuance helped Apple create Siri, but it is more known today for its use of AI in the medical industry.
"Completion of this significant and strategic acquisition brings together Nuance's best-in-class conversational AI and ambient intelligence with Microsoft's secure and trusted industry cloud offerings," said Microsoft's Scott Guthrie. "This powerful combination will help providers offer more affordable, effective and accessible healthcare, and help organizations in every industry create more personalized and meaningful customer experiences. I couldn't be more pleased to welcome the Nuance team to our Microsoft family."
People may be more familiar with Nuance for its work to help create Apple's Siri, but the company's voice technology is used in a variety of ways, including within the medical industry.
Our Robert Carnevale spoke with several analysts about why Microsoft purchased Nuance when the deal was initially announced.
"The healthcare industry is primed for digital transformation. All of the digital giants have healthcare initiatives. This acquisition moves MS forward in that effort," said Gartner analyst Gregg Pessin after the initial announcement of the deal. "It provides access to Nuance's well-established healthcare client base — think EHRs with digital transcription capabilities."
Microsoft's $19.7 billion purchase of Nuance is one of its largest to date. In total value, the Nuance acquisition only trails behind Microsoft's $26.2 billion purchase of LinkedIn and the company's massive acquisition of Activision Blizzard for almost $70 billion.
