Microsoft has acquired Genee, an artificial-intelligence (AI) powered scheduling service. Launched in 2014, Genee uses AI to help automatically schedule meetings based on the participants’ schedules.
As a result of the acquisition, Microsoft will shut down Genee’s existing services from September 1. Genee will no longer send you useful reminders and agendas from your calendar, all existing calendar entries created by Genee will remain.
The company is planning to integrate the intelligence technology into Office 365. Genee uses natural language processing and optimized decision-making algorithms for scheduling. It also works via an iOS app, SMS, Facebook Messenger, Twitter DMs, and Skype chat.
Microsoft explains with an example how Genee works,
Say you want to meet a potential customer, Diana, for coffee. Simply send an email to Diana and copy Genee, like you would a personal assistant. Genee understands that you want to “Find a time to meet with Diana for coffee next week” and will streamline the process by emailing her directly with appropriate options that work with your calendar and preferences. Genee will even send out the meeting invite on your behalf – freeing up your time.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.