Microsoft working on machine-learning grammar features for Word

In its day two keynote for Build 2018, Microsoft showed off a brief demonstration of how it is planning to bring the power of machine learning to Word. In a future version of the office app, Microsoft will tap machine learning to help writers improve their grammar.

Microsoft was pretty light on details of what to expect, but what it showed off looked promising. On stage, Kevin Gallo, head of the Windows developer platform, displayed an older version of Word compared to the newer version with a machine learning-powered grammar checker built in. While the older version missed several grammar issues, the newer version found them all.

The system is trained on Windows ML, the new AI platform Microsoft introduced in March and it will be able to work offline, Microsoft says.

The demo was relatively short and there's no word on when to expect the Windows ML features in Word, but it's an interesting, albeit small, look at how Microsoft is using machine learning in its own apps.

For more from day two, you can check out the full keynote right here.

The difference between AI, machine learning and digital assistants

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl

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