Zero waste by 2030 is a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy, along with becoming carbon negative, water positive, and protecting more land than we use. This recent milestone, driven by a culture of innovation and cross-functional collaboration, reflects the growing momentum to integrate zero waste and circularity practices across the technology industry.

Working alongside our recovery partners and suppliers, we are advancing the sustainability of our cloud supply chain and driving toward our zero-waste target in three key areas: (1) piloting the sustainable extraction of rare earth minerals from hard disk drives at scale, (2) continuing to expand our Circular Centers around the world, and (3) co-creating recyclable packaging solutions for transporting datacenter hardware.

Innovating to create a US-based supply of recycled rare earth elements

Today, we’re announcing a collaboration with Western Digital, Critical Materials Recycling, and PedalPoint Recycling demonstrating how we transformed approximately 50,000 pounds of end-of-life hard disk drives (HDDs) and other materials into critical, high-value materials, recovering rare earth elements (REEs) like neodymium and precious metals like gold and copper. By enabling the REE recovery process to be managed domestically, the program was designed to minimize transportation emissions and boost the resilience of the United States REE supply chain by decreasing dependence on imported materials.

When HDDs are retired from service, the data-carrying components are sanitized and shredded to ensure data security, while other components are separated in order to enable recycling and recirculation of REE materials. This initiative tackled some of the persistent technical challenges with recycling REEs: developing methods to achieve a high recovery rate for the materials, finding a recycling technique that avoids the use of harsh chemicals, and proving that the REE recycling process can be economically viable in the long term.

The innovative, acid-free dissolution of shredded HDDs delivered an impressive 90% high-yield recovery of elemental and rare-earth materials. In addition, the recycling process has an estimated 95% reduction in emissions compared to traditional mining and processing practices, based on life cycle analysis. Setting a new standard for industrial recovery of critical materials, this initiative was one of the first demonstrations of large scale, in-country recycling of essential metals and materials.

Expanding Circular Centers around the globe

Across the company, our teams are working to improve resource efficiency and expand the lifetime value of materials through the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recover. Within our global datacenters, our Microsoft Circular Centers are foundational to our progress, enabling us to process and route decommissioned servers and hardware components to their next useful lives, such as internal reuse, other electronic supply chains, or academies that train datacenter technicians.

By redesigning systems to reduce waste, then reusing and recovering materials wherever possible, we’re saving costs, gaining efficiency, and discovering new opportunities for hardware and infrastructure components. For example, we have successfully reused more than 3.2 million components through internal and external channels in 2024, recognizing a 30% increase or more in value recovery through our Circular Center program.

Since opening our first Circular Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 2020, we’ve built five additional facilities in the United States—Boydton, Virginia; Chicago, Illinois; and Quincy, Washington—as well as in Dublin, Ireland, and Singapore. To continue to connect our reuse and recycling around the globe, new Circular Centers are planned for Cardiff, Wales; New South Wales, Australia; and San Antonio, Texas.

As we build on progress over the past five years, we’re excited to continue accelerating circularity practices across our business. Preventing waste remains the core of our zero-waste strategy. In addition, we’re continuing to invest in expanding markets for circular solutions and collaborating with local organizations to support circularity in the communities where we operate and work.

Co-creating novel packaging solutions for datacenter hardware

In addition to advancing hardware circularity, we are also tackling the challenge of packaging for all of the hardware and components we use in our datacenters. With more than 150 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) supplying our datacenters, solutions need to ensure the same level of protection and security for servers, racks, and components as traditional packaging methods.

Microsoft datacenters

Sustainability and waste reduction in our datacenters

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One of the key challenges with packaging for the hardware and components in our datacenters is that it is typically multi-layered—for example, packaging for server racks might include a layer of wood, then glue, foam, then more wood. Because of this, the packaging was traditionally not recyclable via curbside pickup. Over the past 18 months, our Cloud Logistics team has worked with suppliers, logistics service providers, and recyclers to take those pallets and separate the layers, making the materials recyclable through local collaborations.

As a result, packaging from more than 30,000 server racks was processed through our global packaging recycling program, diverting more than 2,500 metric tons of waste from landfills. Moving forward, we are exploring the expansion of this recycling program to other types of packaging such as those used for cables, spares, and network components.

Beyond recycling, our teams look for opportunities to reuse materials within the value chain to reduce the need to procure something new and enable increased waste diversion, whether for hardware, components, or packaging. For example, we are working to reduce the hard-to-recycle, plastic-based, expanded polyethylene (EPE) foam in packaging, replacing it with more sustainable paper and pulp alternatives.

Another impactful way to increase circularity in our supply chain is with innovations in packaging for our server racks. We’re currently testing reusable solutions that advance sustainability and improve business efficiency by reducing cost and providing consistency in the unpacking experience for datacenter teams, all while keeping server racks safe during transport and handling.

Explore Microsoft’s work to reduce waste in our datacenters

To learn more about Microsoft’s work to reduce waste in our datacenters, check out datacenters.microsoft.com/sustainability.

For business leaders interested in developing a circular strategy for their organization, read the whitepaper Four pillars of a successful circular datacenter hardware program with deeper insight into four essential aspects of Microsoft’s Circular Center program. 

The post Sustainable by design: Innovating for zero waste appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides assists workers in industrial settings who deal with complex equipment and processes. New technicians need to ramp up quickly while learning how to operate and service that equipment. When equipment stops functioning, workers must act quickly to diagnose the problem, implement a fix, and then document their work. Instead of workers needing to search through volumes of digital documents or paper manuals, Copilot enables workers to ask for relevant information using natural language and human gestures, such as looking and pointing. Copilot uses generative AI to search for information from technical documentation, service records, training content, and any other data sources that customers curate. Copilot then summarizes the information to provide interactive guidance through content and holograms overlaid on the equipment in operation or maintenance.

Mixed reality together with AI presents a human-first interface that promises to transform real-world operations. Now, Copilot can assist industrial workers in real-time with speech and holograms.

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides capabilities
Here are the capabilities we plan to unlock with Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides:

Point and Ask Guidance
Woman in a HoloLens 2 gestures with her index finger at a machine. The part she points to is lit up with a holographic outline.
Humans have always learned from and interacted with their environment in a hands-on manner, asking questions of others as they work. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides builds on that natural way of interacting to help workers better understand the world around them. Workers can point to a component on an asset and ask Copilot questions, such as “What is the torque limit for these bolts?” New workers can ask general questions, such as “What is the function of this component?” without needing to interrupt a more experienced coworker. Copilot recognizes what the user is pointing at and provides answers. 3D models and spatial maps provide the foundation for the technology to identify what the worker is looking at and then project a hologram to show instructions. Workers can ask more complex questions, such as “Which direction does this part fit?” or “Show me where the sensor module is on this machine,” and Copilot will display holograms to show where the part belongs.

Spatial Content Generation
Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides accelerates the out-of-the-box value of mixed reality by significantly reducing the upfront investment needed to create spatial content. Copilot simplifies the creation, management, and delivery of mixed reality content using customer-defined data sources, enabling companies to adopt mixed reality much faster.

Step-by-Step Assistance
A well lit desk and machine in a dim office displays steps to completing the work at hand. There are blue and yellow holograms, highlighting the asset and pointing to steps 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, large language models allow Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides to do far more than answer one-off questions. Workers can have progressive conversations, such as “Walk me through the steps to disassemble this filtration unit,” or “I disconnected the motor, what’s next?” Copilot follows along with the process and conversation using customer’s curated knowledge base to articulate answers with speech, text, or 3D holograms, eliminating ambiguity and reducing the need for rework.

On-demand Information
A woman is engaged in deep work in front of a tall machine. Around her are holographic infographics displaying the relevant data she needs to reference.
With connections to the Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, operational data, and service records, Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides can answer questions, such as “What is the current humidity rating?” or “When was this last inspected, and were there any concerns?” HoloLens 2 allows Copilot to pinpoint specific assets, identify them, and access relevant information sources in real time. Frontline workers can access rich information to troubleshoot or repair with AI assistance in the context of their work.

Expert Knowledge Integration
Often only a more experienced worker has the knowledge required to complete a complex task or repair a vital piece of equipment. When that worker is unavailable or retires, that knowledge is lost. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides can leverage notes or call transcripts from previous expert activity to guide new workers through the same process. This makes it easier and faster for workers to learn from each other and automate internal knowledge transfer—bolstering workforce productivity and business agility.

Streamlined Documentation
Workers will be able to use Copilot in Dynamics 365 Field Service mobile to speed up the process of completing and documenting their work. Instead of filling out paperwork, workers can simply describe their progress to Copilot using their voice. Copilot will provide suggestions to efficiently check off service tasks, add notes, and update product quantities as well as statuses, accelerating data entry.

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides transforms the real world into a prompt and an anchor for AI. Keeping human agency at the center of the product, this tool radically transforms how computing technology can help frontline workers take action in the real world. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides holds significant potential for businesses seeking greater efficiency and effectiveness in their operations.

Dynamics 365 Guides
Empower employees with step-by-step holographic instructions

Explore
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Deploy Dynamics 365 Guides and Remote Assist today
The private preview for Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides is launching today with a limited set of customers and capabilities. The upcoming public preview of Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides will be available first on HoloLens 2, and we are planning to bring this capability to mobile devices. Interested customers can get started today by deploying Dynamics 365 Guides and Remote Assist on either HoloLens 2 or mobile devices as the first step.

Microsoft believes that when you create technologies that can change the world, you must also ensure that the technology is used responsibly. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides is developed in alignment with Microsoft’s responsible AI standards, and consistent with our long-standing commitment to data security and privacy, helping to ensure AI systems and solutions that are trustworthy and safe.

Learn more about Microsoft Ignite 2023 announcements for Dynamics 365 and industry transformation.

The post Introducing Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides, bringing generative AI in mixed reality to frontline workers appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Today, many organizations feel their workers are not empowered or digitally well-equipped. Manufacturers struggle with high turnover and the challenge of training and upskilling new workers. Downtime and worker productivity remain nearly universal issues.

To help address these issues, Microsoft is investing in frontline worker enablement across a broad range of technologies. This includes new solutions to help frontline workers deliver exceptional service with next-generation AI, as well as on our ongoing investment in mixed reality hardware and solutions. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides cultivates collaborative environments where people put knowledge into action. Here are three ways mixed reality is addressing frontline worker training, support, and knowledge transfer across industries:

1. Resolve issues quickly with remote support and collaboration

Unplanned downtime is costly. The average manufacturer confronts over 800 hours of equipment downtime a year, or 15 hours per week. Industrial manufacturers consequently spend almost USD50 billion on downtime every year.¹ In these high-pressure situations, communication across functions can either speed resolution or create blockers to forward progress.

Historically, manufacturing environments fostered knowledge silos with valuable insights confined to individuals, groups, or departments. Mixed reality shifts this dynamic. Workers can share real-time, situational video of their environment, allowing others to experience it firsthand—regardless of location. Expert guidance, troubleshooting, or step-by-step instructions are immediate. This eliminates the need to travel, while minimizing downtime and production disruptions.

Gone are the days where access to experts, communication barriers, or information silos dictate how knowledge is shared or when assets are repaired. Working on assembly or service lines requires specialized skills and expertise. Access to individuals with the relevant, hands-on experience, however, is not always possible. With Dynamics 365 Guides, when specialized skills are required, experts are a Microsoft Teams call away. 

Together, Dynamics 365 Guides and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist with Teams connect workers beyond their physical limits. A communication hub, Teams enables collaboration across the workforce. Its integration with Dynamics 365 Guides allows workers to extend this to the physical world on any device.

2. Accelerate training with information in context

Frontline workers are the backbone of industry operations. These roles demand technical savvy, quick decision-making, and resiliency. Traditional in-place training and onboarding processes are often ineffective or add to the cognitive burden of overwhelmed frontline workers.

Hands-on training with physical assets is expensive, time-consuming, and at times dangerous. Inconsistent quality or impersonal training is often the result. However, holographic environments can mitigate these on-ramping risks. Embracing mixed reality accelerates learning by introducing relevant, task-specific knowledge in new immersive and data rich environments.

Using 3D models and digital twins, frontline workers receive a better understanding of the machines and processes at hand. Related materials are retrieved or amended instantly, nurturing knowledge exchange, which is further enhanced by AI. Mixed reality is the eyes and ears of AI. Delving into operation nuances for personalized, in-depth learning becomes easier. When integrated, mixed reality and AI accelerate worker training, shortening steps and supplying users with the working knowledge they need for the task at hand.

With Dynamics 365 Guides frontline and service workers can start accelerating their role-based knowledge today. Workers receive purpose-built, interactive guidance on complex machinery, assembly protocols, or maintenance steps when and where they need it.

3. Ensure transfer of information, insights, and skills

As employees near retirement, their wealth of expertise needs to be captured and shared. These experts understand the assets and processes that keep production moving. Retaining and transferring that knowledge is vital. There’s just one problem: Manufacturing is experiencing a talent exodus. Globalization, unemployment, and a rapidly aging workforce together are compounding operational challenges. Organizations are rightfully concerned. One-third of manufacturing executives claim retaining and replacing high-performing employees as a strategic priority in 2023.² Mixed reality is poised to help solve this by capturing information for informed decision-making and greater productivity.

Mixed reality facilitates knowledge retention and transfer across an organization through the creation of immersive experiences and simulations, regardless of location or device. The versatility of mixed reality makes up-skilling faster and more accessible. Dynamics 365 Guides offers industrial workers the opportunity to document unique situational processes and procedures not included in asset operating manuals. Step-by-step instructions, annotations, and “on the ground” insights are placed in context and immediately accessible throughout the day.

With Dynamics 365 Guides embedded in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service mobile, mixed reality is democratized for every worker. Organizations now have asset, maintenance, and service information at their fingertips. This combination in one app improves worker accuracy, productivity, and efficiency—while offering powerful guidance on the device at hand.

Realize your future manufacturing potential

Mixed reality is a key part of an emerging technology category known as the industrial metaverse. Its foundational cross-platform technologies—including AI, cloud to edge, digital twins, machine learning, and mixed reality—are shifting our relationship with data from stationary to dynamic experiences.

Mixed reality is an essential glue that visualizes the diverse elements of the industrial metaverse. Seamlessly integrating the physical and digital, mixed reality creates immersive experiences that transcend traditional industrial operations. Guides overlays information atop real-world assets and scenarios, making knowledge available in context where it is needed most.

Prepare your workforce for their smart manufacturing future with mixed reality. Learn how Dynamics 365 Guides can help realize tangible business outcomes.  

¹Manufacturing Without Unplanned Downtime Could Become A Reality Sooner Than You Think, Forbes.

²2023 Manufacturing Industry Outlook, Deloitte.

The post 3 ways mixed reality empowers frontline workers appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.