We advance science and technology to benefit humanity
About Microsoft Research
For nearly 35 years, Microsoft Research has shaped the technology people use every day. We have accomplished this through a commitment to hiring the world’s top minds and giving them the autonomy, resources, and support to conduct research in the areas they believe are most important to society and the planet. We take an interdisciplinary approach to research—collaborating with other researchers in academia, government, and industry as well as with Microsoft product teams to shape roadmaps and product innovation.
With research labs across the globe and mission-focused efforts in areas like scientific discovery and human health, Microsoft Research conducts fundamental science and technology research that benefits humanity, advances AI and state-of-the-art computing, and creates new foundations and breakthroughs for others to build upon. Whether you’re using a smartphone, benefiting from medical AI, or relying on cloud services, chances are Microsoft Research played a role in making it possible. Join us and change millions of lives for the better.
“Microsoft Research is powered by brilliant, endlessly inquisitive individuals.”
—Peter Lee, President, Microsoft Research
Research
culture
We are rigorous and objective: since its founding in 1991, Microsoft Research has been committed to an academic research approach that advances our understanding of the world and how we use technology to interact with it, and with each other.
We take calculated risks: as an industrial research lab, we contribute ideas that help improve Microsoft’s existing products and services and clear paths to new businesses – but we start from a place of curiosity and exploration. This leads us to take on challenges with an eye toward the longer-term benefit and a willingness to learn from failure as we explore new frontiers.
We show and share our work: over the past thirty years, our research community and collaborators have published tens of thousands of papers and released hundreds of open-source projects and datasets. Nearly all of the research we produce is shared with the research community.
We move the conversation forward: Alongside new papers and new inventions, conversations and constructive debate are key to advancing the state of the art across all the sciences and to aligning the research community with the people its research aims to serve. That’s why we share much of our research through conferences, events, and other forums where these important dialogues take place.
We engage with the entire research ecosystem: we work across disciplines – from social sciences to economics, to mathematics and physics and collaborate across the boundaries between research and engineering and with our peers in academia, industry, and government. We learn, build, and amplify research as we convene within the research ecosystem and co-create research that impacts society and the world.
Meet the people who make it possible
We work collectively to make Microsoft Research a welcoming and productive space for all researchers. Our researchers have the opportunity to create and pursue a research agenda with our group’s diverse array of researchers and practitioners, as well as contribute to ongoing research projects.
Engage with us
Academic conferences
Events provide opportunities to meet our community of researchers, learn about exciting research topics, and grow your network.
Microsoft Research Forum
Microsoft Research Forum is a virtual series highlighting purposeful research and its real-world impact, from fundamental exploration to advancing AI responsibly, scaling innovation through products and open source, and driving positive change for society.
Academic programs
Microsoft recognizes the value of diversity in computing and aims to increase the pipeline of talent receiving advanced degrees in computing-related fields.
Research tools
We maintain an index of datasets, models, SDKs, APIs, and other open-source code created by Microsoft researchers and shared with the broader academic community.
Labs & locations
Microsoft Research is a research community that works across a network of regional labs and mission-oriented organizations. Learn more about our labs and missions.
Careers in research
Join a brilliant team of researchers working to solve technology’s most exciting challenges. Come as you are. Do what you love.