Microsoft adds a chief scientific officer to its upper leadership in the wake of AI chief Harry Shum's retirement

• Microsoft promoted Eric Horvitz - a longtime technical fellow and Microsoft Research director - to chief scientific officer, a new C-suite role at the company.
• Peter Lee, head of Microsoft Healthcare, will now oversee all of Microsoft Research and continue running the company's health care business.
• The changes come in the wake of the February retirement of Harry Shum, the executive charged with overseeing the artificial intelligence strategy for the entire company.
• Horvitz will take over some of the strategic AI leadership for Microsoft at a critical time.
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Microsoft named a new chief scientific officer and a new head of its Microsoft Research arm, in an executive shuffle kicked off by the retirement of Harry Shum, the executive charged with overseeing the artificial intelligence strategy for the entire company.

The company promoted Eric Horvitz - a longtime technical fellow and Microsoft Research director - to chief scientific officer, Microsoft confirmed. Peter Lee, head of Microsoft Healthcare, will now oversee all of Microsoft Research and continue running the company's health care business.

Microsoft created the chief scientific officer role for Horvitz. His job will be to "provide cross-company leadership on advances and trends on scientific matters, and on issues and opportunities rising at the intersection of technology, people, and society," Microsoft said in an email to Business Insider.

Horvitz and his organization will advise Microsoft on "scientific directions and capabilities," including what Microsoft described as "critical areas" such as artificial intelligence.

The changes come at the behest of Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott, who took over Shum's group and duties before Shum retired in February. Those responsibilities included overseeing the company's AI strategy, research and development on infrastructure, services, and apps, and AI-focused product groups including Bing.

Shum's departure comes at a critical time for Microsoft's AI research and business - which Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said will play a key role in the company's future - and it appears Horvitz will be responsible for providing some of the companywide guidance on AI that Shum would have.

Lee, meanwhile, will lead the Microsoft Research organization and the teams that incubate "new research-powered business opportunities," Microsoft said.