Microsoft has unveiled a new commitment to help close the digital divide by creating new products and programs that will help bring social and economic opportunity to the estimated 5 billion people who do not have the privilege of benefiting from technology.

Through the expansion of Microsoft Unlimited Potential, the company is renewing and accelerating its commitment to use technology, training and partnerships to transform education, foster local innovation, and enable jobs and opportunities to sustain a continuous cycle of social and economic growth.

"All human beings deserve a chance to achieve their full potential," said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. "Bringing the benefits of technology to the next 5 billion people will require new products that meet the needs of undeserved communities; creative, new business approaches that make technology more relevant, accessible and affordable; and close collaboration between local governments, educational institutions and community organizations."

Gates said that Microsoft will focus on education, innovation, and jobs and economic opportunity.

"Computers and connectivity are still too expensive for private ownership by the poor, and applications as well as information resources that are appropriate to this group have been slow to emerge, in part because the poor themselves have not been involved in creating them," said C.K. Prahalad, author and professor at the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business. "In order to help create the applications and start the business dynamo that unleashes their potential, the people at the bottom of the pyramid need to have reliable, affordable access to technology and to learn computing skills."

To help expand education opportunities worldwide, Microsoft is partnering with government, intergovernmental organizations, academic and industry leaders to facilitate access to high-quality education through dynamic, learner-focused technologies and resources.

Microsoft recognizes that one of the best enhancements to any education system is to amplify the impact of high-quality teachers. The company's five-year, $250 million investment in its Partners in Learning program is already active in 101 countries, with training that has equipped 2.5 million teachers and reached more than 57 million students across these countries. In addition, through the Partners in Learning program, over 722,000 teachers and students have achieved certification on Microsoft technology. Microsoft also works with industry partners to help guide teachers with the integration of technology into lesson plans and curricula through programs including Intel Corporation's Teach to the Future and UNESCO's ICT Competency Standards for Teachers.

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