What is Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and how does it work?

I'm learning Microsoft Azure and cloud-native application development, and I often come across Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). I understand that it's a managed Kubernetes service, but I'm not sure how it simplifies container orchestration or why organizations choose it over managing Kubernetes clusters themselves.

Can someone explain what Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is, how it works, and its key features, such as automated cluster management, scaling, load balancing, monitoring, and integration with other Azure services? A simple real-world example of deploying and managing containerized applications with AKS would also be very helpful.