Bytes - Smarter together
Bytes - Smarter together

Key Announcements from Microsoft Build

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Writer/editor: Kathryn Piper

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Introduction

Find out the latest innovations and insights shared at Microsoft Build, around topics such as Copilot(s), generative AI, securing applications, cloud platforms, low-code, and more.

Key announcements were made around:

  • Copilots + PCs: with a brand-new AI-chip (NPU) these are the fastest, most intelligent PCs from Microsoft
  • Copilot stack: putting Copilot into the hands of developers so they can build their own Copilots

Keep reading to find out more.

How Azure helps developers build transformational AI experiences 

  • GPT-4o, OpenAI's new flagship model is now generally available through Azure OpenAI Service. Integrating text, vision, and audio capabilities, setting new standards for generative and conversational AI experiences. 
  • Azure AI Studio - Explore the latest AI tools, orchestrate multiple interoperating APIs and models, grounding data and metaprompts. Test AI innovations, deploy at scale with continuous monitoring. Now generally available.
  • Expansion of frontier and open LLMs and SLMs - Providing flexibility to choose based on business needs. 
  • Responsible AI enhancements - Includes Prompt Shields and Groundedness Detection. Custom categories will be coming soon. 
  • GitHub Copilot for Azure - Now in private preview, developers can build, troubleshoot and deploy applications on Azure all from within Copilot Chat.
  • AKS Automatic - In public preview, this provides the easiest managed Kubernetes experiences for developers, DevOps and platform engineers. 

The new era of compute power Azure AI Solutions

  • Azure's latest AI infrastructure Virtual Machine is now generally available - Microsoft is the first cloud provider to bring AMD's versatile MI300x AI accelerator chip to empower customers. 
  • Azure Compute Fleet - In public preview this new service simplifies the provisioning of Azure compute capacity across different virtual machine types.
  • Azure Cobalt 100 Arm-based Virtual Machines - In public preview, this is the first custom-designed CPU for running general-purpose workloads on the Microsoft cloud.

Real-time insights with AI-powered analytics in Microsoft Fabric

  • Real-Time intelligence - Synapse Real-Time Analytics for data streaming analysis and Data Activator for real-time detection and monitoring of data.
  • Microsoft Fabric Workload Development for ISVs - In public preview, this helps ISVs extend existing applications natively within the Microsoft Fabric Framework. 
  • Azure Databricks - Soon you will be able to access Azure Databricks Unity Catalog directly in Microsoft Fabric as well as leverage Vector Search capabilities in Azure Databricks. 

New agent capabilities in Microsoft Copilot

  • Team Copilot - Expanding Copilot beyond a personal assistant, to act as a valuable member of your team. Team Copilot acts on behalf of a team, but you're always in control - assigning tasks or responsibilities to Copilot so your team can be more productive, collaborative and creative, together. 
  • Custom Copilots - In early access program. These will work independently under your direction to automate long-running business processes, leverage memory to bring in context, record exception requests and more. There will also be an option to create custom Copilots from SharePoint.
  • New Copilots extensions - It'll be easier to customise Microsoft Copilot actions. Developers can built these extensions using either Copilot Studio or Teams Toolkit for Visual Studio.
  • Copilot connectors in Copilot Studio - Making it easier and faster for developers. 
  • AI recorder in Power Automate - In early access program. Creates a more natural, multimodal experience. 

Innovate with Windows Copilot Runtime and Copilot+ PCs

  • Copilot+ PCs - The most intelligent PCs ever built. AI infused, powered by NPUs, this new class of devices allows app developers to deliver differentiated AI experiences to bring great benefits, minimal latency, cost efficiency, data privacy and more.
  • Extending the Microsoft Copilot stack to Windows with Windows Copilot Runtime - Build great AI experiences wherever you are on your AI journey. 
  • Other announcements such as: Introducing Phi Silica state of the art SLM, native support for PyTorch, environments in DevHome

Next steps

Read the Book of News, the Official Microsoft Blog, and the hero blogs and resources linked above to learn more about our key announcements.  

Tune in to watch Microsoft Build sessions live and on demand.

Want to speak to a specialist about any of the above in more detail? Email [email protected] or speak to your Bytes Account Manager today and we'll help you with next steps!

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