Last week, another edition of Microsoft Build took place. This year's event was focused on artificial intelligence, with new Copilot experience additions for Windows 11 and Edge, as well as new Bing AI and Copilot plugins for ChatGPT OpenAI. Key announcements also included the Microsoft Fabric analytics platform, the introduction of the Microsoft Dev Box for development environments, and upgrades within Microsoft Azure.
Microsoft Build is the largest annual conference organised by Microsoft and is aimed at software developers and engineers using Microsoft technologies. The event was all happening live in Seattle but sessions were also available to watch online. Microsoft announced platform features and provided in-depth sessions to developers and other professionals who leverage their tools.
Microsoft Build 2023 opened with a keynote speech by CEO Satya Nadella, who shared insights into the new era of artificial intelligence and announced the launch of Windows Copilot, Azure AI Studio, and Microsoft Fabric. Nadella's speech focused on advances and opportunities in software development. He began by reflecting on the historical progress of computing and the role of developers in driving innovation. He highlighted the concept of the Dream Machine and the continuing journey of technological progress.
At the event, Nadella introduced Azure AI Studio as a powerful toolkit that enables developers to seamlessly create and deploy cutting-edge AI applications. The Azure AI platform is a game changer for AI enthusiasts with robust capabilities and seamless navigation of the latest features. In addition, there was also the topic of AI security with Azure AI Safety.
Another announcement was that Bing will be integrated with ChatGPT, becoming the default way to search. This integration enables ChatGPT to provide users with up-to-date answers and relevant quotes sourced directly from the web, enhancing the search capabilities of the chat interface. The integration aims to make AI more accessible and valuable to a wider audience, leveraging ChatGPT's ability to understand and summarise web content, and combining it with Bing's search capabilities.
Microsoft’s CEO also introduced Microsoft Fabric, a comprehensive analytics platform that is aimed at "revolutionising the usage of data". Microsoft Fabric seamlessly integrates Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Power BI, enabling data and business professionals to unlock the potential of their data assets. Microsoft claims that by leveraging generative artificial intelligence and enabling data-driven decision-making, developers can gain valuable insights and drive organisational growth and innovation.
The integration of Copilot software into Windows was also announced. Windows Copilot serves as a centralised hub for accessing intelligent functions, allowing users to focus on their ideas and complex projects without having to switch between multiple applications. The integration provides many capabilities beyond basic tasks, offering a seamless and easily accessible personal assistant within the Windows operating system.
All the news that was presented during Microsoft Build can be found in the Book of News, which was set up for easy community access to the latest updates.