Microsoft News

• Blockchain Council
• September 02, 2024

Microsoft Build 2024, Key Announcements in AI and Data Security

Microsoft’s annual developer conference, Microsoft Build 2024, took place in Seattle this week, running from May 21-23. The event attracted around 200,000 registrants, with 4,000 attending in person. CEO Satya Nadella led the keynote, announcing several significant updates for developers and businesses.

One of the main highlights was Team Copilot, an upgrade to Microsoft’s existing Copilot assistant. Team Copilot helps with tasks like managing agendas, taking notes, and providing context-based answers. It will enter a preview phase later this year for selected Microsoft 365 customers.

Nadella also talked about the new features of Microsoft Copilot Studio, which allows developers to create their own Copilots. These capabilities are part of an Early Access Program, with wider availability expected later this year. Additionally, Copilot extensions were announced, which enable connections to new sources and applications. The first set of these extensions, designed for GitHub, is already in private preview, allowing developers to enhance their GitHub experience.

Another major announcement was the introduction of Phi-3-vision, a new model that combines audio and visual capabilities. This model is part of Microsoft’s Phi-3 lineup, offering more affordable options for specific uses. These models can be accessed through Azure AI and Hugging Face platforms.

Microsoft also launched Real-Time Intelligence on Microsoft Fabric, an AI-driven analytics platform that helps businesses make quick decisions. This feature is currently in the preview stage.

For consumers, a new AI-powered real-time video translation feature in Microsoft Edge was introduced. This feature can translate videos from sites like YouTube, LinkedIn, Reuters, and Coursera into multiple languages. Initially, it supports translations from Spanish to English and vice versa, as well as from English to German, Hindi, Italian, and Russian. More languages and video platforms will be added soon.

Microsoft expanded its partnership with Hugging Face, a leading machine learning platform. This partnership aims to bring Hugging Face’s popular models to Azure AI studio, giving developers advanced tools for building scalable AI solutions.

Microsoft also announced a partnership with Khan Academy to improve math tutoring using the latest Phi-3 model. This aims to create affordable and adaptable tutoring solutions. More Khan Academy content will be integrated into Copilot and Teams for Education.

Another partnership was announced with Cognition AI, an AI startup specializing in software development on Azure. Cognition’s software agent, Devin, helps with tasks like code migration and modernization projects.

Microsoft also previewed its new custom silicon Arm-based processor, Cobalt 100. This processor, announced in November, offers a 40% improvement in performance for general and cloud-native workloads. Additionally, Microsoft is the first cloud provider to bring AMD’s MI300X AI accelerator chip to power customers’ AI needs through the Azure ND MI300X v5 series.

The conference featured many sessions, demos, and labs, focusing on opportunities with Microsoft Fabric, an AI-powered analytics platform promising high returns on investment with a quick payback period.

These updates come after a memo from Nadella to Microsoft employees, stressing the importance of prioritizing security over new features. This followed concerns over a 2023 Microsoft cloud email breach.

Microsoft’s AI Copilot PCs Set to Launch on June 18 with New Features

Microsoft is set to launch a new range of personal computers featuring advanced AI capabilities on June 18. These new devices, known as “Copilot+” PCs, were unveiled by CEO Satya Nadella during an event at the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington. In collaboration with manufacturers such as Acer and ASUS, Microsoft has developed these computers to handle AI tasks locally, without the need for cloud-based processing. The starting price for these AI-powered PCs is $1,000.

One standout feature of the Copilot+ PCs is called “Recall.” This feature logs all activities performed on the computer, including web browsing and voice chats, and stores this information in a searchable history. This allows users to easily access and retrieve past actions. Microsoft also showcased the Copilot+ voice assistant’s ability to act as a real-time virtual coach for users playing the “Minecraft” video game.

Yusuf Mehdi, head of consumer marketing at Microsoft, shared the company’s optimistic outlook, forecasting that 50 million AI PCs will be sold within the next year. He emphasized that the enhanced performance of AI assistants running directly on the PC will be a significant motivator for users to upgrade their systems. This launch coincides with a period of high investor confidence, as Microsoft’s stock is trading near record highs, driven by expectations that AI technology will substantially boost profits for Microsoft and other major tech companies.

Despite a 15% decline in global PC shipments last year, dropping to 242 million units according to Gartner, Microsoft is confident that the new Copilot+ PCs will capture a significant share of the market. The company expects these new AI features to attract a large number of buyers, potentially accounting for about one-fifth of all PC sales.

Ben Bajarin, an analyst at Creative Strategies, noted that the success of the Copilot+ PCs will depend on convincing consumers of the unique benefits offered by these AI-enhanced machines. This new category of computers is reminiscent of Intel’s 2011 “Ultrabook” campaign, which aimed to promote thin-form Windows laptops to rival Apple’s MacBook Air.

In addition to the Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft also introduced new models of its Surface Pro tablet and Surface Laptop. These devices are powered by Qualcomm chips based on Arm Holdings’ architecture and feature a new technology called Prism. Prism enables software designed for Intel and AMD chips to run on Arm-based devices, enhancing compatibility and performance.

During the event, Microsoft demonstrated the superior performance of its new devices compared to an Apple device, particularly when running Adobe’s photo editing software. This demonstration comes shortly after Apple announced a new AI-focused chip, which is expected to be used in its future laptops.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips, which include a neural processing unit to accelerate AI applications like Copilot, are central to Microsoft’s strategy of transitioning the Windows operating system to Arm-based chip designs. Although Qualcomm has held exclusivity on Microsoft Windows devices, this agreement is set to expire this year, potentially allowing other chip designers, such as Nvidia, to enter the market.

Recently, OpenAI and Google showcased new AI technologies capable of real-time voice interactions, a challenging milestone for AI voice assistants. Google also revealed new generative AI features for its search engine, further intensifying the competition.

The pressure on Windows PC makers has increased since Apple began using custom chips based on Arm designs, which offer Mac computers superior battery life and performance. Microsoft’s partnership with Qualcomm, initiated in 2016, has been a key element in its effort to bring Arm-based chips to Windows PCs. With Qualcomm’s exclusivity nearing its end, the market may soon see contributions from other chip designers, marking a new phase in personal computing technology.