Microsoft is set to introduce new AI tools for PCs and cloud platforms at its annual Build conference, as indicated by a session schedule released on Wednesday. Earlier in January, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella informed analysts that 2024 would mark the year when “AI will become a fundamental component of every PC.” The agenda for Microsoft’s May conference aligns with this objective. With substantial revenue growth reported from clients utilizing AI models on its Azure public cloud, Microsoft aims to sustain this momentum by launching new AI capabilities for developers.
Mustafa Suleyman, the new head of Microsoft AI and co-founder of DeepMind (acquired by Google in 2014), will join Nadella and other longstanding executives for the keynote address at the conference in Seattle. Suleyman, who recently joined Microsoft from Inflection AI, will share the stage during this event. For years, Windows users have been able to enhance their experience by installing PowerToys, an open-source collection of utilities featuring tools like an image-resizing widget and a keyboard shortcut customization program. At Build, Microsoft will introduce a new Advanced Paste feature, leveraging AI models that operate directly on PCs, eliminating the need to send data to the cloud for processing.
The software giant will also unveil new AI capabilities “enabling users to engage more deeply with their digital experiences on Windows,” as described in a session overview. Developers will have the opportunity to integrate these functionalities into their Windows applications.
In line with this initiative, Microsoft launched Surface PCs in March, equipped with a Copilot button for instant access to the company’s chatbot. These devices are powered by Intel processors. Over the years, Microsoft has focused on enhancing the user experience on Windows PCs by utilizing energy-efficient chips based on the Arm architecture, as opposed to the conventional x86 model used by Intel. At Build, Microsoft will elaborate on how Windows applications can leverage Arm-based neural processing units (NPUs) for AI capabilities.
Organizations developing their own chatbots in Azure AI Studio will be introduced to new AI safety features designed to reduce the chances of models generating content related to sex, violence, or posing security threats. Microsoft is also working to streamline the overall user experience with Azure. Additionally, the company will discuss upcoming improvements to the Copilot chatbot in Azure, which is currently in preview mode and accessible to selected clients.