Microsoft Build 2025: AI Tools, Agents, and Supercomputing

• Visual Studio & GitHub Copilot Upgrades:
  • Visual Studio adds .NET 10 support, live previews, enhanced Git tooling, and a new cross-platform debugger.
  • Visual Studio Code celebrates its 100th release with multi-window support and improved staging.
  • GitHub Copilot evolves into a fully autonomous coding agent and now supports simultaneous task handling for developers.
  • New “Copilot tuning” program enables fine control of agent behavior for enterprise use.
  • GitHub’s new AI coding agent can fix bugs, add features, and improve documentation on a developer’s behalf .
• Open-Sourced Copilot & Custom AI:
  • Copilot in Visual Studio Code is now open source, enabling deep customization.
  • Developers can tailor enterprise-grade AI models using private data and workflows.
  • Microsoft is also exploring independent model development to reduce reliance on OpenAI, including its Phi-4 model family.
  • Microsoft is enabling web developers to access on-device AI capabilities in its Edge browser through new cross-platform APIs, allowing integration of Microsoft’s Phi-4-mini model into web applications .
• Agentic Web Innovations:
  • Over 50 new AI tools introduced for building the “agentic web.”
  • The Agent Store lets developers share and monetize agents.
  • Grok 3.5 by xAI now integrated into Azure, enhancing accuracy by leveraging physical laws.
  • Foundry Agent Service supports declarative agents and multi-agent workflows.
  • Microsoft introduced NLWeb, a new open protocol designed to make AI-powered, natural language search capabilities accessible to any website or application .
• Data Infrastructure Upgrades:
  • Cosmos DB supports conversational history and AI-driven applications.
  • Microsoft Fabric unifies all data types for easier access and analysis.
  • New ETL tools allow for sentiment analysis and multimodal transformation (e.g., audio-to-text).
• Security, Compliance & Automation:
  • Entra ID enhances identity and access controls.
  • Integrations with ServiceNow and Workday automate governance and access provisioning.
  • Tools like Purview and Defender help meet regulatory standards and secure data.
• AI at the Edge & Platform Versatility:
  • Foundry Local allows development on Windows and Mac.
  • Windows AI Foundry is now public, enabling AI development across CPUs, GPUs, NPUs, and cloud platforms.
  • Microsoft is advancing its AI integration in Windows by supporting the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing AI apps to connect seamlessly with other software and services .
• Scientific Acceleration via Microsoft Discovery:
  • New AI platform “Microsoft Discovery” uses agentic AI to support research, simulation, and data analysis.
  • Live demo showed development of a new coolant using Discovery’s integrated workflows.
• Open Source & Developer Ecosystem:
  • Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is now fully open source.
  • NL Web transforms APIs and sites into interactive agentic applications.
  • Focus on openness in the agentic web aims to empower developers globally.
• Supercomputing Leap:
  • Azure becomes host to the world’s largest GB200-based supercomputer.
  • Enables hyper-scalable AI solutions across industries including healthcare and climate science.
• Accessibility and Real-World AI Use:
  • MyEngine AI tool supports hearing-impaired users, recognizing regional dialects.
  • Microsoft AI used in the NFL Combine and medical research for cancer treatment planning.

Why This Matters:

Microsoft’s Build 2025 presents a decisive moment for AI integration across products, platforms, and industries. By transitioning from assistance to autonomy, Microsoft’s ecosystem now enables developers and enterprises to build faster, smarter, and more secure applications with tailored, collaborative AI tools.