The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is undergoing a significant transformation. While chatbots remain a staple for basic, natural language self-service applications, the future of AI lies in more sophisticated, multimodal applications. These advanced systems, powered by large language models (LLMs) and other AI technologies, are set to function as self-organizing software agents. Unlike simple chatbots, these applications will require more intricate coding, rigorous testing, and enhanced safeguards to ensure their reliability and ethical deployment. This shift toward complex AI systems will demand a new approach to both development and deployment, pushing beyond the current capabilities of traditional tools.
As AI evolves, so too must the tools used to develop it. Microsoft has already made strides in this area with the introduction of Power Platform’s Copilot Studio, which helps developers create task-focused AI agents. However, as AI applications grow in complexity, these basic tools won’t be enough. The next generation of AI software will require more robust frameworks, such as Semantic Kernel, which provide the flexibility and scalability needed to build advanced AI systems. Yet even with these frameworks, developers will need new tools to keep up with the rapid advancements in AI technology and the increasing demands of enterprises.
Currently, many of Azure’s AI tools are geared toward creating grounded chatbots and enhancing the performance of large language models (LLMs) through frameworks like Prompt Flow. This setup uses retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to improve the capabilities of chatbots by adding external vector indexes. While this approach is effective for running Microsoft’s own Copilot services, enterprises will need more customizable tools to create tailored AI applications. As the complexity of AI grows, so does the need for tools that allow developers to create custom AI agents that are both effective and secure.
In response to these challenges, Microsoft unveiled the Azure AI Foundry SDK at Ignite 2024. This new platform is designed to integrate seamlessly into developers’ existing environments, including IDEs like Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code, as well as platforms like GitHub. Azure AI Foundry offers a comprehensive suite of tools for building, evaluating, and deploying large-scale AI applications. Unlike Azure AI Studio, which remains focused on managing models and applications, Azure AI Foundry places development resources directly within the tools that developers use daily, making it easier to work with AI at scale. This integration allows for a more streamlined workflow and provides developers with the resources they need to build next-generation AI systems, while also ensuring they have the necessary oversight and controls to maintain security and compliance.