Microsoft has introduced Azure AI Foundry, a rebranded and expanded version of its Azure AI Studio, to address the growing demand for tools that enable enterprises to develop, deploy, and manage generative AI applications. This announcement came during the company’s annual Ignite conference, where the service was presented as a comprehensive platform designed to support businesses in leveraging AI for innovation and operational efficiency.
Azure AI Foundry builds on the foundation of Azure AI Studio, which was launched in late 2023 and became generally available in mid-2024. Azure AI Studio provided tools for generative AI development, including model filtering, benchmarking, prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, agent building, AI safety measures, and low-code development features. It also integrated capabilities in speech, vision, and language, allowing developers to create multilingual apps with advanced voice and text recognition features.
The newly branded Azure AI Foundry goes beyond Azure AI Studio by incorporating additional tools and features. It includes the Azure AI Foundry portal (formerly Azure AI Studio), a dedicated software development kit (SDK), Azure AI Agents, and pre-built app templates. These components aim to streamline the development process, offering developers seamless integration with platforms like GitHub and Visual Studio while maintaining robust support for AI-based workflows. Microsoft emphasizes that this unified platform is designed to simplify AI application lifecycle management, from creation to deployment.
With Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft also introduces updates to its platform that enhance application development, enabling users to manage AI-powered tools more effectively. While the rebranding aligns with Microsoft’s broader AI strategy, the company has clarified that Azure AI Foundry is distinct from Microsoft Copilot Studio, which is a low-code tool specifically for chatbot customization. By unifying its offerings under Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft aims to provide businesses with a cohesive platform for advancing their AI capabilities.