Microsoft bets big on AI at Ignite 2023 with Copilot expansions, new generative tools across its products, custom AI chips to reduce GPU dependency, and updates to Teams, Windows, and Azure that integrate more AI capabilities.
Intro at Microsoft Ignite
Microsoft’s annual Ignite conference unveiled significant AI developments, new hardware, and updates to critical products.
Front and centre was the expansion of Copilot, Microsoft’s brand, for its generative AI capabilities. The Bing chatbot has been renamed Copilot in Bing to better compete with ChatGPT.
Copilot is now accessible across Microsoft 365 and Windows in addition to Bing.
New AI tools
Microsoft also announced new AI tools under the Copilot banner. Copilot for Azure provides a chat-driven assistant for cloud customers.
Copilot for Service taps AI to answer common customer service questions. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides uses AI to summarize helpful info for frontline workers.
Seeking to reduce dependency on GPUs, Microsoft also revealed two custom AI chips.
Microsoft Planner featuring a Copilot Assistant
Updates were unveiled across Microsoft’s collaboration tools. Teams video calls can now use AI to isolate voices and “decorate” backgrounds.
The company is consolidating its planning tools into a new Microsoft Planner experience featuring a copilot assistant.
Other AI highlights include easier local AI deployment on Windows devices with Windows AI Studio, text-to-speech avatar generation, and expanded copyright protections when using Azure OpenAI Service.
The multitude of AI-focused announcements at Ignite 2023 underscores Microsoft’s strategy of infusing more of its products and services with artificial intelligence capabilities.
