Microsoft announced on Monday that it will begin hosting AI models from Elon Musk's xAI, Meta Platforms, and European startups like Mistral and Black Forest Labs in its own data centers.
At the same time, it introduced a new AI-powered coding agent that can autonomously complete software development tasks.
These announcements came during Microsoft's annual Build developer conference in Seattle. They highlight Microsoft's shift in strategy, working with a broader range of AI companies instead of solely focusing on OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, which Microsoft has heavily supported in the past. Microsoft now aims to be a more neutral AI platform provider, expanding its services while managing costs.
CEO Satya Nadella emphasized that the new models from xAI, Meta, and others will have the same performance reliability as OpenAI's models hosted by Microsoft. He described the ability to "mix and match" models as a major advancement for developers.
One of the key highlights was an upgraded version of GitHub Copilot, known as a "coding agent". Unlike earlier versions that simply suggested code snippets, this new agent can take a basic prompt, like a bug report and a plan to fix it, and complete coding tasks independently. It then notifies the user to review the final result. This feature is similar to OpenAI's newly released "Codex" agent.
Microsoft also introduced Azure Foundry, a new service allowing businesses to build their own AI agents using any model they choose. These agents can be customized for specific tasks within a company and are expected to use a mix of models.
The company confirmed it would offer xAI's Grok 3 and Grok 3 Mini, Meta's Llama models, and other models from Mistral and Black Forest Labs. With these additions, Azure now hosts over 1,900 AI models.
Importantly, all these models will run directly within Microsoft’s data centers. This allows the company to guarantee performance and reduce outages, which are common when demand overwhelms AI systems. Microsoft also plans to add more popular models soon to further strengthen its AI offerings.
The Trump administration is pressing ahead with new immigration rules that will impose fixed time limits on visas for foreign students, cultural excha...
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for a renewed round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks during a two-day visit to Kyiv, as Ankara seeks to r...
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defen...
Microsoft is expected to announce a new round of job cuts as early as next week as the technology giant looks to reduce costs, according to reports.
A U.S. jury has ruled against Elon Musk in his lawsuit against OpenAI, finding the company not liable over claims it had abandoned its original mission to benefit humanity.
Meta Platforms will cut about 10% of its global workforce from 20 May, marking the start of a wider restructuring as the company increases spending on artificial intelligence (AI) and plans further layoffs later this year, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Australia’s eSafety regulator has asked gaming companies, including Microsoft and Roblox, to explain how they are protecting children from sexual exploitation and radicalisation.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
Space exploration just got sweeter as scientists say they have discovered a type of sugar called erythrulose in outer space.
Pakistan is set to become a founding member of the China-led World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelling to Shanghai on Thursday to sign the founding agreement during a two-day visit.
Beijing is using Shanghai’s artificial intelligence (AI) forum to promote its governance agenda and showcase domestic alternatives to U.S. technology.
Australia will establish an Office of AI to coordinate artificial intelligence standards and oversee major data centres as the government prepares new laws on their energy and water use, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday (15 July).
IBM has warned that a surge in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure is weighing on its core business, in one of the clearest signs yet of how the AI boom is reshaping the technology sector.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment