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.
Türkiye has sent a draft proposal to Iraq aiming to renew and broaden their energy agreement to include cooperation on oil, gas, petrochemicals, and ...
Russian forces launched attacks on two areas in Ukraine's border Sumy region, where Moscow has established a presence in recent months....
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $620 million sale of a Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System to Bulgaria, the Pentagon announc...
Pakistan’s top diplomat Ishaq Dar met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York to discuss key regional and global issues, including In...
Ukraine has secured major new military commitments from its allies during the 29th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting, including expanded ai...
Microsoft (MSFT.O) is collaborating with the French government to create a digital twin of Paris' iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, the country's most visited landmark, the company's president Brad Smith announced on Monday.
Microsoft has ceased using China-based engineers to support U.S. Defense Department cloud systems, following a ProPublica investigation. Pentagon leadership and Congress reacted swiftly, prompting a two-week review of all such cloud contracts by Defense Secretary Hegseth.
Matt Turnbull, executive producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing, faced criticism after a LinkedIn post recommending artificial intelligence tools to help employees deal with the emotional impact of job cuts.
Microsoft is closing its direct operations in Pakistan after 25 years, shifting to a partner-led model to serve the market.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
Scientists in Hong Kong say they have developed a method to turn lunar soil into water, oxygen and fuel. The innovation could reduce the need to ship supplies to the Moon and support future deep space missions.
Kazakhstan has unveiled Central Asia’s top supercomputer to power AI and e-services.
Netflix has used generative artificial intelligence to produce a visual effects scene in an original series for the first time, marking a new step for the streaming platform.
Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot Grok has come under global scrutiny after users reported it using offensive language. It prompted warnings from experts that human intervention in its responses proves the need for a global AI ethical framework.
Major American corporations unveiled over $90 billion in new investments focused on AI and energy during the Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University on Tuesday. The announcements come as President Donald Trump pushes to cement U.S. leadership in the booming tech and energy sectors
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment