Microsoft continues to accelerate its efforts to integrate artificial intelligence technology into Windows software, competing with Alphabet, Amazon.com, and Apple to dominate the rapidly growing field.
At a developer conference in Seattle, Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella highlighted new application programming interfaces (APIs) designed to simplify the incorporation of Microsoft’s AI technology for developers.
The company announced that 1.8 million developers are now using Github Copilot, Microsoft’s generative AI tool that enhances computer programmers’ productivity.
“What stands out to me as I look back at this past year, is how you all as developers have taken all of these capabilities and are applying them, quite frankly, to change the world around us,” Nadella said during his keynote speech at the Build conference.
Microsoft also introduced new features for its Copilot AI software, which supports business productivity applications like email and the Teams video and text chat platform. This announcement follows a similar move by Alphabet’s Google, which recently launched a suite of AI tools aimed at improving office applications at their developer conference.
In addition, Microsoft revealed plans to offer its cloud computing customers a platform using AMD AI chips, challenging Nvidia’s dominance in AI computing. This platform, created by Microsoft, employs Nvidia’s Infiniband networking technology to connect the processors.
As the largest investor in OpenAI, Microsoft leverages the AI company’s technology within its own products.
On Monday, Microsoft introduced a line of Copilot+ personal computers featuring AI capabilities, including software that allows users to search through their past actions across nearly any application. These new computers are powered by Qualcomm’s Arm-based processors.
According to Microsoft’s chief technology officer Kevin Scott, OpenAI’s new GPT-4 model, which operates on Microsoft’s infrastructure, is 12 times more cost-effective for developers compared to earlier versions of the technology.