Microsoft unveils new artificial intelligence tools Copilot Azure, Copilot for Service and Copilot Studio at Ignite event

Microsoft has announced a set of new AI-powered tools to help developers and enterprises build, deploy and manage intelligent applications at its Ignite event. The new tools are Copilot Azure, Copilot for Service and Copilot Studio, and aim to simplify and accelerate the development process with code generation, automation and optimization features.

Copilot Azure is a cloud-based service that generates code snippets for common tasks and scenarios using natural language queries. Developers can use Copilot Azure to quickly write code for Azure services, such as building a web application, connecting to a database, or adding authentication. Copilot Azure leverages the power of GitHub Copilot, a code suggestion tool that uses OpenAI Codex, a deep learning system that can generate code from natural language.

Copilot for Service is a tool that helps developers create and manage chatbots and voice assistants with artificial intelligence technology. Copilot for Service enables developers to design conversation flows, integrate with various channels and services, and monitor and improve the performance of their bots. Copilot for Service also provides pre-designed templates and best practices for common use cases, such as customer service, reservations or e-commerce.

Copilot Studio is a tool that helps developers create and deploy AI-powered web and mobile applications. Copilot Studio provides a drag-and-drop interface for creating user interfaces, data models and business logic. Copilot Studio also generates code for the front-end and back-end of the application, using frameworks such as React, Angular or Flutter. Copilot Studio also integrates with Azure services, such as Cognitive Services, App Service or Cosmos DB.

Microsoft says these new tools will enable developers to create intelligent applications faster and easier, while reducing costs and errors. Microsoft also says these tools will democratize AI development, making it accessible to more people and organizations. Microsoft plans to release these tools in preview later this year.

Copilot, Microsoft’s brand of generative AI technologies, promises to be a major revenue stream for the company, with one analyst predicting it could generate $10 billion in annualized revenue by 2026. Despite a staggered and somewhat confusing launch, 40% of Fortune companies According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, 100 were testing Copilot in the fall. Forrester predicts, meanwhile, that 6.9 million U.S. knowledge workers will be using some form of Copilot by 2024.

And so Microsoft’s quest to grow the technology continues.

During Microsoft Ignite 2023, the company introduced three new Copilot offerings in its software and services portfolio: Copilot for Azure, Copilot for Service and Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides. The company also launched Copilot Studio, a new platform that provides tools to connect Copilot for Microsoft 365 (the Copilot in apps such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint, as well as Microsoft’s Edge browser and Windows) with third-party data.

Copilot for Azure

Copilot for Azure, which is now available in preview, is Microsoft’s answer to the recently announced Duet AI in Google Cloud. Like Google’s AI, Copilot for Azure takes the form of a chat-based assistant for cloud customers that suggests configurations for applications and environments and helps with troubleshooting by identifying potential problems and solutions.

«Microsoft Copilot for Azure is integrated into the Azure platform, directly in the Azure portal where IT teams work,» Erin Chapple, CVP of Azure design and core products, told TechCrunch in an email interview. «Through a unified chat experience, they can easily ask questions, get feedback on their workloads, infrastructure and cloud functionality, and take action.»

Service co-pilot

Copilot for Service is a new feature of Microsoft’s Power Platform that aims to help service teams deliver better customer experiences through AI. Copilot for Service leverages natural language processing (NLP) to analyze customer feedback and sentiment across channels such as email, chat and social media. It then provides recommendations to improve service quality and customer satisfaction.

«Copilot for Service helps service teams understand what customers are saying, feeling and expecting across all touch points,» said Alysa Taylor, CVP of enterprise applications and global industry at Microsoft, in a blog post. «It also helps them take action on customer feedback by creating cases, tasks and workflows in Power Platform.»

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides

Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides is a new feature of Microsoft’s mixed reality platform that allows users to create and consume interactive guides using voice commands and gestures. Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides uses AI to understand user intent and context and provide relevant guidance and feedback.

«Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides enables users to create and consume hands-free guides using natural language,» said Lorraine Bardeen, CVP of mixed reality enterprise applications at Microsoft, in a blog post. «It also provides real-time feedback on user performance and completion rates.»

Co-pilot study

Copilot Studio is a new platform that enables developers and business users to create custom Copilot experiences using their own data sources. Copilot Studio provides tools to connect data from a variety of sources, such as SharePoint, SQL Server and Salesforce, to Copilot for Microsoft 365. It also allows users to create custom NLP models and dialog flows for Copilot using a drag-and-drop interface.

«Copilot Studio democratizes the creation of intelligent assistants for everyone,» said Rajesh Jha, executive vice president of Microsoft’s experiences and devices group, in a keynote at Ignite. «With Copilot Studio, you can easily connect your data sources to Copilot and create personalized conversations that help you get things done faster and smarter.»