Microsoft Build 2024: What's New & Exciting
Microsoft Build, the annual developer conference hosted by Microsoft, had concluded. This year's edition was a record-breaker, attracting over 200,000 registered participants and 4,000 attendees in person at Seattle. With over 60 exciting announcements, the focus was firmly on the transformative power of AI.
Table of Contents
- Key Takeaways from Microsoft Build 2024
- Announcements at Microsoft Build 2024
- Azure
- Copilot at Work
- Microsoft Edge
- Microsoft 365
- Power Platform
- Windows
- Conclusion
- FAQ
- References
From the latest advancements in AI for Windows to the much-anticipated expansion of Microsoft Copilot with its new features, the conference offered a treasure trove of innovative developer tools. Whether attendees sought cutting-edge solutions to drive innovation or cost-effective and user-friendly cloud options, Microsoft Build delivered.
Microsoft Build 2024 opened with a visionary keynote from CEO Satya Nadella, setting the stage for a transformative event. Nadella unveiled groundbreaking advancements in AI and developer tools, emphasizing Microsoft’s commitment to empowering creators and businesses alike.
The keynote highlighted the integration of AI across Microsoft’s suite of products, including Azure, Copilot at Work, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Windows, promising a new era of productivity and innovation.
With a focus on responsible AI development and seamless user experiences, Microsoft Build 2024’s opening address not only showcased the tech giant’s latest achievements but also charted a course for the future of digital collaboration and creation.
Here is the full keynote from the CEO
Key Takeaways from Microsoft Build 2024
Azure AI Enhancements
New features include custom generative modes, improved Azure AI Search, and Azure AI Studio for building custom copilots. Integration of multimodal capabilities with models like GPT-4o and Phi-3-vision.
Enhanced speech analytics and video dubbing for global accessibility. Partnerships, such as with Khan Academy, aim to personalize education using AI.
Azure Data and Infrastructure
Introduction of real-time intelligence in Microsoft Fabric and new AI capabilities in Azure Database for PostgreSQL. Azure Compute Fleet in preview for scalable processing, updates to Azure Migrate and Azure Container Storage, and new virtual machines optimized for AI and cloud-native workloads.
Developer Tools & DevOps
Improvements in .NET, AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code, and generative AI capabilities in Azure API Center. Significant updates to Azure App Service, Azure Container Apps, Azure Functions, and other services to enhance performance, security, and developer experience.
Microsoft 365 Enhancements
AI-powered custom copilots for SharePoint and Team Copilot for project management. Copilot Studio for creating next-gen copilot experiences and AI-driven features in Power Automate. Updates to Microsoft Teams and Loop for enhanced collaboration and real-time co-editing.
Microsoft Edge and Security
New security features like screenshot prevention and real-time video translation for enhanced user experience and privacy. AI-driven capabilities for video content translation and improved protections against data leaks.
Power Platform and Windows Updates
New features in Microsoft Dataverse for better data management and integration. Security enhancements for Power Pages and AI-driven updates in Power Apps for scalable app development.
Improved developer tools, better integration with popular development tools, and the introduction of the next generation of Windows on Arm for improved performance and compatibility.
Announcements at Microsoft Build 2024
Azure
At Microsoft Build 2024, Azure AI Services took center stage with a suite of enhancements and new features aimed at empowering developers and enterprises.
The announcement of Azure patterns and practices for private chatbots marked a significant step towards creating reliable, cost-efficient, and compliant AI-driven conversational agents.
In a move that promises to revolutionize personalized AI, Azure AI is set to introduce a custom generative mode, enabling the development of language models that can process complex documents with unprecedented precision.
The Azure AI Search has been updated to feature search relevance improvements and new integrations, now supporting native multimodal search capabilities that handle both text and images.
Azure AI Studio was unveiled, allowing developers to responsibly build and deploy custom copilots, leveraging language models and prompt flow to deliver value across various applications.
The Azure OpenAI Service now boasts key AI advancements, including the integration of new models and multimodal capabilities, such as GPT-4o, which combines text, vision, and audio.
A landmark partnership between Khan Academy and Microsoft aims to harness AI tools to personalize education and make learning more engaging. The addition of the large vision multimodal Phi-3 model, Phi-3-vision, to the Azure AI suite brings together language and vision capabilities, opening up new possibilities for AI applications.
Azure AI Content Safety has introduced new capabilities to ensure the safety and security of AI-generated content, with APIs to detect harmful text and images.
In the realm of speech technology, Azure AI Speech has launched speech analytics and video dubbing features in preview, enabling the translation of video files into multiple languages, thus enhancing global accessibility.
These announcements reflect Microsoft’s commitment to advancing AI technology and providing developers with the tools they need to innovate and create the future of AI-driven applications.
Moving on to Azure Data, Microsoft introduced Real-Time Intelligence in Microsoft Fabric, offering an end-to-end solution for event-driven scenarios and streaming data.
Although specific details were not provided, new AI capabilities in Azure Database for PostgreSQL and updates to Microsoft Fabric and Azure Cosmos DB were also highlighted, indicating a continued focus on enhancing data management and processing.
Azure Infrastructure saw the introduction of the Azure Compute Fleet in preview, providing scalable compute resources for large-scale processing tasks. Updates to Azure Migrate and Azure Container Storage were announced, aimed at improving migration and storage capabilities.
Additionally, a new series of Azure virtual machines optimized for AI and cloud-native workloads was introduced, showcasing Microsoft’s dedication to facilitating AI and cloud computing.
The Developer Community segment of the conference was abuzz with the announcement that Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub has gained AI capabilities, and new AI features for Microsoft Learn are now available, furthering the education and growth of AI skills among developers.
Developer Tools & DevOps received a plethora of updates, with .NET introducing improvements in C# 13 and performance enhancements across .NET libraries and frameworks. The AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code is now in preview, offering tools for AI application development.
Azure API Center now includes generative AI capabilities, enhancing Azure API Management services. Azure App Service, Azure Container Apps, Azure Functions, Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Service Bus, Azure Static Web Apps, and Dev Box all received significant updates, reflecting Microsoft’s commitment to improving performance, security, and developer experience.
Lastly, Microsoft Copilot capabilities in Azure were showcased, with the preview of Microsoft Copilot in Azure now open to all customers, offering AI-powered assistance across various Azure services.
This move signifies Microsoft’s vision of integrating AI into every aspect of cloud services, providing developers with an AI companion to aid in their creative and technical endeavors.
These comprehensive updates and new features presented at Microsoft Build 2024 are set to propel Azure AI Services to new heights, offering developers and enterprises the tools and capabilities they need to harness the power of AI and drive innovation in their respective fields.
Copilot at Work
At Microsoft Build 2024, Microsoft 365 unveiled significant enhancements that leverage AI to transform the workplace. SharePoint now allows users to create custom copilots, which act as AI-powered assistants, drawing from the wealth of information within SharePoint sites to provide expert-level responses.
These copilots can be seamlessly integrated across Microsoft 365 applications, including Teams and emails, to streamline workflows and improve productivity.
Further extending the capabilities of Microsoft Copilot, developers can now utilize Copilot extensions to tailor experiences and integrate external data sources. This customization is made possible through the use of large language models and Microsoft Graph, ensuring personalized and contextually relevant interactions within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
A notable addition to the suite is Team Copilot, a feature designed to act as a virtual team member. It aids in managing projects by taking notes, summarizing meetings, and tracking important deadlines. Integrated within Teams, Loop, Planner, and other Microsoft 365 apps, Team Copilot promises to enhance collaboration and efficiency.
On the Power Platform front, Copilot Studio marks a significant milestone, empowering users to create the next generation of copilot experiences.
This tool, which evolves from Power Virtual Agents, provides a robust authoring environment for designing and deploying custom copilots, now with the added capability of integrating OpenAI’s Custom GPT models.
Power Automate’s latest update introduces AI-driven features to automate processes and tasks, boosting organizational efficiency.
The new Copilot-assisted experiences simplify the creation of automation, while enhancements in cloud flows, desktop flows, and process mining underscore Microsoft’s commitment to innovation in AI and process automation.
These announcements from Microsoft Build 2024 highlight Microsoft’s dedication to embedding AI across its platforms, aiming to redefine productivity and streamline business processes across industries.
Microsoft Edge
During the Microsoft Build 2024 event, Microsoft Edge was highlighted with significant updates aimed at enhancing security and incorporating cutting-edge AI features.
For businesses, Microsoft Edge has ramped up its defenses against potential data leaks and vulnerabilities.
A standout feature is the introduction of screenshot prevention, which combats data exfiltration by displaying a blank screen when a screenshot is attempted.
This security measure is particularly crucial for sensitive content accessed through Copilot in the Edge sidebar, ensuring that the information remains protected.
In addition to security improvements, Microsoft Edge is set to revolutionize the way users interact with video content online. The browser will soon offer real-time video translation, an AI-driven feature that translates videos on-the-fly.
This will enable users to enjoy content in multiple languages, with initial support for translating Spanish and Korean audio into English subtitles or dubbing. The feature will also translate English content into several other languages, including Hindi, German, Italian, Spanish, and Russian.
This translation capability will be available on select platforms such as YouTube and LinkedIn, with plans to expand further. Notably, the translation process is designed to ensure user privacy by keeping all video and audio data on the device, preventing any external data transmission.
These enhancements to Microsoft Edge reflect Microsoft’s commitment to integrating AI into their products to improve user experience, while also prioritizing security and privacy.
The updates are a testament to the company’s dedication to innovation and providing users with tools that are not only powerful but also trustworthy.
Microsoft 365
During Microsoft Build 2024, Microsoft 365 showcased a suite of enhancements and new features, particularly emphasizing Modern Work and the collaborative ecosystem. The conference highlighted the integration of AI and real-time collaboration tools, reinforcing Microsoft’s vision for a more interconnected and efficient workplace.
One of the key highlights was the introduction of AI extensibility for Mesh, which is now in preview. This feature allows developers to weave AI functionalities into Mesh, creating more dynamic and interactive 3D collaborative spaces.
Users can now engage with AI within these virtual environments, enhancing productivity and the overall experience.
The Fluid Framework has advanced to version 2.0 and is currently in preview. This updated framework enhances real-time collaborative web applications with new features like improved transaction support and schema enhancements, making it a robust tool for developers.
Microsoft Teams Premium has been upgraded with new AI-powered features that offer intelligent meeting recaps, automated task generation, and action items.
Enhanced data protection measures have also been introduced, providing IT administrators with more control over recording and transcription permissions, ensuring meetings are both intelligent and secure.
Custom app experiences within Microsoft Teams have seen significant improvements.
These enhancements include noise suppression, picture-in-picture on mobile devices, PowerPoint Live, live reactions, file sharing, real-time transcription, and closed captions, all designed to enrich communication and collaboration.
Microsoft Teams and Loop have also received updates to foster more effective teamwork. New features allow for real-time co-editing of Loop components within Teams and the integration of adaptive card-based Loop components from services like Jira and Trello, enabling dynamic updates directly in chats and channels.
Lastly, SharePoint Embedded has reached general availability, allowing users to embed SharePoint content seamlessly within their applications.
This leverages SharePoint’s full capabilities for content management and collaboration, accessible within custom applications and experiences.
These announcements from Microsoft Build 2024 are a testament to Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing productivity and collaboration through innovative features and integrations across its suite of tools.
The focus on AI and real-time collaboration underscores the company’s dedication to creating a more connected and efficient workplace for users worldwide.
Power Platform
At Microsoft Build 2024, the Power Platform was a highlight, with several exciting announcements made. The Microsoft Dataverse is set to receive a host of new features that are currently in preview.
These features are designed to enhance data management and integration capabilities, providing developers with more sophisticated tools to construct efficient applications.
Among the updates are advanced data types, better data synchronization, and new APIs that offer increased flexibility and control over data operations.
In addition to the Dataverse updates, Power Pages is getting a security boost. New features have been introduced to help developers better monitor and protect their sites.
These include advanced threat detection, automated security scanning, and improved access controls.
These tools aim to provide real-time insights into potential vulnerabilities and ensure that Power Pages sites are safeguarded against the latest security threats.
Lastly, Power Apps has been updated to assist developers in building applications at scale. These updates bring new AI-driven capabilities that simplify app development processes, such as integrating natural language processing and machine learning.
There are also significant improvements in app lifecycle management tools, which offer enhanced support for large-scale deployments and governance. These updates reflect Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to providing developers with innovative tools that promote efficiency and creativity in application development.
Windows
During Microsoft Build 2024, significant updates to the Windows platform were unveiled, aimed at enhancing the developer experience. The improvements introduced are set to streamline the development process, offering a more intuitive and efficient environment for developers to work in.
These enhancements include better integration with popular development tools, a refined command-line interface, and updates to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), all designed to boost productivity and reduce the time developers spend on routine tasks.
A standout announcement was the introduction of the next generation of Windows on Arm, signaling a major leap forward for the platform. This update promises to bring improved performance and compatibility, making full use of the Arm architecture’s efficiency and connectivity features.
With this move, Microsoft is clearly committed to expanding the capabilities and reach of Windows on Arm devices.
The AI capabilities within the Windows developer ecosystem have also been expanded, with a suite of new tools and frameworks that integrate directly into the development environment.
These updates will allow developers to incorporate advanced machine learning models and cognitive services into their applications, paving the way for more intelligent and responsive software.
In terms of security, Windows has received a robust set of additions and updates. These new features are designed to protect the operating system and the applications running on it from modern security threats, ensuring that both developers and users can operate in a secure computing environment.
Lastly, Microsoft has recommended WinUI 3 and the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) as the native UI platforms for developers. These frameworks offer a comprehensive set of controls and tools for building modern user interfaces, guiding developers towards best practices for creating visually appealing and functional applications for Windows.
Conclusion
The announcements at Microsoft Build 2024 highlight a transformative year for Microsoft’s suite of tools and services, with a strong emphasis on integrating advanced AI capabilities to empower developers and enterprises alike.
From the significant upgrades in Azure AI and data management to the introduction of innovative features across Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Windows, Microsoft is clearly committed to driving innovation and efficiency in the tech ecosystem.
The enhancements to developer tools and security measures across their platforms underscore a vision of a more secure, productive, and AI-driven future. As these new features and tools are rolled out, they promise to redefine how businesses operate, collaborate, and leverage technology to achieve their goals.
Microsoft’s continued dedication to innovation ensures that its platforms will remain at the forefront of technological advancement, paving the way for new possibilities in the digital landscape.
FAQ
What are the new features announced for Microsoft 365 at Microsoft Build 2024?
Microsoft 365 has introduced several AI-powered features and enhancements. Notably, Edge for Business will now support screenshot prevention policies across Microsoft 365, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, Microsoft Intune Mobile Application Management, and Microsoft Purview.
Additionally, Microsoft Teams Premium is set to receive intelligent recap support, AI-generated meeting notes, tasks, and name mentions for meetings with transcription enabled, available from June 2024.
How is Copilot at Work being expanded in Microsoft Build 2024?
Microsoft Copilot Studio has unveiled new capabilities, allowing developers to create advanced copilots that function as independent agents.
These agents can manage and automate various business processes, integrate line-of-business data into copilot experiences, and publish new Copilot extensions.
Furthermore, enhancements to various Copilot products, including support for OpenAI’s GPT-4o and a Team Copilot for groups, have been announced.
What updates have been made to Microsoft Edge at Microsoft Build 2024?
Microsoft Edge has received a significant update with the introduction of real-time translation for videos, which can dub and add subtitles to select videos. This feature is particularly useful for hard-of-hearing users or those who wish to watch videos in different languages. Edge for Business will also implement screenshot prevention policies to secure against data exfiltration in the browser.
What are the latest developments for Power Platform announced at Microsoft Build 2024?
The Power Platform has seen new AI innovations that empower developers to create copilots that orchestrate business processes. Microsoft Copilot now works proactively, independently, and asynchronously, responding to data and events in the background to automate business processes. These new capabilities enable the building of copilots that act as agents running business processes and associated tasks.
References
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