Microsoft’s artificial intelligence (AI) investment is everywhere – companies have been using the Copilot tool to craft exceptional emails, build customer journeys, collaborate more effectively and dig deep within their CRM platforms [Microsoft Copilot: The 2024 Productivity Revolution (mintgroup.net). It is also deeply embedded within the Microsoft Azure architecture, providing companies with the tools they need to achieve their modernisation goals.
Microsoft is prioritising its AI investments in Azure by partnering with leading companies in the AI space alongside investing in its own research and development. This has resulted in the Microsoft Azure AI model catalogue that includes more than 1,600 LLMs and SLMs that companies can use to create their own AI use cases and solutions.
Some of the partnerships include:
- Snowflake Arctic
- Meta Llama 3
- Databricks
- Phi-3 open models from Microsoft
Whether an organisation wants to invest in AI at scale or simply ease into its potential without the burden of cost, Azure allows companies to move into the technology with ease and Microsoft will continue to prioritise its development and capabilities. The company is planning on investing nearly $3 billion to increase its AI infrastructure in Japan and $1.5billion in the UAE to accelerate AI development in the region, it is building a new AI hub in London and has forged a global partnership with Cognizant.
The Azure array: AI defined by ubiquity
As recent research from Microsoft revealed – 95% of organisations are planning on increasing their use of AI and this is being supported by rapid and extensive investment into AI infrastructure. Microsoft remains at the forefront of this investment across Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Maia AI accelerator series and accelerator chips, and deepening its understanding of what companies want from their AI and infrastructure.
There are multiple applications within Azure that leverage AI to enhance business processes, access to data, performance, admin, and innovation. Some of the most exciting – and ones that companies can use to build their own secure and scalable AI solutions – include:
Azure AI Search – This tool is designed to support an organisation’s expansion into AI and benefits from regular updates to expand its capabilities.
Azure AI extension – this has been expanded to include real-time predictions and has applications within the banking and retail sectors.
Azure AI Translator – provides real-time text translation from within SQL and helps companies to build multilingual applications on the Azure Database while also automatically detecting input text language and filtering profanities.
Azure AI Studio – provides a unified AI development platform that includes integration with GitHub and makes it easier for companies to create their own AI solutions.
Azure AI Services – companies can use readymade AI solutions and take advantage of APIs and models that they can customise to suit their own requirements.
Azure Machine Learning – prompt engineering and machine learning workflows are simplified and enhanced using AI and Azure with this intelligent platform.
Azure Global Infrastructure – companies can create end-to-end AI solutions and capabilities leveraging the Azure platform, AI, and infrastructure that has proven stability and reliability.
Bringing AI into your business
Microsoft’s Azure platform offers an increasingly versatile array of tools and services designed to help companies make the most from their AI strategies and investments. Azure itself, a cutting-edge cloud computing solution, is designed to help companies move forward and compete effectively in increasingly challenging markets. When combined with the potential of AI, it is transformative.
Catching hold of this limitless potential is equally easy, with Mint. We can help your business innovate with AI and expand your application, infrastructure and architecture development within your strategy and budgets. Smart and simple – combined with Azure, Mint is your catalyst for success.
