Microsoft Build is set to commence in Seattle on Tuesday, and considering Microsoft's recent AI, Bing, and ChatGPT advancements, the conference might not feature any major news announcements. In recent years, Build has primarily served as a platform for developers to explore new tools and techniques, rather than a venue for unveiling groundbreaking products. This year's conference will prominently highlight programming utilizing Microsoft's extensive foray into artificial intelligence, although other topics will also be addressed.
The conference will take place in a hybrid format, accommodating both in-person and online attendees from May 23-25. Remote participants can register for free at build.microsoft.com or tune in to the live stream on YouTube.
The session schedule Microsoft released online can be used to infer some topic tendencies. Tuesday at 12:00 ET, we'll hear from OpenAI President Greg Brockman in addition to the anticipated speech from CEO Satya Nadella, which will immediately begin the AI theme. Panos Panay will also be speaking, which will please Windows supporters. Although he is currently the Chief Product Officer, he served as the spokesperson for recent Windows announcements. Programming genius Scott Guthrie will be giving the developer session as usual, and a number of Azure execs are also scheduled to speak.
The Imagine Cup, which honors remarkable programming accomplishments by young student developers, will take center stage at Builds, as it has in the previous few years. In fact, it's the first appointment on the calendar, demonstrating Microsoft's value in developing the next generation of programmers.
Microsoft Build 2023 is expected to delve into the exciting realm of possibilities that AI unlocks while also emphasizing responsible AI practices. Among the sessions, one will focus on "Building and using AI models responsibly," showcasing Microsoft's approach to incorporating responsible AI and safety features using Azure AI. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about leveraging Azure Machine Learning to evaluate their own applications of LLMs (Large Language Models). Another session will explore "How to build models to check for fairness," highlighting the importance of developing AI models that promote fairness and inclusivity.
Copilot
In the second keynote, "The era of the AI Copilot," Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott will discuss the collaborative AI platform created by Microsoft and OpenAI, powered by Azure cloud. Panay will present an engaging session, "Shaping the future of work with AI," demonstrating how developers can leverage the Copilot AI feature in Windows and Microsoft 365.
Azure AI and Hardware
"Build, Customize, and Deploy LLMs At-Scale on Azure with Nvidia NeMo" encapsulates the conference's theme, showcasing the growing significance of massive language models for hardware giants like Nvidia, Qualcomm, and AMD. Intel's absence in session data is unexpected, despite their processors powering most Microsoft OSes (with AMD gaining ground). AI beginners have dedicated classes, such as "Learn Live: Get started with AI on Microsoft Azure." ChatGPT appears in just five session titles.
Beyond generative AI, Microsoft explores diverse aspects of AI, emphasizing the enduring relevance of machine learning. Developers can learn to integrate AI into Windows applications using the ONNX runtime. Another session highlights Windows' pivotal role in the AI revolution, showcasing AI-powered experiences across cloud and edge environments. "Edge" here refers to combining cloud and localized hardware computing. The session features Jeff Mendenhall, Principal Product Manager AI Frameworks Hybrid & Edge.
The conference also unveils the Microsoft Dev Box, a managed virtual computer for development, enabling coding teams to bypass local hardware configurations.
Windows on Arm and the collaboration with Qualcomm
Microsoft Build conference continues its commitment to Windows on Arm and AI processors with Project Volterra being unveiled at last year's event. This year, sessions such as "Learn how to build the best Arm apps for Windows" and "Optimize your apps for Arm" highlight Microsoft's focus on empowering developers to create exceptional Arm-based applications for Windows. Qualcomm will also play a significant role at the conference, showcasing the capabilities of their Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 Compute platform, which supports Windows.
In fact, Qualcomm will be featured in four sessions, further emphasizing their commitment to delivering powerful and efficient devices. Notably, Qualcomm's recent announcement of the Oryon processor indicates their dedication to groundbreaking technology that will drive the next generation of high-performance and energy-efficient devices.
Teams
Microsoft Teams is still evolving, and 26 presentations mention it either directly or indirectly. Teams now supports both embedded web-accessing applications and WebView2, Microsoft's browser rendering engine that powers Edge. Sessions will go through how to use Copilot and AI to create chatbots inside teams.
Microsoft 365
Although the apps themselves are still referred to as "Office apps" in the company's documentation, we're all still getting acclimated to Microsoft's productivity package, now known as Microsoft 365. At least ten workshops on building for Microsoft 365 are included at Build, several of which concentrate on the beta version of Copilot, an AI helper for Office, oh, I mean Microsoft 365 users.
Surface and Xbox
Based on the recent Build conferences, Microsoft has given only brief mentions to their PC and gaming devices. However, with the shift to WebView 2, it is highly probable that Xbox will receive some attention. Additionally, it would be surprising if Surface doesn't make an appearance in a few of the keynotes.