Microsoft’s collaboration with OpenAI took the spotlight at the Build conference as the tech giant unveiled a range of smart tools for software developers.
By leveraging OpenAI’s technology, Microsoft showcased numerous partners, including Adobe, Canva, Redfin, and TripAdvisor, who are building plugins for OpenAI’s ChatGPT and chatbots integrated into Microsoft’s applications. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the viral chatbot, has played a significant role in popularizing artificial intelligence.
During the conference, Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s co-founder and president, joined Kevin Scott, Microsoft’s technology chief, for an on-stage conversation that emphasized the importance of developers in advancing AI. Microsoft announced several products drawing on OpenAI’s technology, such as Azure cloud tools for customized text summarization and a forthcoming chatbot to assist developers with data analysis. Additionally, developers will have the opportunity to build plugins for ChatGPT and Microsoft’s own chatbots, including those debuting in Windows.
OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT sparked widespread consumer interest, leading companies like Atlassian, Morgan Stanley, and Salesforce to showcase integrations with OpenAI’s GPT-4 large language model, which powers the chatbot. Generative AI, capable of generating natural-sounding text based on human input, has gained popularity.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighted the transformative impact of generative AI on the software stack and emphasized the need for developers to enrich Microsoft’s software properties, such as Microsoft 365, to maintain competitiveness against alternatives like Google Workspace.
Microsoft emphasized plugin developers, including Adobe, Asana, Canva, Cloudflare, Redfin, Spotify, and TripAdvisor, during the conference. Demonstrations showcased the capabilities of the Windows chatbot, such as playing Spotify playlists, creating company logos with Adobe Express, and sending them to colleagues over Teams in response to typed messages.
Nadella has advocated for the incorporation of GPT-4 directly into Microsoft Teams and other products, including the Bing search engine. This integration has resulted in branded bots called Copilot, emphasizing collaboration with humans. Microsoft aims to integrate Copilot into various aspects of its offerings, with the entire company building on a common stack.
Analysts responded positively to Microsoft’s focus on developers, praising the company’s pace of innovation in the field of generative AI. Brockman hinted at potential cost reductions for GPT-4, making it more accessible to developers in the future.
The continuous improvement of models and cost reductions could have a transformative impact on AI development and adoption.
