Microsoft Build 2024: A comprehensive guide for AI developers

The highly anticipated Microsoft Build 2024 conference is just around the corner, and it promises to be a game-changer for AI developers, especially those working at startups and cloud-native companies. As the era of AI continues to unfold, this event will provide invaluable insights and resources for developers looking to stay ahead of the curve.

The rise of generative AI

One of the key highlights of Microsoft Build 2024 will be the focus on Generative AI (GenAI). The recent launch of OpenAI’s GPT-4o has set the stage for a new wave of AI capabilities, including improved multilingual understanding, faster response times, lower costs, and groundbreaking multimodal capabilities that allow for real-time processing and generation of content across text, audio, and images. This advancement has unlocked a new class of GenAI use cases, and Microsoft, recognized as a leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud AI Developer Services, is at the forefront of this revolution.

Azure AI services and tools

Microsoft’s Azure AI services and tools will be a central topic at the conference. Developers will have the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in GenAI and how to leverage these tools to build cutting-edge applications. The conference will provide a platform for startups, enterprises, and industry leaders to share their GenAI use cases and application development experiences, fostering a collaborative environment for knowledge sharing and innovation.

Microsoft Build keynotes and sessions

The conference will feature a wide range of keynotes and sessions tailored to the needs of AI developers. Some of the recommended sessions highlighted include:

• Microsoft Build opening keynote (May 21, 9-11am PST): Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft, will be joined by Kevin Scott, CTO, and Rajesh Jha, EVP Experiences and Devices, to talk about how this era of AI will unlock new opportunities, transform how developers work and drive business productivity across industries.

• Multimodel, multimodal, and multiagent innovation with Azure AI (May 21, 2.15-3pm PST). Reason to watch: Multimodal use cases are quickly becoming popular in GenAI applications and Marco Casaliana, VP Products Azure AI, gives the best demos to show what’s possible! Additionally, the session will discuss responsible AI, data privacy, and security and feature customer examples such as Unity Technologies.

• Build and scale modern apps with Azure Kubernetes Service (May 22, 10.30-11.15am PST). Reason to watch: Kubernetes has become the go-to platform for running apps at scale, especially in the cloud and Azure Kubernetes Service now makes it even easier to deploy and run AI apps at scale. ClickHouse will share how they are using AKS and Azure to build ClickHouse Cloud, a hosted version of the world’s fastest and most resource-efficient online analytical column-oriented database management system.

• RAG at scale: Production-ready GenAI apps with Azure AI Search (May 22, 10.30-11.15am PST). Reason to watch: If 2023 was the year of GenAI prototypes, 2024 is the year these apps go into production. Developers are increasingly turning to Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to improve the quality of search results for their GenAI apps. In this session Pablo Castro, Distinguished Engineer, will demo how Azure AI Search combines the best RAG capabilities for GenAI apps at any scale, without compromising cost or performance.

• Building applications at hyperscale with the latest Azure innovations (May 22, 1-1.45pm PST). Reason to watch: This is a great foundational session on building cloud-native Linux-based scale out applications on Azure infrastructure and will dive into the different VM types and pricing models available to achieve your performance and cost requirements.

• Design and build multi-tenant SaaS apps at scale with Azure CosmosDB (May 22, 3.30-4.15pm PST). Reason to watch: Azure CosmosDB is a database built for the era of AI. The world’s most popular GenAI app, ChatGPT, uses Azure CosmosDB. It features built-in security and compliance, essential for business-critical genAI apps, and is available in many variants including PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Apache Cassandra. Real-world examples from innovative ISVs like Kinectify will provide practical insights.

• Transforming the future of startups with Microsoft AI (May 23, 4.15-5pm PST). Reason to watch: Learn about how Microsoft for Startups is helping founders around the world build their AI solutions on the Microsoft Cloud. Hear from the founders at Nixtla on how access to AI infrastructure including GPUs paired with cutting edge AI tooling has transformed their businesses.

• Disrupt and grow with Azure AI (On Demand). Reason to watch: If you are new to Azure, watch this on-demand session to learn about the full stack of Azure services that help you build, run, and scale your GenAI apps. Winston Weinberg, CEO, and Gabe Pereyra, President and Cofounder at Harvey will talk about their experience in building GenAI solutions for professional services.

These sessions will cover a diverse range of topics, from solution breadth and speaker profiles to common use cases, providing developers with a comprehensive understanding of the GenAI landscape.

Learning opportunities

In addition to the breakout sessions, Microsoft Build 2024 will offer a wealth of learning opportunities, including demos and a comprehensive learning collection on “Essentials for building new intelligent apps.” This collection will serve as a valuable resource for developers looking to kickstart their GenAI learning journey.

Microsoft Build 2024 is shaping up to be a must-attend event for AI developers, particularly those working at startups and cloud-native companies. With its focus on Generative AI, Azure AI services, and a wide range of learning opportunities, this conference promises to equip developers with the knowledge and tools they need to build the future of intelligent applications.