Microsoft recently showcased a range of groundbreaking technologies at the Build 2024 keynote event, focusing on Windows enhancements and AI integrations. The event also highlighted the introduction of custom emojis, adding a touch of fun to the tech giant’s offerings.
During the event, Microsoft introduced Copilot AI agents designed to function as virtual employees, offering support for various business tasks such as email monitoring, automated processes, onboarding assistance, and data entry. These AI agents are set to debut on Copilot Studio in a preview version later this year, aiming to enhance operational efficiency without entirely replacing human roles.
Phi-3 vision: Microsoft’s mini-multimodal AI model
Microsoft unveiled Phi-3-vision, an enhanced iteration of the Phi-3 AI model introduced earlier this year. This compact, multimodal AI model can interpret text and images efficiently, making it suitable for mobile devices. The integration of image analysis capabilities into such models aligns with the growing trend of leveraging AI for visual tasks, with Phi-3-vision now available for preview.
The Microsoft Edge browser will soon feature a real-time video translation function powered by AI, allowing users to translate videos from platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, Reuters, and Coursera. The initial rollout will support translations between multiple languages, including Spanish, English, German, Hindi, Italian, and Russian, with plans to expand language options and compatible platforms in the future.
Personalised emojis for Microsoft Teams
In a bid to enhance the user experience, Microsoft is introducing custom emoji options for Microsoft Teams. These options will enable users to create unique emojis, such as disco parrots and personalised teammate caricatures. Admins will have control over emoji permissions within the organisation’s domain, and the feature will be available starting in July.
Qualcomm unveiled a compact Snapdragon Dev Kit priced at US$899, featuring a Snapdragon X Elite chip, 32GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and various connectivity ports. This miniaturised PC, comparable in size to the Mac Mini, offers a powerful yet portable computing solution for developers and tech enthusiasts.
Microsoft announced the integration of Git functionality into File Explorer, enabling developers to manage coding projects directly within the file system browser. In addition, File Explorer now supports native 7-zip and TAR compression, further streamlining development workflows.
PowerToys introduces AI-powered clipboard features
As part of the PowerToys suite for Windows 11, Microsoft unveiled the Advanced Paste feature, which allows users to convert clipboard contents on the fly. By utilising keyboard shortcuts and prompts, users can transform clipboard data into various formats, such as plaintext, markdown, or JSON. Notably, the AI capabilities require an OpenAI API key and credits for full functionality.
