News from the AI & ML world
DeeperML - #microsoftai
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Alyssa Hughes (2ADAPTIVE LLC dba 2A Consulting)@Microsoft Research
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Microsoft has announced two major advancements in both quantum computing and artificial intelligence. The company unveiled Majorana 1, a new chip containing topological qubits, representing a key milestone in its pursuit of stable, scalable quantum computers. This approach uses topological qubits, which are less susceptible to environmental noise, aiming to overcome the long-standing instability issues that have challenged the development of reliable quantum processors. The company says it is on track to build a new kind of quantum computer based on topological qubits.
Microsoft is also introducing Muse, a generative AI model designed for gameplay ideation. Described as a first-of-its-kind World and Human Action Model (WHAM), Muse can generate game visuals and controller actions. The company says it is on track to build a new kind of quantum computer based on topological qubits. Microsoft’s team is developing research insights to support creative uses of generative AI models. Recommended read:
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Jon Swartz@Techstrong.ai
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Microsoft is expanding its AI capabilities while simultaneously pushing back against AI chip export restrictions. The company recently unveiled new AI models that can process text, images, and speech using less computing power. These Phi-4 models, including Phi-4-Multimodal and Phi-4-Mini, deliver performance comparable to larger language models while being more efficient. Microsoft emphasized that these models are designed to empower developers with advanced AI capabilities, particularly in creating innovative and context-aware applications. Weizhu Chen, vice president of generative AI at Microsoft, highlighted the ability of Phi-4-multimodal to process speech, vision, and text simultaneously, opening doors for new possibilities.
Microsoft is also lobbying against the Biden administration's AI Diffusion Rule, warning that it could harm U.S. AI leadership and benefit China's AI sector. Brad Smith, Microsoft's vice chair and president, argued that the rule, which limits the export of advanced AI components to certain countries, could weaken relationships with key allies and drive businesses to seek alternatives from Chinese vendors. Smith called for a revision of the rule, suggesting the removal of quantitative caps and preservation of qualitative security standards, emphasizing the importance of enabling American firms to compete globally. Recommended read:
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Ken Yeung@Ken Yeung
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Microsoft is enhancing its Copilot Studio with deep reasoning capabilities and agent flows, aiming to empower developers to create smarter copilots. These updates will enable the agents to tackle complex problems and automate business processes more effectively. The new features mark significant advancements in building and managing agents, combining enterprise business data with access to advanced reasoning models and workflows.
Microsoft also unveiled two specialized deep reasoning agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot, named Researcher and Analyst. The Researcher agent automates complex, multi-step research to deliver detailed reports, while the Analyst agent functions like a personal data scientist, processing diverse data sources and generating insights through code execution and visualization. These advancements position Microsoft ahead in the enterprise AI agent ecosystem, extending its lead with powerful new capabilities. Recommended read:
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stclarke@Source
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Microsoft is aggressively expanding its AI capabilities across its product ecosystem, with a strong focus on user empowerment and innovative applications. Copilot is now designed to understand the full context of online activity, with user permission, enhancing the browsing experience by offering real-time insights and assistance within Microsoft Edge. This new feature, Copilot Vision, allows the AI to scan, analyze, and offer insights based on what it sees on a webpage, akin to having a second pair of eyes while browsing.
Microsoft is also making strides in AI-driven content creation and utility. Microsoft Muse can design video games based on individual playing styles. Furthermore, to address the limitations of processing long-context sequences in large language models (LLMs), Microsoft AI has released LongRoPE2. This method extends the context window of LLMs to 128K tokens while retaining over 97% short-context accuracy. This advancement promises to improve performance in applications like document analysis and long-form reasoning, where extended context is crucial. Recommended read:
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Aswin Ak@MarkTechPost
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Microsoft has unveiled its new Phi-4 AI models, including Phi-4-multimodal and Phi-4-mini, designed to efficiently process text, images, and speech simultaneously. These small language models (SLMs) represent a breakthrough in AI development, delivering performance comparable to larger AI systems while requiring significantly less computing power. The Phi-4 models address the challenge of processing diverse data types within a single system, offering a unified architecture that eliminates the need for separate, specialized systems.
Phi-4-multimodal, with 5.6 billion parameters, can handle text, speech, and visual inputs concurrently. Phi-4-mini, a smaller model with 3.8 billion parameters, excels in text-based tasks such as reasoning, coding, and instruction following. Microsoft claims Phi-4-mini outperforms similarly sized models and rivals models twice its size on certain tasks. These models aim to empower developers with advanced AI capabilities, offering enterprises cost-effective and efficient solutions for AI applications. Recommended read:
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alex.wawro@futurenet.com (Alex@tomsguide.com
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Microsoft is actively integrating AI across its product lines to enhance both functionality and security. One significant development involves the use of AI-powered Security Copilot to identify vulnerabilities in open-source bootloaders. This expedited discovery process has revealed 20 previously unknown vulnerabilities in GRUB2, U-Boot, and Barebox, which could impact systems relying on Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Secure Boot. These vulnerabilities, particularly in GRUB2, could allow threat actors to bypass Secure Boot and install stealthy bootkits, potentially granting them complete control over affected devices.
Microsoft is also expanding AI capabilities on Copilot Plus PCs, particularly those powered by Intel and AMD processors. Features like Live Captions, which translates audio into English subtitles in real-time, as well as creative tools like Cocreator in Paint, Restyle Image, and Image Creator in Photos, are becoming more widely available. The company is additionally testing a new tool called Quick Machine Recovery, designed to remotely restore unbootable Windows 11 devices by automatically diagnosing and deploying fixes through Windows Update, preventing widespread outages similar to those experienced in the past. Recommended read:
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Vasu Jakkal@Microsoft Security Blog
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Microsoft and Google are enhancing their AI security measures and capabilities to address the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. Microsoft is prioritizing secure AI integration, focusing on data protection and ensuring AI systems are transparent and compliant. Microsoft Secure, an online event, showcased AI innovations for the security lifecycle, providing tools for smarter, faster, and stronger security. The event highlighted how to secure data used by AI, AI apps, and AI cloud workloads, as well as how to protect AI investments from cyberthreats through data security and compliance tools.
NASA is leveraging Microsoft AI capabilities through its new Earth Copilot to democratize access to complex Earth Science data. This empowers scientists to discover patterns and gain insights from the vast amount of data collected by NASA's satellites, which can inform policy decisions and support various industries. Meanwhile, Google is developing Gemini to enable it to take actions within apps, potentially transforming AI assistants into more useful tools. Google is also releasing the GEMMA-3 models to improve the capabilities of the Gemini project. Recommended read:
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kevinokemwa@outlook.com (Kevin@windowscentral.com
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Microsoft has unveiled Dragon Copilot, an AI tool aimed at easing the administrative burden for healthcare providers. Dragon Copilot listens to doctor-patient conversations and automatically drafts clinical notes, referral letters, and post-visit summaries. The AI assistant also sources important information from medical files, streamlining documentation and allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care. Microsoft emphasizes that data protection and security were key considerations in the development of Dragon Copilot.
Microsoft has also taken legal action against individuals who have misused its AI technology. The company modified a lawsuit to name four multinational developers, identifying them as members of the Storm-2139 cybercrime network. These developers allegedly bypassed safety guardrails and abused Microsoft's AI tools to generate deepfaked celebrity porn and other harmful content. Microsoft hopes that this legal action will deter others from weaponizing its AI technology. Recommended read:
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kevinokemwa@outlook.com (Kevin@windowscentral.com
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Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, has recently expressed his strong belief in the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) across various sectors. During an interview, Gates stated that AI could even lead to a two-day work week for professionals within the next decade, drastically altering the current work landscape. He highlighted AI's capability to automate tasks and streamline processes, ultimately freeing up individuals to focus on higher-value activities and potentially reducing the required work hours.
Gates also emphasized that humans won't be needed for most things in the future, as AI will be capable of handling repetitive tasks, making things, moving things, and growing food. Furthermore, Gates believes that AI can also significantly improve mental healthcare and education. He suggests AI could help individuals with mild symptoms, improve educational material, and change how creative work is done. Microsoft, which has a big stake in OpenAI, is all in on AI as well and is actively investing in and developing AI solutions. Recommended read:
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stclarke@Source
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Source Asia
, The Microsoft Cloud Blog
Microsoft is focusing on integrating AI to enhance business productivity, showcasing real-world transformations across industries. Estée Lauder is partnering with Microsoft to reimagine trend forecasting and consumer marketing using AI. They are building a generative AI ecosystem with Copilot Studio, Azure OpenAI Service, and Azure AI Search. This will enable them to gather data, identify trends, build marketing assets, and inform research more efficiently.
Estée Lauder, with almost 80 years of consumer data, will use ConsumerIQ, an agent built in Copilot Studio, to put consumer data at employees' fingertips. This enables the company to rapidly respond to consumer tastes. A marketing director can use natural language prompts to ask ConsumerIQ to find needed information, saving time. Estée Lauder aims to become leaner, faster, and more agile with AI. Generative AI could generate $9 billion to $10 billion in the beauty industry worldwide. Recommended read:
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mpesce@Windows Copilot News
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blogs.microsoft.com
, Windows Copilot News
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Microsoft is aggressively pushing forward with AI agent deployments across various platforms. The company is enabling developers to easily build AI agents using OpenAI's new Responses API and Agents SDK. This move aims to simplify the creation of AI-powered assistants capable of tasks like summarizing financials, conducting legal research, and providing real-time customer service.
NASA's Earth Copilot, powered by Microsoft AI, is democratizing access to complex Earth Science data collected by satellites. This initiative allows users to navigate over 100 petabytes of data for various applications, including monitoring wildfires, tracking climate change, and supporting industries like agriculture and urban planning. Additionally, Microsoft has released autonomous Copilot AI agents in public preview, enabling chatbots to perform a series of linked tasks based on user instructions. These agents are designed to automate workflows and handle tasks like sourcing sales leads, managing customer service inquiries, and tracking project deadlines. Recommended read:
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matthewthomas@Microsoft Industry Blogs
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Source
, The Quantum Insider
Microsoft is emphasizing both AI security and advancements in quantum computing. The company is integrating AI features across its products and services, including Microsoft 365, while also highlighting the critical intersection of AI innovation and security. Microsoft will host Microsoft Secure on April 9th, an online event designed to help professionals discover AI innovations for the security lifecycle. Attendees can learn how to harden their defenses, secure AI investments, and discover AI-first tools and best practices.
Microsoft is also continuing its work in quantum computing, recently defending its topological qubit claims at the American Physical Society (APS) meeting. While Microsoft maintains confidence in its results, skepticism remains within the scientific community regarding the verification methods used, particularly the reliability of the topological gap protocol (TGP) in detecting Majorana quasiparticles. Chetan Nayak, a leading theoretical physicist at Microsoft, presented the company’s findings, acknowledging the skepticism but insisting that the team is confident. Recommended read:
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@www.microsoft.com
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Microsoft Research
Microsoft is actively pushing the boundaries of AI in education and business applications. They are collaborating with Physics Wallah in India to enhance the accuracy, reliability, and affordability of AI-based tutoring services. This partnership aims to address the barriers of limited resources, geographical constraints, and economic factors that hinder access to quality education for many Indian students. The goal is to provide affordable and accessible education, especially for students preparing for competitive entrance exams, through AI-powered online tutoring.
Simultaneously, Microsoft is focusing on advancing AI agent technology. SAP has incorporated AI agents across its business applications, and Microsoft's research explores trends and advancements in AI agents and multi-agent systems. These agents, distinguished by their reasoning, acting, communicating, and adapting capabilities, promise to reshape fields like software engineering. As AI agents evolve, attention is being placed on evaluating their performance and addressing the human-computer interaction challenges they present, hinting at the future integration of AI agents in various industries. Recommended read:
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@news.microsoft.com
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techstrong.ai
, Source
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Microsoft is making significant strides in accelerating AI transformation across various sectors. A new partnership with WSP aims to revolutionize the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry through digital and AI advancements. This collaboration designates WSP as a preferred Microsoft partner for engineering and science consultancy, while Microsoft becomes WSP's preferred partner for digital and AI transformation services. The companies plan to co-develop innovative solutions to address pressing challenges and foster a brighter future for communities worldwide.
Microsoft Research is also teaming up with Physics Wallah to enhance AI-based tutoring for students in India. By developing new algorithms and techniques, they aim to make tutoring services more accurate, reliable, and affordable. This collaboration seeks to overcome barriers such as limited resources, geographical constraints, and economic factors that hinder access to quality education for many Indian students, particularly in remote or low-income areas. The goal is to provide high-quality, accessible education to every student, regardless of their background or location. Microsoft is also investing heavily in AI and cloud infrastructure, purchasing nearly 400 MW of solar power from EDP Renewables North America. Recommended read:
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kevinokemwa@outlook.com (Kevin Okemwa)@windowscentral.com
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hackernoon.com
, www.windowscentral.com
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Microsoft is placing increased emphasis on AI security and responsible AI development. The Microsoft AI Red Team recently released a whitepaper detailing key security lessons learned from testing 100 generative AI products. Researchers identified eight core security lessons which emphasize the importance of understanding system capabilities, recognizing the effectiveness of simple attacks, and adapting to the evolving AI security landscape.
Microsoft is also preparing to participate in Legalweek 2025, highlighting the role of Microsoft Purview in safeguarding AI. The company will showcase advanced capabilities in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery, designed to manage compliance for AI data and streamline eDiscovery workflows with AI-driven features. At Legalweek 2025, Microsoft aims to share developments across Microsoft Security, and the company aims to offer insights into cybersecurity challenges. Recommended read:
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Ali Azhar@AIwire
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AIwire
Microsoft is reportedly developing its own large language models (LLMs), internally called MAI, to compete directly with OpenAI, a company in which Microsoft has invested billions. The move signifies a potential shift in Microsoft's AI strategy, aiming to reduce its dependence on external partners and decrease the costs associated with using OpenAI's models. Microsoft is experimenting with integrating these LLMs into its existing AI products, particularly those based on Microsoft Copilot, as well as Microsoft Teams and Azure cloud services.
Microsoft plans to release the new LLMs as an API for external developers by the end of the year, enabling them to integrate these models into their own applications. This initiative reflects a desire to optimize AI infrastructure and create models tailored specifically for enterprise applications. While Microsoft maintains close ties with OpenAI, the development of in-house LLMs suggests a growing ambition to control its AI destiny and offer more competitive solutions within the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Recommended read:
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@techstrong.ai
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techstrong.ai
, the-decoder.com
IBM has decided to integrate elements of DeepSeek's AI models into its WatsonX platform, driven by a commitment to open-source innovation. This move aims to broaden WatsonX's ability to perform secure reasoning, leveraging "distilled versions" of DeepSeek-R1. This will allow IBM to include what it calls the best open source models from around the world. IBM also stated that big, expensive proprietary systems do not always win.
A Microsoft study conducted with Carnegie Mellon University reveals that GenAI tools are shifting knowledge workers from problem solvers to AI output verifiers. The study, surveying 319 knowledge workers, examined six categories of critical thinking and found that workers are now primarily verifying AI outputs and integrating AI-generated answers. This "cognitive offloading" could weaken independent problem-solving abilities, with researchers suggesting that companies should promote critical thinking skills among employees. Recommended read:
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