At Microsoft Ignite in November 2024, we introduced choices and sources to empower software program firms within the panorama of AI-powered experiences.
In at present’s quickly evolving digital panorama, software program firms are on the forefront of innovation. These organizations are uniquely positioned to benefit from AI-powered options to drive progress, improve buyer experiences, and keep forward of the competitors.
AI is opening the door to priceless alternatives for software program firms by accelerating cloud migration, app modernization, and analytics, whereas making developer instruments extra accessible. To harness the ability of AI, software program growth is vital.
With 53,000 prospects at present utilizing Azure AI companies, it’s clear {that a} rising variety of firms are investing in AI instruments for unbiased software program distributors (ISVs)—they usually’re reaping the advantages.1 On common, organizations see a 350% return on each greenback invested in AI inside 14 months.2
For those who’re trying to remodel your enterprise, Microsoft is dedicated to serving to you obtain your AI ambitions. At Microsoft Ignite in November 2024, we introduced product improvements, a set of latest choices, and streamlined sources to empower software program firms to distinguish, innovate, and develop within the ever-evolving panorama of AI-powered experiences.
ISV innovation with AI
Software program firms play a major function as a result of they create the instruments and platforms that make AI accessible and sensible for varied industries. These firms develop the foundational fashions and algorithms into their choices that drive AI functions, enabling differentiated modern options throughout completely different sectors.
By advancing AI capabilities, software program firms can push the boundaries of what’s doable, fostering an atmosphere of steady enchancment and discovery.
With the correct AI instruments for ISVs, it’s doable to develop clever functions that anticipate consumer wants whereas enhancing knowledge privateness and safety. Along with elevating buyer experiences, many software program firms are tapping into AI to streamline growth and go to market sooner.
Buyer traits driving AI transformation
We’ve recognized 4 key buyer traits which can be driving AI transformation and presenting important alternatives for software program firms. In response to our prospects, AI makes it simpler for his or her organizations to:
- Increase buyer engagement. Organizations are enhancing buyer engagement by means of AI-powered self-service capabilities. This permits firms to ship participating, personalised interactions and create extra significant connections with their prospects.
- Elevate worker experiences. Groups are utilizing AI instruments to automate repetitive duties and achieve priceless AI-driven insights. This empowers staff to give attention to higher-value actions, enhancing their general work expertise.
- Reinvent enterprise processes. AI is reshaping enterprise processes by means of course of automation and provide chain optimization. This permits organizations to streamline operations, scale back prices, enhance effectivity, and drive enterprise progress.
- Speed up innovation. Organizations throughout all industries are tapping into AI to innovate sooner and achieve a aggressive edge. Analysis and growth, product, and engineering groups are making the most of deep AI-driven insights and self-learning instruments to spice up productiveness, streamline processes, and make extra knowledgeable selections.
These traits characterize the following leap in computing and expertise, opening new potentialities for ISV companions to combine superior AI options into their options. Firms like PTC and Relativity are utilizing AI-based options constructed on Microsoft Azure to ship distinctive worth to their prospects. These success tales spotlight the tangible advantages of AI, from elevated effectivity to enhanced buyer satisfaction.
Differentiate with AI-powered experiences: Insights from Microsoft Ignite
Throughout our Microsoft Ignite classes for AI for ISVs, we launched updates to Azure Machine Studying, Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, and Microsoft Cloth designed that can assist you keep forward. For instance, the Azure integration with Weights & Biases will give builders extra methods to trace, consider, and optimize Azure OpenAI fashions. Utilizing these instruments, builders can robotically observe varied facets of fine-tuning jobs, evaluate mannequin variations, and consider generative AI-powered apps.
We additionally introduced curated sources and AI readiness packages, together with our new Microsoft ISV AI Envisioning workshops. These free occasions are designed that can assist you maintain your abilities sharp and your choices aggressive. Learn to empower your staff to construct AI-powered apps confidently with hands-on steerage in 1:1 technical consults or be a part of our AI Envisioning workshops to get a framework for growing generative AI options. All of that is underpinned by Azure Necessities, a set of sources that features foundational steerage, greatest practices, and devoted coaching that can assist you elevate safety, reliability, and ongoing efficiency to your cloud and AI workloads.
Remodel your growth expertise and ship sooner
One of the important benefits of AI is that it helps streamline and pace up growth. At Microsoft, we’re at all times searching for methods to enhance the developer expertise, together with giving your software program groups AI tooling at their fingertips to allow them to transfer sooner. Complete platforms like Azure AI Foundry and GitHub Copilot permit builders to innovate quickly, scale back time spent on repetitive duties, and unencumber sources to give attention to what really issues—constructing nice software program. These instruments ship personalised technical steerage, making certain your builders have the assist they should succeed.
Azure AI Foundry SDK, now in preview, gives a unified and complete instrument chain for constructing, testing, deploying, and managing AI functions and software programming interfaces (APIs) with enterprise-grade management and customization. That includes a library of fashions and instruments, this resolution presents simplified coding experiences to spice up developer productiveness and assist your group responsibly scale your AI functions.
GitHub Copilot for Azure in VS Code
GitHub Copilot for Azure in VS Code is constructed to simplify cloud growth by bringing every little thing you want proper into your editor. As a substitute of leaping between instruments and docs, you may arrange sources, deploy apps, troubleshoot points, and study Azure—all with out leaving VS Code. Simply ask for assist with duties like configuring a Kubernetes cluster, discovering a particular service, or resolving widespread errors, and Copilot will information you. It’s designed to maintain you coding, pace up deployments, and scale back the time you spend on setup and fixes.
Our free sources and technical steerage present complete assist at each stage of your growth journey, from AI readiness to sandbox credit for experimentation. Plus, you’ll achieve entry to our industry-leading AI merchandise and instruments with credit for Copilot.
Broaden your attain and drive progress to the following degree
Many ISVs are embracing AI to open up new avenues for progress. By constructing and promoting AI options, software program firms can attain extra prospects, increase into new markets, and scale their companies.
The Microsoft AI Cloud Associate Program provides you the instruments to create and market modern Microsoft Cloud and AI options. With choices for companions throughout enterprise fashions and progress levels, we meet you the place you might be and supply the sources you might want to drive profitability and innovation. Relying in your wants and targets, discover the next pathways that can assist you construct, promote, and develop your software program options.
- ISV Success: ISV Success helps you remodel your growth expertise, construct and publish to the Microsoft business market sooner, and speed up gross sales with Market Rewards. Be part of ISV Success without cost and get entry to unique advantages, together with AI sources, a cloud sandbox, industry-leading developer instruments, and technical consultations. As you promote by means of {the marketplace}, you’ll earn Market Rewards that assist you convert prospects and shut extra offers—the extra you carry out, the extra you earn.
Producing AI success with key investments
Plus, ISV Success now consists of new AI investments spanning hands-on technical enablement, credit for AI growth instruments, and expanded advantages for ISVs with AI initiatives.
Our highest performing ISVs can even qualify for monetary incentives to construct and deploy AI-powered apps or migrate finish prospects to apps primarily based in Azure.
- Microsoft business market: We’ve made key investments to assist make sure that the Microsoft business market continues to be probably the most partner-focused enterprise platform, designed that can assist you attain extra prospects, simplify gross sales, and develop your enterprise. This consists of diminished company charges for renewals, expanded multiparty non-public presents in key markets, and new methods to monetize skilled companies by means of non-public presents. Moreover, the Azure Sponsorship profit that’s accessible by means of Market Rewards is increasing for channel companions.
- Licensed software program designations: Now you can set your organization aside and enhance buyer attain with Options Associate designations. To qualify, you’ll want to fulfill efficiency, coaching, and buyer success standards—and prospects should clearly determine that your options have the dependable capabilities they want. This distinction helps validate the standard, reliability, and relevance of your software program resolution. It additionally drives a optimistic buyer expertise by delivering on the worth prospects count on from options constructed on the Microsoft Cloud. If you attain an authorized software program designation to your resolution, you’ll achieve entry to go-to-market, gross sales, and advertising advantages designed to propel your progress and gas higher demand to your options.
Securing the long run
Within the period of AI, Microsoft is taking a daring step ahead to assist make sure the safety and belief of our prospects, companions, and the worldwide group. As we attempt to go to market with a unified AI technique, we acknowledge the significance of safety in defending our digital future.
For Microsoft, safety isn’t just a precedence; it’s a basic dedication. We’re devoted to offering modern options that assist safeguard our prospects and companions from rising threats. This unwavering dedication to safety is mirrored in our cybersecurity funding of $20 billion over the following 5 years. We’re devoted to addressing the ever-evolving threats confronted by organizations worldwide.
On the forefront of the digital safety panorama, we’re main the cost in serving to to guard our prospects and companions in an more and more complicated digital atmosphere. Our complete safety options are designed to construct belief and resilience, making certain that our prospects can navigate the digital age with confidence.
Make amends for all of the bulletins from Microsoft Ignite
For those who missed 2024’s Microsoft Ignite, we encourage you to watch all of the classes on demand. Throughout these classes, discover the alternatives AI gives for progress and differentiation within the market. Additionally, make amends for all of the information for companions on this recap weblog.
Let’s construct the long run collectively and faucet into the total potential of AI to rework the software program {industry}. Be part of us in our mission to empower each individual and group on the planet.
1https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor/occasions/fy-2024/earnings-fy-2024-q2
2IDC Infographic, sponsored by Microsoft, The Enterprise Alternative of AI, IDC #US51315823, November 2023. **Generative Synthetic Intelligence: A New Chapter for Enterprise Enterprise Functions, IDC Perspective #US50471523, March 2023.