New AI Dev Tools for Windows: Enhanced Features & UI
▼ Summary
– Microsoft introduced Windows AI Foundry at Build 2025, rebranding and expanding its Windows Copilot Runtime to streamline local AI development for Windows apps.
– Microsoft views AI as a key revenue driver, with $13 billion in annualized AI revenue, partly due to its partnership with OpenAI.
– Windows AI Foundry aims to foster an AI ecosystem on Windows by simplifying model deployment and hardware compatibility, indirectly benefiting Microsoft.
– Foundry Local, a new service under Windows AI Foundry, supports macOS and Windows, enabling on-device AI model execution using the ONXX Runtime.
– Foundry Local automatically detects device hardware, lists compatible models, and provides tools for developers to integrate AI models into their apps.
Microsoft is doubling down on AI development tools for Windows, introducing new features designed to streamline the creation of AI-powered applications. The tech giant unveiled Windows AI Foundry at its Build 2025 conference, expanding its existing Windows Copilot Runtime into a comprehensive platform for local AI development. This move underscores Microsoft’s strategy to position Windows as the go-to ecosystem for AI innovation.
The Windows AI Foundry platform offers developers tools to fine-tune, optimize, and deploy AI models seamlessly across Windows devices. By automatically detecting hardware configurations and fetching necessary software components, the platform ensures compatibility and performance. Microsoft emphasizes that these tools will stay updated as new devices enter the market, reducing friction for developers working with evolving hardware.
A standout feature is Foundry Local, a service enabling AI models to run directly on client devices, including both Windows and macOS. Built on the ONXX Runtime, an open-source framework for cross-platform AI acceleration, Foundry Local provides modules for on-device AI execution. Developers can use command-line prompts to test and interact with models, simplifying the debugging and integration process.
Microsoft’s push into AI development tools reflects its broader ambitions in the AI space. With $13 billion in annualized AI revenue, the company is betting big on AI as a growth driver. While third-party AI apps may not directly contribute to Microsoft’s bottom line, fostering a robust developer ecosystem strengthens Windows’ competitive edge against rivals.
For developers, Windows AI Foundry promises to reduce the complexity of deploying AI models, making it easier to harness the power of local processing. As AI continues to reshape software development, Microsoft’s latest tools aim to keep Windows at the forefront of this transformation.
(Source: TechCrunch)
