Microsoft Fabric: Why 70% of Fortune 500 Companies Use It & What’s Next
▼ Summary
– Microsoft Fabric is expanding to include more database options, like Azure SQL and CosmosDB, to simplify enterprise data complexity.
– CosmosDB, a critical database for AI (including ChatGPT), is now integrated into Microsoft Fabric, reducing NoSQL infrastructure management.
– Microsoft Fabric unifies data tools into a single platform, with over 21,000 paying organizations, including 70% of the Fortune 500.
– Microsoft is open-sourcing DiskANN, a high-performance vector search technology used in Bing and CosmosDB, to benefit developers.
– Fabric’s use of open-source formats (like Apache Parquet) ensures seamless data access across services, reducing silos and lock-in risks.
Microsoft Fabric continues to reshape enterprise data management, with its latest expansion bringing critical AI database capabilities to over 70% of Fortune 500 companies. The platform’s growing adoption stems from its ability to unify disparate data systems—a persistent challenge for organizations scaling AI initiatives.
Historically, databases forced tight coupling between storage and compute, creating bottlenecks for modern workloads. Microsoft Fabric emerged as a solution by establishing a shared data layer across analytics tools, recently adding Azure SQL support in late 2024. Now, with CosmosDB integration announced at Build 2025, Microsoft addresses another major pain point: NoSQL infrastructure demands for AI applications.
CosmosDB powers high-profile AI systems like ChatGPT and Walmart’s e-commerce platform, making its Fabric integration particularly strategic. Microsoft engineered specialized caching to maintain millisecond response times while eliminating infrastructure overhead. “We synchronize data to OneLake in near real-time without customer intervention,” explained Arun Ulag, Azure Data VP at Microsoft.
Beyond CosmosDB, Microsoft unveiled three key advancements:
- Copilot integration with Power BI for AI-driven business insights
- SQL Server 2025 preview with enhanced analytics capabilities
- Open-sourcing DiskANN, the vector search technology behind Bing and enterprise RAG systems
OneLake serves as Fabric’s foundation, storing data in open formats like Apache Parquet and Delta Lake by default. This approach prevents vendor lock-in while enabling seamless access across services—from SQL queries to Power BI visualizations. “Every workload uses standardized open formats,” Ulag emphasized. “It’s a truly unified architecture.”
The DiskANN release marks a strategic move to democratize vector search. Originally developed by Microsoft Research, this disk-optimized algorithm handles large-scale semantic searches that exceed memory limits—critical for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems. “Now any developer can leverage the same vector tech we use internally,” Ulag noted.
For enterprises, these updates translate to tangible advantages:
- Reduced integration costs by consolidating data pipelines
- Accelerated AI deployment through pre-optimized database connections
- Future-proof architectures via open standards adoption
As data fragmentation remains a top barrier to AI adoption, Microsoft’s strategy positions Fabric as a differentiated solution. Unlike competitors focusing on isolated database services, Fabric’s unified model lets enterprises redirect resources from infrastructure maintenance to innovation—potentially reshaping competitive dynamics in AI-driven markets.
(Source: VentureBeat)
