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Azure Data Blog
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Data for now and next: Powering a new era of AI apps

Shireesh_Thota's avatar
May 21, 2024

In this era of AI, the power to transform human interactions and propel businesses forward lies in the hands of organizations that are ready to learn, adapt and scale fast. And as business applications become more critical to engaging with customers, to optimizing processes and team productivity, and to driving innovation, the role of developers is more important than ever.

 

To help set the foundation for innovating with AI, Microsoft is introducing a new way of managing data at any scale, anywhere. Where your on-premises investments and experiences extend to the cloud, while managed services do more on your behalf with modernized workloads for the next stage of growth. By harnessing Azure databases’ fully managed capabilities and integration with Microsoft proprietary and third-party solutions, developers can focus on what really matters: INNOVATION.

 

Azure cloud scale databases are designed to support any type and size of application, and direct integration into cloud scale analytics and AI help accelerate actionable insights, while simplified and intelligent security solutions protect your data across all layers. Always updated and secure, Azure databases help streamline modern, intelligent application development, empowering developers to build incredible digital experiences with agility and ease.

 

As AI applications become more mainstream, seamless database management can be paramount. Trusted solutions that can scale limitlessly and autonomously, respond fast, and offer unparalleled flexibility and reliability will shape the future of coding.

 

Azure cloud scale databases go beyond simplifying database operations – they are built and tuned for transformative AI innovation.

 

This week at Microsoft Build 2024, you’ll hear about breakthroughs in generative AI, building Copilots, securing applications and more. Let me offer you a glimpse of what’s in store for Azure databases and what sessions you won’t want to miss.

 

Building future-ready, scalable AI apps

Azure’s vision for cloud-scale data is grounded in fueling AI innovation. This week, we are introducing important features that help developers build and transform modern, intelligent applications. Organizations looking to innovate with AI can now rely on native vector search capabilities in Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL. With semantic search powered by DiskANN, a powerful algorithm library, Azure Cosmos DB becomes the first cloud database to offer super lower latency at scale with vector database built-in.

 

Microsoft is also announcing the general availability of Azure Database for PostgreSQL Azure AI extension to help unlock innovation with AI. Using this extension, developers can connect PostgreSQL in Azure directly to Azure Open AI embedding models helping to simplify development of RAG apps using data in PostgreSQL.  

 

Azure Database for PostgreSQL is also the industry’s first cloud database to provide local embedding creation directly in the database server using a SQL interface. Vector embeddings enable developers to determine the similarity between text strings and are foundational for building generative AI apps. Local embedding generation is now in public preview, and offer single-digit millisecond latency, eliminated throttling due to remote embedding model API's, and predictable costs, all while ensuring data remains within the security perimeter of your Postgres server.

 

New Accelerated Logs in Azure Database for MySQL, now generally available, are designed to boost the performance of crucial workloads within the Business-Critical service tier. This dynamic solution offers a substantial increase in throughput, a significant reduction in latency, and optimized cost efficiency.

 

Want to learn more about these announcements? Be sure to check out these sessions:

 

 

Simplifying application development

Microsoft is also applying AI directly in the database so you can benefit from assisted experiences that let you focus more on your application. This week at Microsoft Build, Azure Database is introducing in public preview, Copilot in Azure capabilities for Azure SQL Database. These AI-assisted experiences provide contextual self-help for management and operation of your database including complex performance tuning scenarios saving you time and effort. In addition, it allows you to use natural language to create complex SQL queries based on the schema of your database, making database interactions more intuitive.

 

Microsoft Copilot in Azure also extends capabilities to Azure Database for MySQL, which answers questions and troubleshoots conversationally by drawing on Microsoft Learn content and best practices. It empowers application developers with self-guided assistance to solve challenges without browsing through +100 public documentation. The new skills also enable database administrators to independently manage databases and resolve issues faster with Copilot assistance.

 

Attend these sessions to learn more:

 

 

Come see how Microsoft customers are powering apps with Azure Databases

We are happy to be joined on stage by organizations that have transformed the way they manage and innovate with data with Azure Databases. Attend one of the sessions below to see how TomTom is using Azure Cosmos DB to empower more modern, intelligent cars, how Scandinavian Airlines embarked on a modernization journey to Azure SQL, and Kinectfy built multi-tenant SaaS apps with Azure Cosmos DB.

 

 

Come chat with our data experts

If you’re attending Build this week, stop by the Expert Zone and meet our experts! This is your chance to ask questions, share feedback, and explore the topics that matter most.

 

Learn more about Azure Databases and the check below the journey that data goes on as it travels through the Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform.

 

Updated May 21, 2024
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