A Recap of the Build AI Agents with Custom Tools Live Session
Artificial Intelligence is evolving, and so are the ways we build intelligent agents. On a recent Microsoft YouTube Live session, developers and AI enthusiasts gathered to explore the power of custom tools in AI agents using Azure AI Studio. The session walked through concepts, use cases, and a live demo that showed how integrating custom tools can bring a new level of intelligence and adaptability to your applications. 🎥 Watch the full session here: https://www.youtube.com/live/MRpExvcdxGs?si=X03wsQxQkkshEkOT What Are AI Agents with Custom Tools? AI agents are essentially smart workflows that can reason, plan, and act — powered by large language models (LLMs). While built-in tools like search, calculator, or web APIs are helpful, custom tools allow developers to tailor agents for business-specific needs. For example: Calling internal APIs Accessing private databases Triggering backend operations like ticket creation or document generation Learn Module Overview: Build Agents with Custom Tools To complement the session, Microsoft offers a self-paced Microsoft Learn module that gives step-by-step guidance: Explore the module Key Learning Objectives: Understand why and when to use custom tools in agents Learn how to define, integrate, and test tools using Azure AI Studio Build an end-to-end agent scenario using custom capabilities Hands-On Exercise: The module includes a guided lab where you: Define a tool schema Register the tool within Azure AI Studio Build an AI agent that uses your custom logic Test and validate the agent’s response Highlights from the Live Session Here are some gems from the session: Real-World Use Cases – Automating customer support, connecting to CRMs, and more Tool Manifest Creation – Learn how to describe a tool in a machine-understandable way Live Azure Demo – See exactly how to register tools and invoke them from an AI agent Tips & Troubleshooting – Best practices and common pitfalls when designing agents Want to Get Started? If you're a developer, AI enthusiast, or product builder looking to elevate your agent’s capabilities — custom tools are the next step. Start building your own AI agents by combining the power of: Microsoft Learn Module YouTube Live Session Final Thoughts The future of AI isn't just about smart responses — it's about intelligent actions. Custom tools enable your AI agent to do things, not just say things. With Azure AI Studio, building a practical, action-oriented AI assistant is more accessible than ever. Learn More and Join the Community Learn more about AI Agents with https://aka.ms/ai-agents-beginnersOpen Source Course and Building Agents. Join the Azure AI Foundry Discord Channel. Continue the discussion and learning: https://aka.ms/AI/discord Have questions or want to share what you're building? Let’s connect on LinkedIn or drop a comment under the YouTube video!Tiny But Mighty: Unleashing the Power of Small Language Models 🚀
While Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4 dominate headlines with their extensive capabilities, they often come at the cost of high computational requirements and complexity. For developers and organizations looking to implement AI solutions on edge devices or with limited resources, Small Language Models (SLMs) are emerging as a practical alternative. SLMs are not just "smaller" versions of their larger counterparts—they're designed to be faster, more efficient, and adaptable for specific tasks. With fewer parameters and lower computational needs, SLMs open the door to deploying AI on mobile devices, IoT systems, and edge environments without compromising performance. What You Stand to Learn 🧠 Introduction to Microsoft's AI Ecosystem Discover Microsoft's end-to-end AI development tools, from Azure AI Services to ONNX Runtime, enabling efficient and secure deployment of AI models across cloud and edge environments. The Advantages of SLMs over LLMs SLMs are game-changers for edge AI applications, providing faster training and inference times, reduced energy costs, and scalability across diverse devices. Hands-On with Phi-3 and ONNX Runtime Experience live demonstrations of SLMs in action with tools like Phi-3 and ONNX Runtime, showcasing how to fine-tune and deploy models on mobile devices, IoT, and hybrid cloud environments. Responsible AI Practices Understand how to safeguard your AI applications with Microsoft's Responsible AI toolkit, ensuring ethical and trustworthy deployments. Watch the Full Session 👨💻 📅 Date: December 12, 2024 ⏰ Time: 4 PM GMT | 5 PM CEST | 8 AM PT | 11 AM ET | 7 PM EAT A session packed with live demos, practical examples, and Q&A opportunities. Register NOW | Events | Microsoft Reactor Agenda 🔍 Introduction (5 min) A brief overview of the session and its focus on SLMs and LLMs. Microsoft AI Tooling (5 min) Explore the latest tools like Azure AI Services, Azure Machine Learning, and Responsible AI Tooling. How to Choose the Right Model (10 min) Key considerations such as performance, customizability, and ethical implications. Comparing SLMs vs LLMs (10 min) The strengths, weaknesses, and best use cases for both Small and Large Language Models. Deploying Models at the Edge (10 min) Insights into optimizing AI for mobile, IoT, and edge devices. Q&A Addressing participant questions about AI development and deployment.Tips and Tricks to Bring Your AI Idea to Life - Data and AI Trends for 2024
Artificial Intelligence is fast evolving and will change our daily lives. Do you have an idea for an AI project and you want to make this a reality? The From Idea to AI series is here to help you! See all the Episodes at Tips and Tricks to Bring Your AI Idea to Life — a new Reactor show (microsoft.com)
Crafting Spells with GitHub Copilot
Unleash the magic of coding with our latest episode, "Crafting Spells with GitHub Copilot"! Join us on an enchanting journey where we explore the wonders of GitHub Copilot, your AI programming assistant. Learn the art of mastering Copilot, from its intuitive interface to turning your intentions into functional code. Delve into the magic of artificial intelligence as it becomes your coding ally, making each line more efficient and powerful. Discover the latest features, tips, and tricks that Copilot offers, and gain practical experience through examples and demonstrations. If you're ready to transform your coding experience and uncover the secrets of GitHub Copilot, don't miss this enchanting lecture. Join us for an informative session that will redefine your approach to software development!Tips and Tricks to Bring Your AI Idea to Life
Series featuring 8 episodes to explore cutting-edge tools and technologies for creating projects with Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence is advancing at an astonishing pace, poised to transform our daily lives in ways we can hardly imagine. Do you have a brilliant idea for an AI project? Are you eager to turn that vision into a reality? Look no further because the "Tips and Tricks to Bring Your AI Idea to Life" series is here to guide you on your journey!Unlock AI Excellence: Join 'The Quick AI Decode' Event at Microsoft London Rector - Oct 12, 2023
This session provides an opportunity to learn about the latest technologies and services available to help them succeed in their ventures. Attendees will be welcomed with an inspiring talk about tech, followed by a session on leveraging Microsoft Generative AI and Copilot Services. They will also be able to bring their own data and learn about Founders Hub, followed by a panel session with Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub startups. The session will conclude with a networking opportunity and a chance to ask questions. This fantastic evening is in preparation for the Microsoft Build - AI event on October 19th at Microsoft Reactor LondonMicrosoft Student Summit March 2023 - Start and Accelerate Your Career in Tech
Student Summit - Start and Accelerate Your Career in Tech In partnership with Microsoft Reactor this exciting 90-minute event will help build your confidence and motivation to skill on the Microsoft Cloud, and coach you on the next steps to continue your learning on topics including - Application Development and Developer Tools, Low Code/ No-Code / Fusion Development, and AI, Data and Machine Learning.Getting Started with Databases: SQL and Data Visualizations Basics
The importance of learning SQL cannot be argued against. The requirement for SQL skills on job description expands to more than just traditional developer roles. This follow-along session will help you get started with learning SQL by showing real examples of how to read and write to a SQL database. Data is only important by what we can learn from it so we will also cover how you can take data, explore it with SQLlite in an R notebook and build visualizations that tell a story, with the tidyverse framework.
