From Terminal to Autonomous Coding: Mastering GitHub Copilot CLI ACP Server
Introduction The rise of AI-powered development is no longer just about autocomplete—it’s about autonomous agents that can think, act, and collaborate. At the center of this transformation is the Agent Client Protocol (ACP) and its integration with GitHub Copilot CLI. If you’ve ever wanted to: Integrate Copilot into your own tools Build custom AI-driven developer workflows Orchestrate coding agents in CI/CD Then understanding the GitHub Copilot CLI ACP Server is a game-changer. This article will take you from zero to advanced, covering concepts, architecture, setup, and real-world use cases. What Is Agent Client Protocol (ACP)? The Agent Client Protocol (ACP) is an open standard designed to connect clients (like IDEs or tools) with AI agents in a consistent and interoperable way. Why ACP Exists Before ACP: Every IDE needed custom integration for each AI agent Every agent needed custom APIs per editor ACP solves this by introducing a universal communication layer. Key Idea “Any editor can talk to any agent.” Core Capabilities ACP enables: Standardized messaging between client and agent Streaming responses Tool execution with permissions Session lifecycle management Multi-agent coordination This makes ACP a foundation layer for the agentic developer ecosystem. What Is GitHub Copilot CLI ACP Server? GitHub Copilot CLI can run as an ACP-compatible server, exposing its AI capabilities programmatically. 👉 In simple terms: It turns Copilot into a backend AI agent service that any tool can connect to. According to GitHub Docs: Copilot CLI can run in ACP mode using a flag It supports standardized communication via ACP It enables integration with IDEs, pipelines, and custom tools Architecture: How ACP + Copilot CLI Works Components Component Role Client Sends prompts, receives responses ACP Protocol Standard communication layer Copilot CLI AI agent executing tasks System Files, repos, tools Getting Started (Beginner Level) Install GitHub Copilot CLI Ensure: Copilot subscription is active CLI installed and authenticated Start ACP Server Default (stdio mode – recommended) TCP Mode (for remote systems) stdio: Best for IDE integration TCP: Best for distributed systems Connect Using ACP Client (Example) Using TypeScript SDK: You: Start Copilot as a process Create streams Initialize connection Send prompt Receive streaming response ACP uses: NDJSON streams over stdin/stdout Event-driven communication ACP Workflow Explained A typical flow looks like this: Step-by-step lifecycle Initialize connection Create session Send prompt Agent processes task Streaming updates returned Optional tool execution (with permissions) Session ends ACP supports: Text + multimodal inputs Incremental responses Cancellation and control Real-World Use Cases IDE Integration (Custom Editors) Build your own AI-powered editor: Connect via ACP Send code context Receive suggestions CI/CD Automation Imagine: Use ACP to: Auto-fix bugs Generate tests Refactor code Multi-Agent Systems ACP enables: Copilot + other agents working together Task delegation Workflow orchestration Custom Developer Tools Examples: AI code review dashboards Internal dev assistants ChatOps integrations Advanced Concepts Session Management ACP allows: Isolated sessions Custom working directories Context persistence Streaming Responses Instead of waiting: Receive responses in chunks Build real-time UIs Permission Handling ACP includes: Tool execution approvals Security boundaries Controlled automation Extensibility ACP supports: Multiple SDKs (TypeScript, Python, Rust, Kotlin) Custom clients Future protocol evolution ACP vs Traditional Integration Feature Traditional APIs ACP Integration Custom per tool Standardized Streaming Limited Native Multi-agent Hard Built-in Extensibility Low High Interoperability Poor Excellent Why ACP + Copilot CLI Is a Big Deal This combination unlocks: ✅ Platform-level AI integration No more vendor lock-in per editor ✅ True agentic workflows Agents don’t just suggest—they act ✅ Ecosystem growth Any tool can plug into Copilot Challenges & Considerations ACP is still in public preview Requires understanding of: Streams Async communication Debugging agent workflows can be complex Future of Developer Experience ACP represents a shift toward: “AI-native development platforms” Future possibilities: Fully autonomous CI/CD pipelines Cross-agent collaboration Self-healing codebases Final Thoughts The GitHub Copilot CLI ACP Server is not just a feature—it’s a foundation for the next generation of software development. If you are: A developer → build smarter tools A tech lead → design AI-driven workflows A CTO aspirant → understand this deeply Then ACP is something you must master early. Quick Summary ACP = Standard protocol for AI agents Copilot CLI = Can run as ACP server Enables = IDEs, CI/CD, multi-agent systems Key power = interoperability + automationAHEAD helps us launch the Strategic Azure Storage Services Partner Program
AHEAD becomes the first Azure Storage Strategic Channel Partner by demonstrating their expertise in helping customers select the ideal Azure Storage, or Azure Storage ISV, Service to offer the ideal price / performance solution for their application and helping customers to migrate to Azure quickly and safely.AI and human potential: Advancing skills, innovation, and outcomes
When empowered employees put AI skills into action, true transformation begins. Across industries and around the world, organizations are teaming up with Microsoft to help their employees learn the skills they need to put AI into practice. Building AI skills today sets up employees and organizations to thrive in the opportunities of tomorrow. At visionary organizations, like Albertsons Companies, Casey’s, Levi Strauss, and Newell Brands, teams are moving beyond theory and weaving AI into everyday work, transforming routine tasks into opportunities for innovation and business growth. This isn’t just about technology—it’s about people reimagining how they make an impact—and, in the process, they’re building resilience, driving growth, and creating success. AI Skills Navigator: Guidance for your AI-powered growth To help more people tap into this potential, we recently announced AI Skills Navigator an agentic learning space, bringing together AI-powered skilling experiences and credentials that help individuals build career skills and organizations worldwide accelerate their business. Forward-thinking companies Icertis, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, MTN, and Vodafone previewed AI Skills Navigator and shared their excitement about the experience. They see this learning space as a way to strengthen their learning cultures, prepare their workforces for the future, and deliver meaningful results—from better customer experiences to innovation that scales. Empowering teams to lead with confidence We believe skilling should always start with people, especially in a fast-changing AI landscape. We’re inspired by what teams can achieve when they feel supported, and we’re proud to work with organizations of all sizes as they help their employees grow and lead with confidence. The examples that follow highlight how enterprises across industries and regions are building future-ready teams with Microsoft skilling—and seeing real impact. The Adecco Group, a leading talent solutions and advisory firm that serves more than 100,000 companies every year, is committed to upskilling its workforce and preparing employees for the future of work. Partnering with Microsoft, The Adecco Group provides skill-building that supports 300 million candidate interactions annually and fosters a learning culture that scales AI expertise across the company. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the state-owned energy company of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, operates across the entire oil and gas value chain. ADNOC and Microsoft have committed to co-develop and deploy agents that enhance efficiency, enable autonomous operations, and reduce emissions. This collaboration includes advanced AI tools and workforce training from Microsoft, in addition to the creation of a joint innovation ecosystem to drive transformative energy solutions. Albertsons Companies, one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, is helping its associates be more effective with AI. According to Anuj Dhanda, Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Technology & Transformation Officer, "At Albertsons Companies, we’re better together, whether in our stores or behind the scenes, and we embrace groundbreaking innovation that empowers each of our team members to earn customers for life. Our partnership with Microsoft is one of many transformative AI initiatives we’re implementing to unlock the potential of AI, helping our associates to be more effective, simplify their work, and build a more capable workforce to serve our 37 million customers each week." The Belgian Ministry of Defense is working with Microsoft to strengthen its capabilities through the practical application of generative AI, supporting a future-ready workforce. With AI coaching, the ministry equips its personnel with the skills to enhance digital resilience and operational effectiveness. Bupa APAC, a global leader in health insurance, health services, and aged care, keeps skilling central to its strategy evolution. The company cites AI as a critical part of its transformation but points out that technology alone isn't enough. It’s focused on its teams—building the right skills to make AI effective across the organization. Casey’s, a Fortune 500 convenience store chain and one of the largest pizza retailers in the United States, is embracing AI throughout the company. As Sanjeev Satturu, Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Information Officer (CIO), explains, “At Casey's, we are dedicated to fostering digital dexterity by equipping our teams with innovative AI tools. Through our strategic partnership with Microsoft, we are providing employees with the knowledge and resources to seamlessly integrate AI into their daily work, empowering them to extend their capabilities, boost productivity, and drive our evolution. By embracing AI in everyday actions, we amplify our collective potential and accelerate meaningful progress across the organization.” CloudThat, a Microsoft Training Services Partner and award-winning global leader in training and consulting, set out to reimagine how people learn cloud and AI technologies. The result is CloudAttack, a proprietary, generative AI–powered, gamified learning platform that’s making skill-building more interactive, enjoyable, and measurable. As a result of CloudAttack, participants express new confidence in using Microsoft 365 Copilot daily. Plus, CloudThat reports a 100% increase over the last year in Microsoft AI and prompt engineering sessions at universities, along with a 15% increase in Microsoft Certification exam participation among enterprise learners. The nationwide CloudAttack Prompt-a-Thon, sponsored by Microsoft, brought together nearly 1,000 learners, all competing to craft effective prompts and use AI tools, like Copilot, more confidently. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank), one of Australia’s largest banks, is guided by its goal to build a brighter future for all. With Microsoft skilling offerings, the bank is enabling its teams to engage with AI, use the latest tools, and embrace new ways of working, as employees find out how AI can drive real impact. With a structured skilling approach and real-world experimentation, CommBank employees are learning to confidently apply AI to their day-to-day tasks, stay ahead, innovate, and help shape the future of banking. Conagra Brands, Inc., the consumer‑packaged goods company behind snacks like Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn and Slim Jim, continues its history of innovation by adding AI capabilities and skilling to a foundation of modernization. Training sessions and hackathons, held in partnership with Microsoft and demonstrating Microsoft Copilot, led to new ideas for specific use cases across business units. Conagra now has 120 Active AI Champions completing advanced Copilot trainings and 1,300 employees trained through AI + Data Day events, with a goal to train all 15,000 employees. AI skilling has helped Conagra teams be more efficient, generate less waste, and make better products for their consumers. Danone, a world leader in specialized nutrition, is exploring new frontiers in AI transformation. Juergen Esser, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in charge of Finance, Technology and Data, observes, “Our collaboration with Microsoft will accelerate our AI transformation, providing us with the tools, technology, and expertise to explore new frontiers in data analysis, operational efficiency, and consumer engagement. Working together is not just about technology; it’s about fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and performance across our organisation." Digital China Cloud Technology Limited partnered with Lenovo, the world’s largest PC company, to create a training program to help Lenovo employees move from casual interaction with AI tools to meaningful, scenario-driven usage. The goal was to onboard 30,000 employees in China—about 40% of the Lenovo workforce—to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat and Microsoft Copilot Studio. The results included significant gains in productivity, efficiency, innovation, and more. As Lenovo China Operations Management Professional Dan Zhao explains, “Copilot Chat has fundamentally changed how we manage our daily workflow. What used to take hours now happens in minutes. It not only saves us time but also enhances the quality of our communication and strategic thinking." EPAM, a global leader in digital engineering and AI-powered software engineering services, is differentiating itself by focusing on Microsoft Applied Skills, moving beyond academic knowledge to real client impact. This approach demonstrates proficiency, strengthens outcomes, and provides a clear competitive advantage. With Applied Skills, EPAM fast-tracks AI readiness and project outcomes. Icertis, a leader in AI-powered contract intelligence, previewed AI Skills Navigator. Shwetambari Salgar, Learning & Organisational Development, is enthusiastic, emphasizing, “AI Skills Navigator provides an opportunity to upskill Icertis teams for the future through a unified learning platform. As a long-time Microsoft partner, we have a shared drive for innovation and continuous learning.” The International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), aims to empower nations to advance ethical AI for the good of humanity. Through its global Women Elevate initiative, ICAIRE is equipping 5,000 women with entry-level skills in AI, data science, and responsible AI use. The program is delivered by Microsoft Training Services Partner Spectrum Networks and features a comprehensive curriculum covering foundational AI and cloud concepts, Azure essentials, and the Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals Certification. By combining technical skilling with a strong focus on ethical innovation, Women Elevate is helping shape a new generation of women leaders ready to use AI to increase productivity, shorten time to market, and contribute meaningfully to the global AI ecosystem. Koç Holding is a Fortune Global 500 company and Turkey’s largest multinational conglomerate, operating across energy, automotive, finance, consumer goods, and retail sectors. The company is taking advantage of Microsoft Applied Skills, empowering more than 6,000 employees to build future-ready skills in cloud, AI, and automation—underscoring the company’s belief that digital transformation begins with people. Koç Holding employees demonstrate their technical expertise through real-world tasks with Applied Skills, which focus on targeted, scenario-based learning and validation. These staff members are turning their new skills into impact, solving business challenges and driving agility. Lenovo, a global technology powerhouse focused on delivering smarter technology for all, is expanding its collaboration with Microsoft to upskill an additional 4,200 employees this year, following the successful training of more than 3,000 to date. What began as a small pilot has evolved into one of Lenovo’s largest learning communities, reinforcing the company’s position as a leading force in the AI revolution. Levi Strauss & Co., global apparel company, is building the foundation to apply AI across its operations. As Karen Scholl, Vice President, Office of the Chief Digital & Technology Officer, explains, “We’re empowering our people to tap into the power of AI to unlock new possibilities, reimagine how we work, and accelerate our evolution into a best-in-class, direct-to-consumer retailer. Our partnership with Microsoft isn’t just about technology, but it’s about building the right foundation to embed AI across everything we do. From product design to store operations, we’re building and equipping every team member with the tools to drive innovation and growth, ensuring Levi’s continues to thrive for another 170 years. By leveraging Microsoft’s technological expertise, we’re redefining what’s possible for the future of retail.” LexisNexis Risk Solutions provides data analytics and technology to help organizations assess risk, ensure compliance, and prevent fraud. Sarah Fabius, Technology Optimization Program Manager, notes that the company is dedicated to equipping its workforce “with cutting-edge AI skills that fuel innovation in risk and data analytics technology. Through our partnership with Microsoft and the integration of AI Skills Navigator, we’re ensuring our teams have the tools and expertise to lead in a rapidly evolving industry.” MTN is Africa’s largest mobile network operator. Paul Norman, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, shares his perspective on AI Skills Navigator, noting, “At MTN, we believe in developing an AI-fluent organisation that empowers every employee to adopt and utilise AI responsibly and ethically. Microsoft AI Skills Navigator provides an exciting new learning innovation that can help demystify AI through its learner-centric and human-first approach to grow and develop an agile, resilient, and AI-inspired workforce of the future!" National Australia Bank (NAB), one of Australia’s largest financial institutions, is advancing its strategic commitment to AI, with more than 100 initiatives underway and thousands of employees already applying generative AI to deliver real business value. The bank emphasizes responsible AI, inclusive innovation, and strong leadership. Through a joint effort with Microsoft, 600 women have received AI training, reinforcing NAB’s vision of a diverse, future-ready workforce equipped to lead in the age of AI. Newell Brands, a leading consumer products company with a portfolio of iconic brands, is empowering its employees with Microsoft technology and skilling. As Chris Peterson, President and CEO, points out, “At Newell Brands, we see AI as a catalyst for creativity, productivity, and transformation. Through the Microsoft AI experience training series and access to Microsoft 365 Copilot, we’re empowering our employees with technology that helps them work smarter, boost productivity, and turn ideas into action faster. This is about more than adopting new technology—it’s about fueling innovation, driving efficiency, and creating lasting value across our business.” NTT DATA is a global IT services and consulting company that provides digital, cloud, and business solutions to help organizations innovate and transform. The company is building its workforce skills in generative AI in close collaboration with Microsoft and other leading partners. The company intends to train 200,000 of its employees by fiscal year 2027 and, as of October 2025, had already trained 70,000 of them. This initiative empowers staff members to apply generative AI independently, driving innovation in daily tasks and creating new value across the organization. OP Pohjola, Finland’s largest provider of financial services, is fueling transformation in the financial sector by embedding continuous learning into its culture. In a joint effort with Microsoft, the company is ensuring that every employee has the opportunity to build AI skills and can apply them responsibly every day. This commitment and world-class learning strengthens customer service, fosters innovation, and helps to shape the future of banking. Ricoh, a global technology company that provides digital services, printing solutions, and workplace innovation, believes that real transformation starts with people. The company is advancing AI adoption across its teams in the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on skill-building so team members can use new tools with confidence. Ricoh and Microsoft worked together to deliver AI Learning Week, which gave employees the opportunity to explore ways to apply AI meaningfully and responsibly and to reimagine how they work, enhancing human potential. Swiss Post, Switzerland's national postal service, together with Campana & Schott and Microsoft, launched an ambitious AI skilling and adoption program, delivering measurable results. The organization conducts regular surveys to gather feedback and better understand impact. Teams across logistics, finance, and corporate services are reporting meaningful gains in productivity and efficiency, while employees cite faster access to information, improved collaboration, and higher satisfaction with their digital work environment. These outcomes reflect a clear return on investment—both in operational performance and employee empowerment. Vodafone, a global telecommunications company, looks to the exciting possibilities of AI Skills Navigator. As Steve Garley, Senior Manager Technical and Digital Skills, explains, “AI Skills Navigator learner-first design aligns well with an AI-first approach and Vodafone’s ambition for readiness in the AI era. We see potential in Microsoft’s [skilling experience] to transform traditional training models and deliver role-based, just-in-time upskilling that drives real business outcomes.” From retail to telecom and more, these organizations prove that empowered teams can spark innovation and lasting growth. Their experiences highlight a truth worth remembering—transformation starts with people. When employees feel confident in their skills, they create success that extends well beyond daily tasks. If you’re ready to empower your workforce with the full potential of AI skilling, get your teams started with AI Skills Navigator.New Microsoft Certified: Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification
As a data engineer, you understand that AI performance depends directly on the quality of its data. If the data isn’t clean, well-managed, and accessible at scale, even the most sophisticated AI models won’t perform as expected. Introducing the Microsoft Certified: Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification, designed to prove that you have the skills required to build and operate reliable data systems by using Azure Databricks. To earn the Certification, you need to pass Exam DP-750: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Azure Databricks, currently in beta. Is this Certification right for you? This Certification offers you the opportunity to prove your skills and validate your expertise in the following areas: Core technical skills Ingesting, transforming, and modeling data using SQL and Python Building production data pipelines on Azure Databricks Implementing software development lifecycle (SDLC) practices with Git-based workflows Integrating Azure Databricks with key Microsoft services, such as Azure Storage, Azure Data Factory, Azure Monitor, Azure Key Vault, and Microsoft Entra ID Governance and security Securing and governing data with Unity Catalog and Microsoft Purview Applying workspace, cluster, and data-level security best practices Performance and reliability Optimizing compute, caching, partitioning, and Delta Lake design patterns Troubleshooting and resolving issues with jobs and pipelines Managing workloads across development, staging, and production For engineers already familiar with Azure Databricks, this Certification bridges the gap between general Azure Databricks skills and the Azure‑specific architecture, security, and operational patterns that employers increasingly expect. Ready to prove your skills? The first 300 candidates can save 80% Take advantage of the discounted beta exam offer. The first 300 people who take Exam DP-750 (beta) on or before April 2, 2026, can get 80% off. To receive the discount, when you register for the exam and are prompted for payment, use code DP750Deltona. This is not a private access code. The seats are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. As noted, you must take the exam on or before April 2, 2026. Please note that this discount is not available in Turkey, Pakistan, India, or China. How to prepare Get ready to take Exam DP-750 (beta): Review the Exam DP-750 (beta) exam page for details. The Exam DP-750 study guide explores key topics covered in the exam. Work through the Plan on Microsoft Learn: Get Exam‑Ready for DP‑750: Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate Certification. Need other preparation ideas? Check out Just How Does One Prepare for Beta Exams? You can take Certification exams online, from your home or office. Learn what to expect in Online proctored exams: What to expect and how to prepare. Interested in unlocking more Azure Databricks expertise? Grow your skills and take the next step by exploring Databricks credentials and show what you can do with Azure Databricks. Ready to get started? Remember, only the first 300 candidates can get 80% Exam DP-750 (beta) with code DP750Deltona on or before April 2, 2026. Beta exam rescoring begins when the exam goes live, with final results released approximately 10 days later. For more details, read Creating high-quality exams: The path from beta to live. Stay tuned for general availability of this Certification in early May 2026. Get involved: Help shape future Microsoft Credentials Join our Microsoft Worldwide Learning SME Group for Credentials on LinkedIn for beta exam alerts and opportunities to help shape future Microsoft learning and assessments. Additional information For more cloud and AI Certification updates, read our recent blog post, The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills? Explore Microsoft Credentials on AI Skills Navigator.
Driving AI‑Powered Healthcare: A Data & AI Webinar and Workshop Series
Across these sessions, you’ll learn how healthcare organizations are using Microsoft Fabric, advanced analytics, and AI to unify fragmented data, modernize analytics, and enable intelligent, scalable solutions, from enterprise reporting to AI‑powered use cases. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to accelerate adoption, these sessions offer practical guidance, real‑world examples, and hands‑on learning to help you build a strong data foundation for AI in healthcare. Date Topic Details Location Registration Link May 6 Webinar: Microsoft Fabric Foundations - A Simple Path to Modern Analytics and AI Discover how Microsoft Fabric consolidates fragmented analytics into a single integrated data platform, making it easier to deliver trusted insights and adopt AI without added complexity. Virtual Register May 13 Webinar: Reduce BI Sprawl, Cut Cost and Build an AI-Ready Analytics Foundation Learn how Power BI enables enterprise BI consolidation, consistent metrics, and secure, scalable analytics that support both operational reporting and emerging AI use cases. Virtual Register May 19-20 In Person Workshop: Driving AI‑Powered Healthcare: Advanced Analytics, AI, and Real‑World Impact Attend this two‑day, in‑person event to learn how healthcare organizations use Microsoft Fabric to unify data, accelerate AI adoption, and deliver measurable clinical and operational value. Day 1 focuses on strategy, architecture, and real‑world healthcare use cases, while Day 2 offers hands‑on workshops to apply those concepts through guided labs and agent‑powered solutions. Chicago Register May 27 Webinar: Unified Data Foundation for AI & Analytics - Leveraging OneLake and Microsoft Fabric This session shows how organizations can simplify fragmented data architectures by using Microsoft Fabric and OneLake as a single, governed foundation for analytics and AI. Virtual Register May 27-28 In Person Workshop: Driving AI‑Powered Healthcare: Advanced Analytics, AI, and Real‑World Impact Attend this two‑day, in‑person event to learn how healthcare organizations use Microsoft Fabric to unify data, accelerate AI adoption, and deliver measurable clinical and operational value. Day 1 focuses on strategy, architecture, and real‑world healthcare use cases, while Day 2 offers hands‑on workshops to apply those concepts through guided labs and agent‑powered solutions. Silicon Valley Register June 2 Webinar: Delivering Personalized Patient Experiences at Scale with Microsoft Fabric and Adobe Learn how healthcare organizations can improve patient engagement by unifying trusted data in Microsoft Fabric and activating it through Adobe’s personalization platform. Virtual Register June 3-4 In Person Workshop: Driving AI‑Powered Healthcare: Advanced Analytics, AI, and Real‑World Impact Attend this two‑day, in‑person event to learn how healthcare organizations use Microsoft Fabric to unify data, accelerate AI adoption, and deliver measurable clinical and operational value. Day 1 focuses on strategy, architecture, and real‑world healthcare use cases, while Day 2 offers hands‑on workshops to apply those concepts through guided labs and agent‑powered solutions. New York Register June 10 Webinar: From Data to Decisions: How AI Data Agents in Microsoft Fabric Redefine Analytics Join us to learn how Fabric Data Agents enable users to interact with enterprise data through AI‑powered, governed agents that understand both data and business context. Virtual Register June 17 Webinar: Building the Intelligent Factory: A Unified Data and AI Approach to Life Science Manufacturing Discover how life science & MedTech manufacturers use Microsoft Fabric to integrate operational, quality, and enterprise data and apply AI‑powered analytics for smarter, faster manufacturing decisions. Virtual Register June 23-24 In Person Workshop: Driving AI‑Powered Healthcare: Advanced Analytics, AI, and Real‑World Impact Attend this two‑day, in‑person event to learn how healthcare organizations use Microsoft Fabric to unify data, accelerate AI adoption, and deliver measurable clinical and operational value. Day 1 focuses on strategy, architecture, and real‑world healthcare use cases, while Day 2 offers hands‑on workshops to apply those concepts through guided labs and agent‑powered solutions. Dallas RegisterAccelerating the Flow of Learning
By Vince Frankson, Authentica Solutions | Guest Post via the Microsoft Education Blog Education technology leaders are not short on vision; they are short on time. They know exactly what their Microsoft 365 environment is capable of. What they deserve are better tools, smarter automation, and a partner that shows up ready to serve. At Authentica Solutions, we pride ourselves on our culture of servant leadership, not just as a slogan, but as our guiding principle. Our mission is to support and serve district technology teams, ensuring that technology enhances their valuable work rather than making it more complex. Everything we build is organized around one purpose: accelerating the flow of learning. Not technology for its own sake... tools and services focused at getting teachers back to teaching, students back to learning, and district leaders back to the decisions that matter most. With the school year winding down and Back to School planning already on the horizon, there is no better moment to look at where your Microsoft 365 environment stands, and how the right tools and the right team can compress your timeline, free your people, and make this the smoothest Back to School launch yet. District Technology Teams Deserve Better Tools K-12 technology leaders oversee complex systems, sometimes across multiple campuses, and support a wide range of users. While Microsoft 365 offers advanced features, many remain underused due to the time and expertise required for full implementation. Microsoft’s School Data Sync (SDS) is a great example. It is a genuinely powerful free service that automates the flow of student roster and identity data from your Student Information System (SIS) into Microsoft Entra ID, provisioning Teams classrooms, Intune device groups, SharePoint sites, and OneNote Class Notebooks automatically, at scale. The platform is exceptional. Fully configuring it, keeping it healthy across an academic year, and extending its value into the rest of the data ecosystem is specialized work that deserves specialized support. Authentica addresses this gap by providing support so school IT teams can focus on high-impact tasks, helping educators and students achieve more. Authentica seed™: Built to Accelerate the Flow of Learning Authentica seed™ is Authentica’s Education Intelligence Cloud Service, designed to streamline learning by enabling clean, automated, bidirectional data pipelines. This allows teachers to access rosters quickly, students to begin learning immediately, and administrators to monitor instruction in real time, accelerating progress for everyone. Getting Your Data into Microsoft 365 seed™ sits between your SIS and SDS, handling data preparation, mapping, and delivery so your team can focus on higher-value work. Districts that previously invested significant time in validation cycles and configuration troubleshooting are reaching full value in a fraction of the time. Automated SIS-to-SDS delivery with built-in validation, so errors are caught before they ever reach your tenant. Support for OneRoster API and CSV formats across all major SIS platforms, meeting your district where it already is. Automatic provisioning of users, classes, and groups across Microsoft Entra ID, Teams, SharePoint, Exchange, and Intune for Education. Manage Student Age Groups to limit or support access to Microsoft Copilot for students 13+. Every hour returned from focusing on the data pipeline is an hour returned to learning. That is Cloud with Purpose. Getting Your Data Back Where It Belongs Learning does not stop at the edge of Microsoft 365, and neither should your data. seed™ closes the loop by moving grade data, assessment data, and engagement signals back to the platforms that need them, automatically. Back to your SIS: Keeping your system of record current and authoritative without double grade entry. To your Analytics platform: Giving administrators and instructional coaches visibility into what is working, event making Microsoft 365 activity visible, without waiting for manual exports. Building your dream data estate: What if you could combine your academic and instructional data, your operations and staff data, and your financial data into a single place? What if you could have it prepped and ready so you can ask questions with Copilot and / or AI Agents. Which schools have the most students off track right now? Top 5, and why. Where are we spending the most with the weakest results? Top 3. One connected data ecosystem. Compounding the return on every platform investment your district has made and accelerating the flow of learning throughout. UsageIQ™ Microsoft 365 Edition: Giving Leaders the Visibility They Deserve District technology leaders make consequential decisions about licensing, training, and support every year. They deserve data that makes those decisions clear. Authentica UsageIQ™ Microsoft 365 Edition was built to provide exactly that: a straightforward, actionable picture of how your Microsoft 365 environment is being used across the organization. Not a consultant engagement. Not a manual pull from the admin portal. A purpose-built, single view of your tenant that tells you what you need to know, when you need to know it. App-by-app usage across your tenant: Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange, OneNote, and more, in one place. School-by-school and role-based breakdowns: See where adoption is strong and where targeted support would unlock real value. License utilization insights: Ensure every seat is earning its value and renewal conversations are grounded in actual usage data. Back to School readiness views: Identify accounts and configurations that need attention before day one, not after. When technology leaders can see clearly, they lead confidently. That visibility is not a luxury. It is what great tools are supposed to deliver. Managed Services for Microsoft 365: A Team That Has Been Here Before At Authentica, we deliver Managed Services with a servant leadership mindset. We're not just a helpdesk, our team has years of experience at Microsoft, having built education solutions like SDS, Teams for Education, and Graph APIs. We support your district as an expert extension to handle critical Microsoft 365 tasks efficiently, allowing your technology staff to focus on their key responsibilities. What Managed Services for Microsoft 365 Covers End-of-Year close support for SDS expiration management, tenant cleanup, graduating account archiving, and identity hygiene, handled on time and on spec so your team can close the year cleanly. Back to School launch for new year SDS configuration, classroom provisioning, device group refresh, and Conditional Access review, so teachers walk into a working environment on day one. Ongoing SDS health monitoring and proactive troubleshooting, so issues are resolved before they become incidents Microsoft Entra ID and identity management support across the full user lifecycle. Teams for Education configuration, governance, and adoption enablement. Intune for Education device policy and deployment support. Copilot readiness assessment and enablement, so your district is positioned for AI-powered learning when you are ready to move. This is what it looks like when your Microsoft 365 environment has a team behind it that is fully committed to your success, not just at launch, but every day. End of School Checklist: Five Things Worth Doing Before Summer Break These are the actions that make Back to School smoother, faster, and less reactive. Your team knows this; this is a reminder of what is worth prioritizing before the calendar turns. Audit Microsoft Entra ID for inactive and graduating accounts. Clean identities now mean a cleaner, more secure tenant heading into the new year, and fewer licensing surprises at renewal. Review your SDS sync health. Check error and warning logs now. Small data issues that are easy to address in the spring become August emergencies. Get ahead of them while there is room to breathe. Check your Microsoft 365 license utilization. If you are on A3 or A5, are those features actively working for your district? UsageIQ™ Microsoft 365 Edition can show you the full picture and give you a clear story heading into renewal season. Archive Teams classes from the current year. Establish your retention and archival approach before the new year roster drop. A clean tenant makes everyone faster, IT, teachers, and students. Plan your Back-to-School timeline now. Microsoft School Data Sync (SDS) provisioning for a large district takes time. Build in buffer, engage your support resources before August, and set your team up to launch the year confidently instead of reactively. We Are Here to Serve Authentica Solutions is offering a complimentary Microsoft 365 Readiness Assessment for districts that want a clear picture of where they stand before the new year begins. This is a straightforward conversation with our team, people who have been inside these systems for years, helping you identify what is working, what is ready to unlock, and where the right tools can return the most value. No pressure. Just expertise, in service of your district and the learning that happens inside it. Let’s talk to schedule your complimentary Microsoft 365 Readiness Assessment. About Authentica Solutions Authentica Solutions is an EdTech company grounded in servant leadership and built around one purpose: accelerating the flow of learning. Our team, including former Microsoft engineers who built core Microsoft 365 education products, serves K-12 districts through seed™, UsageIQ™, reachAI™, and Managed Services for Microsoft 365. Cloud with Purpose. Visit www.authenticasolutions.comVoice Live API now supports WebRTC (Preview)
We are thrilled to announce that Voice Live API now supports WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) connection, enabling low‑latency, real‑time voice interactions directly from web and mobile clients. Why WebRTC is required in real-time voice agent building WebRTC enables real‑time, bi‑directional audio and video streaming directly in the browser without plugins or native installs. Unlike WebSocket, which treat audio as generic data and require custom buffering and timing logic, WebRTC is purpose‑built for media‑aware streaming needed for responsive conversational experiences. Specifically: Lower latency: WebRTC is designed to minimize delay, making it more suitable for audio and video communication where low latency is critical for maintaining quality and synchronization. Built-in media handling: WebRTC has built-in support for audio and video codecs, providing optimized handling of media streams. Network resilience: WebRTC includes mechanisms for handling packet loss and jitter, which are essential for maintaining the quality of audio streams over unpredictable networks. How to set up WebRTC in Voice Live In a typical setup, the client establishes a WebSocket‑based control channel with the Voice Live API to exchange SDP offer and answer messages required for WebRTC session negotiation. Once negotiation completes, audio is transmitted over WebRTC RTP media tracks. Non‑audio events, such as voice activity and response lifecycle signals, are exchanged over WebRTC data channels alongside the media streams. Session configuration, control‑plane messages, and error notifications are delivered through the WebSocket control channel. When initiating a WebRTC call session, simply use the voice-live/realtime/calls endpoint instead of voice-live/realtime. For example: wss://<your-ai-foundry-resource-name>.services.ai.azure.com/voice-live/realtime/calls?api-version=2026-01-01-preview&model=gpt-realtime For more information, see the step-by-step instruction. Learn more Voice Live API is transforming how developers build voice-enabled agent systems by providing an integrated, scalable, and efficient solution. By combining speech recognition, generative AI, and text-to-speech functionalities into a unified interface, it addresses the challenges of traditional implementations, enabling faster development and superior user experiences. From streamlining customer service to enhancing education and public services, the opportunities are endless. The future of voice-first solutions is here—let’s build it together! Voice Live API introduction (video) Try Voice Live in Azure AI Foundry Voice Live API documents Voice Live quickstart Voice Live Agent code sample in GitHubGitHub Copilot is moving to usage-based billing
Instead of counting premium requests, every Copilot plan will include a monthly allotment of GitHub AI Credits, with the option for paid plans to purchase additional usage. Usage will be calculated based on token consumption, including input, output, and cached tokens, using the listed API rates for each model. This change aligns Copilot pricing with actual usage and is an important step toward a sustainable, reliable Copilot business and experience for all users. Learn more here and access partner resources here. APAC Office hours link – May 6, 7:00 PM — 8:00 PM PDT EMEA/AMER Office hours link – May 7, 8:00 AM — 9:00 AM PDTUpdates to Teamwork Deployment specialization: View new name and requirements
Starting April 29, 2026, Microsoft is renaming the Teamwork Deployment specialization as the Secure AI Productivity specialization to reflect the increased focus on the secure foundations required for successful AI adoption. Additionally, the performance, skilling, and Solutions Partner designation requirements will be updated to better align with foundational workloads from Microsoft 365 E3 and the realities of modern AI adoption. These updates expand the workloads included in the specialization and refresh requirements to reflect the skills partners need to deploy, secure, and scale AI‑powered collaboration. Additionally, partners will be required to hold both the Modern Work designation and the Security designation to earn the Secure AI Productivity specialization. Partners currently enrolled in the specialization will need to meet these updated requirements at their next renewal if it occurs after April 29, 2026. Learn moreDesign predictable AI performance to scale selling through Microsoft Marketplace
Trade-offs in AI performance: latency, quality and cost Imagine a software company launches a customer trial for its new AI assistant through Microsoft Marketplace. The trial begins smoothly — until more complex queries take longer than a few seconds to return a response. The cause isn’t model failure. It’s an unbounded Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline retrieving 50 documents per query before synthesizing an answer. Latency increases. Runtime token usage expands. Trial‑stage infrastructure cost rises immediately. This exposes the core runtime tradeoff in enterprise AI systems: Latency ↔ Quality ↔ Cost Improving response quality often increases retrieval depth. Increasing retrieval depth expands token usage. Expanded token usage drives both cost and latency upward. This post is part of a series on building and publishing well-architected AI apps and agents in Microsoft Marketplace. The series focuses on AI apps and agents that are architected, hosted, and operated on Azure, with guidance aligned to building and selling solutions through Microsoft Marketplace. You can always get curated step-by-step guidance through building, publishing and selling apps for Marketplace through App Advisor. How traditional cost model assumptions break down for AI In classic software models, you expect predictable runtime costs such as license allocations, storage, compute time, bandwidth consumption, etc. But in AI-powered systems, that stability gives way to new complexities driven by token-based cost structures. These costs scale in unexpected ways, depending on the length of generated outputs, the depth of information retrieval, the number of reasoning steps an agent performs, and how often external tools are invoked. Consider the RAG pipeline scenario: retrieving five documents for a single query might create a 3,000-token prompt. If the pipeline instead pulls 50 documents, that prompt balloons to 15,000 tokens—before the AI even begins to infer an answer. And the unpredictability doesn’t stop there. Agent orchestration can introduce even more variability. Planning steps may stretch or shrink depending on the query, tool-calling systems might retry failed executions multiple times, and multi-branch workflows can run in parallel, all amplifying token consumption and cost. Keep costs bounded without sacrificing quality While unpredictable token usage and orchestration steps can quickly escalate infrastructure costs in AI-powered systems, design choices can prevent runaway expenses without compromising the quality of responses. To achieve this, engineers must balance procurement expectations set by pricing with real-time operational controls. For instance, use a multi-model tiered routing strategy to allow less complex queries to be handled by lightweight models, reserving advanced reasoning models for more demanding tasks. Combining this with token budgeting strategies—such as per-session caps and API Management token-limit policies—ensures that each interaction remains within defined boundaries. Cost-aware orchestration paths become essential when running AI workloads across multiple tenants, especially when retries and multi-branch workflows threaten to multiply inference consumption. By calibrating runtime guardrails to performance and cost signals, AI systems can be designed to fail gracefully and predictably, preventing ambiguous and expensive failures. Ultimately, the goal is to deliver high-quality results at scale, maintaining control over both costs and performance as usage grows. Achieving predictable latency: Business best practices across each layer For enterprise AI systems, ensuring fast and consistent response times—while balancing quality and cost—is a top priority. Predictable latency requires intentional design at every layer of your architecture. Interaction Layer: Set clear boundaries for incoming requests using Azure API Management rate‑limit and quota policies, such as rate-limit-by-key, scoped per subscription or tenant. These controls cap request throughput and request volume over time, preventing traffic spikes from overwhelming downstream AI services and ensuring consistent, predictable response behavior across tenants. Orchestration Layer: Define and restrict system execution paths. Limit reasoning depth in workflows so complex operations don’t unexpectedly slow things down. This keeps your business processes running smoothly and predictably. At the API boundary, Azure API Management can enforce deterministic routing, retry limits, and timeout policies, while backend orchestration services such as Azure Durable Functions or Logic Apps manage multi‑step workflows with explicit bounds on execution depth and retries. Model Layer: Choose models based on expected concurrency needs. Use fallback routing to redirect traffic during busy periods—so users don’t experience delays. Rely on Azure OpenAI Provisioned Throughput Units (PTUs) for steady baseline performance and enable PAYG overflow to handle temporary surges without sacrificing speed. Microsoft AI Foundry can be used to centrally manage model selection and routing policies, enabling consistent fallback strategies and governed use of multiple models across agents and workloads. Retrieval Layer: Optimize your document indexing and narrow the scope of data being searched. This means users get relevant information faster, and your system avoids unnecessary slowdowns. Services such as Azure AI Search enable scoped, indexed retrieval over structured and unstructured content, while integrating with Azure Blob Storage or Azure Cosmos DB as source data stores to support predictable, low‑latency access for RAG‑based AI workflows. Data Layer: Keep your compute and storage resources close together and aligned regionally. By minimizing cross-region data transfers, you reduce latency and boost reliability—critical for enterprise-grade AI. Across every layer, publishers are responsible for designing bounded, predictable defaults, while customers govern configuration, scale, and operational posture—a clear separation that reduces friction, improves trial outcomes, and accelerates Marketplace adoption. By applying these best practices decisively at every layer, software development companies can move beyond isolated optimizations and design AI solutions that behave predictably under real customer load. This approach enables customers to run meaningful trials, validate performance and cost assumptions early, and scale with confidence as demand grows. More importantly, it establishes a repeatable engineering foundation—one that supports faster iteration, clearer operational ownership, and successful commercialization through Microsoft Marketplace. Design caching into your architecture from the start Predictable AI performance relies on caching that’s intentionally designed into the architecture—not added after systems are already under load. In agent‑driven and retrieval‑augmented workflows, caching is foundational to controlling latency, stabilizing runtime costs, and keeping execution behavior consistent as usage scales. Effective designs cache work wherever outcomes are deterministic. Request‑level and semantic caching reduce redundant inference when users submit identical or meaning‑equivalent queries, while Azure API Management paired with Azure Managed Redis enables governed reuse at the intent level. Retrieval pipelines benefit from embedding and retrieval caching, which avoids repeated vectorization and unnecessary search overhead. Within orchestration flows, tool‑level caching ensures stable responses for deterministic calls such as policy checks or configuration lookups, and agent plan caching allows reasoning paths to be reused without re‑incurring planning cost. Caching must be paired with clear invalidation strategies—time‑based expiration, context‑aware refresh, and event‑driven updates—to preserve correctness and trust. In Marketplace deployments, multi‑tenant cache isolation and observability are essential. When caching is visible, governed, and intentional, it becomes a powerful enabler of predictable scale. What’s next in the journey With performance and cost under control, the next question is how your system behaves when something goes wrong. The next post explores API resilience and reliability patterns—because predictable performance only matters if your AI system continues to function through the inevitable failures that occur at Marketplace scale. Key Resources See curated, step-by-step guidance to help you build, publish, or sell your app or agent (no matter where you start) in App Advisor Quick-Start Development Toolkit can connect you with code templates for AI solution patterns Microsoft AI Envisioning Day Events How to build and publish AI apps and agents for Microsoft Marketplace Get over $126K USD in benefits and technical consultations to help you replicate and publish your app with ISV Success
