Our commitment to help build AI skills in higher education
Last week, Microsoft announced a new set of commitments to ensure students and educators are equipped with the most critical skills to thrive in an AI-powered economy. These efforts are about more than access—they’re about impact. By delivering cutting-edge tools, training, and verified credentials, we’re helping faculty across all higher education institutions lead more confidently in the classroom and embrace all the ways that AI can accelerate growth for themselves and their students. Through faculty and educators, we’re preparing students everywhere to participate fully—and lead boldly—in the AI economy. Microsoft Learn for Educators AI Bootcamps at no cost—Limited-time offer To support institutions globally, we’re opening over 2,500 slots in our Microsoft Learn for Educators (MSLE) AI Bootcamps, available at no cost to all higher education faculty members. From September 15, 2025 through September 30, 2025, faculty from all disciplines can attend the Generative AI for Teaching Bootcamp, the Foundational AI Bootcamp, and the Cybersecurity and AI Bootcamp. All sessions are virtual, offered across multiple time zones, and taught in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Brazilian Portuguese. Whether faculty have a technical or non-technical background, these bootcamps provide valuable skills and resources to help them empower students for success in an AI-driven job market. Sign up today for an MSLE AI Bootcamp. Expanding AI skilling through community and technical college partnerships We recognize the unique value of community colleges in the United States. We’re excited to announce our partnerships with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the National Applied AI Consortium (NAAIC) to help build AI skills and support AI adoption. Through these partnerships, we’ll provide training at no cost for community college faculty and staff, ultimately benefiting over 10 million students in the United States. These training sessions will help community college faculty prepare for in-demand AI credentials and certifications, including the Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification. Faculty and staff can now sign up for the trainings that launch later this month at the NAAIC. As we look ahead, the opportunity to empower higher education faculty, and through them, millions of students, has never been more urgent or more promising. By working together across institutions, industries, and borders, we can ensure that every faculty member has the tools and confidence to lead in an AI-powered world.
Supercharge your workflow with real-time information from the Microsoft Learn MCP Server
Stay focused and on track by connecting your AI agents directly to trusted Microsoft documentation. With the shift toward more AI-powered workplaces, developers and IT teams are spending less time searching the web and more time relying on AI tools and agents for help. But AI is only as good as the knowledge it can access—and even the most advanced AI models are working with information that has knowledge cutoffs, meaning their resources can be months out of date. Outdated or incomplete information can lead to errors, inefficiencies, and compliance issues. That’s where a new standard is emerging: Model Context Protocol (MCP) Servers. They connect AI agents directly to trusted, real-time data sources, so answers are accurate, relevant, and up to date. With the Microsoft Learn MCP Server, your AI agents can tap directly into official Microsoft product knowledge, right inside your development environment or workflow. No browser hopping. No guesswork. Just faster, more accurate results with AI guidance that helps you streamline your workflow and grow your skills while solving real-world problems. What is the Microsoft Learn MCP Server? Think of the Microsoft Learn MCP Server as your direct line to official Microsoft documentation—delivered to your AI Agent, in real time, in context, without leaving the tools you already use. Whether you’re coding in Visual Studio Code, prompting GitHub Copilot, or building a custom AI assistant, the Learn MCP Server brings relevant guidance to your fingertips. There’s no need to create custom connectors or install extra components. The service uses lightweight, streamable HTTP, so it works seamlessly with almost any MCP-compatible tool. The Learn MCP Server provides multiple ways for AI agents to surface the right information: Focused excerpts: The server can search Microsoft content and return up to 10 chunks of high-quality information—each with a title, URL, and self-contained passage. Full technical documentation: When broader context is needed, the Learn MCP Server can fetch complete pages, giving agents richer, more contextual information than a chunk alone could provide. Together, these built-in tools are designed to quickly provide you with the information you need by giving AI agents the flexibility to retrieve information in the format that best fits the task at hand—whether that’s targeted excerpts or a complete page of documentation. Microsoft Learn MCP Server If you’re a developer, that means you’ll have real-time access to definitive Microsoft resources, delivered at the right level of detail to help you solve complex problems, write high-quality code, streamline workflows, and build smarter AI agents. If you’re a technology leader, you’ll be able to equip your teams with smarter tools that provide timely, reliable resources, opening up new ways to learn and work more efficiently and effectively. Unlock smarter agentic experiences with the Microsoft Learn MCP Server Here are a few ways you can start putting Learn MCP to work: Create help desk agents that resolve tickets in minutes. Picture a support agent tackling a tricky issue. Instead of digging through pages of search results, their AI assistant pulls exact, up-to-date documentation from Microsoft Learn right into the workflow. The result? Faster resolution times, reduced escalations, and higher customer satisfaction. Develop onboarding agents that feel like personal coaching. New hires often spend weeks finding their footing, but with AI-guided Microsoft Learn resources tailored to each role, they can quickly ramp up on the tools they'll use every day—like Microsoft 365, Azure, or Dynamics 365—and build skills and confidence faster. Build more secure apps with confidence. By connecting GitHub Copilot agent mode to the Microsoft Learn MCP Server, your AI assistant can access the latest secure development practices and requirements, helping you identify vulnerabilities in open-source packages, validate configurations, and flag risky dependencies before they reach production. We’re continuing to expand what’s possible with the Learn MCP Server, so your AI agents can do even more, with even greater accuracy. In the coming weeks, a new capability will enable agents to access precise, ready-to-use code samples that improve the reliability and quality of AI-generated development work. These enhancements will make it even easier for you to build intelligent, context-aware AI agents, backed by the most current Microsoft product knowledge to help teams maximize productivity, stay secure, and deliver more value. Try it for yourself MCP servers are rapidly gaining traction as the standard for connecting AI agents to high-value, trustworthy data sources—a critical capability as organizations race to adopt AI responsibly. Microsoft Learn is already helping developers and technology leaders put this standard into practice, both by helping learners gain the skills needed to build AI agents and by enhancing the way those agents deliver knowledge to people in the flow of work. By embedding official Microsoft product knowledge directly into your workflows, you can make better decisions, accelerate development cycles, streamline operations, and avoid the pitfalls of outdated information. It’s all part of Microsoft Learn’s commitment to helping people use AI more effectively and with confidence. Explore the Learn MCP Server: Follow the step by step documentation to get started. Watch the demo video to see the Learn MCP Server in action. Visit the GitHub repository for installation guidance and troubleshooting. Walk through setting up the Learn MCP Server in Visual Studio Code with Microsoft MVP Luke Murray.Announcing the Microsoft AI Skills Fest: Save the date!
*Updated as of March 28, 2025 The best way to learn something new is by taking it one step at a time. We know all this talk of AI can be overwhelming, so how about we take it one skill at a time? At Microsoft, our mission has always been to create technology that empowers others to innovate and solve real-world problems. And it’s no different with AI—we want to help you learn to use this powerful technology to make your life easier, especially as it becomes an integral part of our daily lives. Sometimes, starting is the hardest part, so we want to make that part simple for you. This is why we’re excited to announce the Microsoft AI Skills Fest, a global event this April and May, designed to bring learners across the globe together to build their AI skills, from beginner explorers to the technologically gifted. Together, we can learn a new AI skill and maybe even set a groundbreaking record at the same time! Everyone everywhere is invited The AI Skills Fest is designed with you in mind, offering a wide variety of AI training for everyone, regardless of background or expertise. Join us to build your AI skills and unlock new opportunities for productivity, innovation, and growth. Tech professionals. Learn how to quickly build AI-powered solutions using Microsoft's AI apps and services. Gain skills and experience working with agents, AI security, Azure AI Foundry, GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Fabric, and more. Business professionals. Find out how much easier your work life can be when you use Microsoft Copilot to simplify tasks and let your creativity loose! Students. Explore technical skills to bring your ideas to life, with AI learning experiences for all skill levels and interests. Business leaders. Empower your teams with AI skills for future success through curated upskilling opportunities. Let’s earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title together on April 8, 2025! The Microsoft AI Skills Fest will begin with a spectacular Kickoff Celebration on April 8, 2025. Starting in Australia at 9 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time and wrapping up in the United States at 4 PM Pacific Daylight Time, this 24-hour, globe-spanning event will feature a variety of AI learning activities designed to engage and inspire learners of all experience levels. Together, we’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attempt a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most users to take an online multi-level artificial intelligence lesson in 24 hours. Don’t miss this unique chance to learn, compete, and celebrate your achievements—and to be part of these unprecedented and record-setting global festivities. Check out the learning experiences we've prepared for this day. Mark your calendar and register now. Deepen your skills over 50 days of AI learning The celebration doesn't stop there! Following the kickoff, the AI Skills Fest will continue for 50 days— through May 28, 2025—offering a wide array of learning opportunities. Whether you're a tech professional, business leader, business professional, student, or AI enthusiast, there will be engaging and challenging training for you. Participate in hackathons, live in-person and virtual training, self-paced tutorials, on-demand training, community events, Microsoft Learn Challenges, and more. Mark your calendar for 50 days of AI discovery and learning. The countdown to make history together Save the date, attempt a world record, and get ready to unlock the future with 50 days of AI discovery and learning. Read all the details and register now. Now let’s get learning!The Adecco Group’s AI skill-building strategy powers talent, client impact
AI’s rapid evolution is reshaping how work gets done, and that means it’s also transforming the job market. The Adecco Group, a global leader in workforce solutions that supports more than 100,000 companies in over 60 countries and regions, understands firsthand the increasing demand for AI skills. The company recognizes a clear need to skill up for and adopt AI pervasively. This applies not only internally to improve its own business operations but also externally to help its job seekers and candidates build the AI skills needed to remain relevant in today’s labor market. With this dual challenge in mind, The Adecco Group launched a comprehensive AI strategy that focused on four key areas: sales and demand generation, operational efficiency, product development, and customer experience. The company incorporated this strategy into its overall learning culture, embedding AI across operations to automate tasks and equipping employees with the skills to apply AI effectively in daily work and client interactions. The results are significant. Recruiters have increased productivity by 63%, the company’s AI-driven CV Maker has generated more than 200,000 résumés, and 30,000 employees have completed responsible AI training. Microsoft 365 Copilot has helped the company to streamline internal operations, particularly in recruitment and administrative tasks, freeing time for more strategic work. The Adecco Group remains committed to leading the way with AI skill-building, helping to ensure that its workforce is prepared for the opportunities ahead. To find out how The Adecco Group’s success can inspire your organization, read the new case study, The Adecco Group’s AI skilling strategy fuels productivity with Microsoft Copilot.Register now for the Microsoft AI Skills Fest!
*Updated as of March 28, 2025. And we’re live! The registration for the Microsoft AI Skills Fest is now open to everyone! Join us on April 8, 2025, as we kick off this global skilling event to bring learners of all levels, ages, and geographies together and attempt to earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for most users to take an online multi-level artificial intelligence lesson in 24 hours. We understand that the best way to learn something new is by taking it one step at a time, and learning AI is no exception. This is why we’re so excited to bring you the AI Skills Fest to help you gain valuable AI skills and to be part of a historic worldwide event. You can explore a diverse range of learning activities designed to help you build and enhance your business and technical AI proficiency—one skill at a time. After the kickoff on April 8, 2025, you can continue building your expertise with 50 days of AI discovery and learning, through May 28, 2025. Join us on April 8, 2025, to earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TM title! We’ll kick things off in Australia at 9 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time on April 8, 2025, and finish at 4 PM Pacific Daylight Time on April 8, 2025, with engaging AI learning experiences scheduled around the globe. While we know learning new things is a treat in itself, we thought it’d be extra fun for everyone participating on April 8 to be included in the attempt to earn a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title—a little “learn and earn” reward. Follow three simple steps to count your participation: Register for the Microsoft AI Skills Fest. On April 8, 2025, participate in one of the learning experiences that we’ve prepared for you. The details will be available on the event page shortly. Confirm your participation before 4 PM Pacific Daylight Time on April 8, 2025. Instructions will be provided during the various learning experiences. Check out all the learning experiences we've prepared for this day. Unlock the future! Build the skills to stay ahead After the Kickoff Celebration, the AI Skills Fest will continue for a total of 50 exciting days—through May 28, 2025—offering a wealth of training opportunities for learners of all skill levels and roles. Whether you're a business leader, tech professional, business professional, student or general AI enthusiast, the AI Skills Fest offers curated learning experiences for you. Engage in deep dives, experiential content, hackathons, challenges, and practical sessions. By the end of your 50-day skill-building adventure, you’ll have all the confidence you need to level up your AI skills that can unleash your creativity and increase your efficiency. I mean, who doesn’t want a few extra free hours in your day, right? Join us in making history and be part of the Microsoft AI Skills Fest, where you can build the skills you need to put AI to work for you. See you on April 8, 2025!Build skills that matter—faster—with AI-assisted learning and Applied Skills
Jeana Jorgensen: Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Learning Curtis Lee: Vice President, Azure Experiences & Ecosystems Microsoft Learn is committed to empowering individuals and organizations with the skills needed to innovate, adapt, and thrive in the AI economy. We’re excited to share how we’re evolving the way you learn using AI to enable faster skill acquisition personalized to your needs. We’re also announcing the availability of new Microsoft Applied Skills that range from beginner scenarios to equip aspiring professionals with practical tools to kickstart their careers, to new AI-focused scenarios that help you accelerate app development with GitHub Copilot. And, we’re sharing how you can enter to win a free certification exam as part of the AI Skills Fest Challenge! Grow your skills faster with AI-assisted learning Microsoft Learn uses AI to help you build your skills with features that adapt to your learning needs and preferences. At this year’s Microsoft Build, May 19–22, 2025, we’re sharing four more ways that you can benefit from the power of AI on Microsoft Learn. Here’s an introduction to these features. 1. Get personalized assistance with Ask Learn, now expanding across Microsoft Learn Last November at Ignite, we announced Ask Learn, our AI assistant. Initially available to support your training on Microsoft Learn, Ask Learn is now expanding to all documentation to help you find answers and troubleshoot faster. Available in Microsoft Azure documentation now, and expanding further in the coming weeks, Ask Learn will also factor in your interactions as you move through the site to refine your experience. So whether you are looking to understand the potential use cases for Agentic AI, which model to use in Azure AI Foundry for your latest project, or the steps to follow to complete tasks with Microsoft products, Ask Learn provides personalized assistance. To get real-time advice and support while you learn—right from within any training topic and in Azure documentation—just click the “Ask Learn” button and write your prompt. Try it now on the Azure App Service documentation page or explore your favorite training topic on Microsoft Learn. 2. Learn where you code—with Ask Learn in Visual Studio Code (coming soon!) Ask Learn is also coming to Visual Studio Code as an extension and you can request early access. Whether you’re new to development or an experienced developer, you’ll soon be able to seamlessly transition from learning about topics on Microsoft Learn to putting them to work. Within Visual Studio Code, Ask Learn will provide: Coaching on concepts. Want to learn when you should apply one development technique vs another? Get digestible, bite-sized guidance to help you make better decisions and improve the quality of your code. Step-by-step instruction. Trying to accomplish a specific task and want help? Ask Learn connects you to the right information right when and where you need it. A dynamic development experience. Have a question while you’re building your next feature? Dynamically switch between coding in Visual Studio Code and learning with Ask Learn, whenever you need to. To request early access, you can submit your information at aka.ms/AskLearnInVSCode 3. Quickly create learning plans tailored to your specific needs At Microsoft Ignite, we announced AI-generated plans to quickly curate the best training tailored for your individual needs. Over the coming days and weeks, we’ll be rolling out improvements to enhance the experience further, allowing you to: Prepare for specific credentials. Customize your plan with credential study guide content aligned to Certifications and Applied Skills to help you achieve your aspirations. Improve fine-tuning. You’ll be able to generate plans that mix and match modules across learning paths based on your exact scenario, along with enhancements to how you edit, save and share plans. Create group plans. Whether you’re looking to help a team or group keep pace with technology, get project-ready, or develop their professional skills, you’ll be able to generate a plan to meet your team’s needs. You can get started generating plans today, and these additional enhancements will be rolling out over the next few weeks. At aka.ms/LearnAtBuild you can also access pre-made plans on key topics from Microsoft Build with guided learning from Microsoft and GitHub. 4. Improve your focus with AI-powered assessments Microsoft Learn now offers an improved experience to help you gain real-time insights into your competencies as you complete modules. You can test your knowledge more thoroughly with an increased number of questions generated dynamically with AI. As you pass each one of these module assessments, it helps build a more complete picture of your progress through a given topic, which can be seen on a learner transcript you can share with your employer for credit. This feature is rolling out now and will expand to all modules on Microsoft Learn over the next several weeks. Test your knowledge with Microsoft Learn module assessments. Introducing new Microsoft Applied Skills—now featuring beginner level, GitHub Copilot, and AI scenarios As you build skills on Microsoft Learn, consider demonstrating your expertise with Microsoft Applied Skills. These credentials validate your knowledge of Microsoft products and services through practical application to real-world scenarios, enabling you to succeed in your job or advance your career with confidence. According to IDC 1 , scenario- and project-based skills are increasingly used to hire and promote employees, with more than 60% of organizations highlighting that micro-credentials like Applied Skills allow them to test and validate specific technical skills. We have two significant updates to help learners at all stages prove their skills and advance their careers. 1. New beginner-level Applied Skills If you’re a student, just starting out, or changing career, check out our new beginner-level Applied Skills that help you apply and validate foundational skills in cloud and emerging technologies. Gain practical experience to establish a strong foundation for your career. The new beginner-level Applied Skills scenarios include, with more coming soon: Get started with classes, properties, and methods in C# Get started with identities and access using Microsoft Entra 2. Expanded Applied Skills for AI scenarios, including GitHub Copilot GitHub Copilot has been paving the way for worldwide adoption of generative AI, and we are excited to offer a new credential designed to accelerate app development with GitHub Copilot. In addition, there are now more credentials on Copilot to help you demonstrate your ability to build, extend, and automate with AI—skills that are increasingly in demand across industries. The new intermediate-level Applied Skills scenarios include: Accelerate app development by using GitHub Copilot Create agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio Extend Microsoft 365 Copilot with declarative agents by using Visual Studio Code* *Coming soon Explore all Applied Skills on Microsoft Learn. Join the Microsoft AI Skills Fest Challenge for the chance to win a free Microsoft Certification exam As you deepen your AI skills, be sure to participate in the Microsoft AI Skills Fest Challenge through May 28, 2025. It’s your chance to gain in-demand skills in agent creation, AI Security, Azure AI Foundry, GitHub Copilot, Fabric, and more, and you can enter the Challenge Sweepstakes for a chance to win a free Certification exam. Don’t miss out! Unlock your potential AI has the power to unlock your potential, and we can’t think of anything more rewarding than helping you build and prove your abilities—one skill at a time. We’re glad to share the ongoing updates to the Microsoft Learn portfolio of offerings and experiences, and we’re with you all along the way. 1 IDC InfoBrief, Sponsored by Microsoft, Skilling Up! Leveraging Full and Micro-Credentials for Optimal Skilling Solutions, Doc. #US52019124, June, 2024.Overcoming fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the era of AI transformation
Resistance to adopting AI in the workplace is real. For many, it’s not due to an unwillingness to change but rather from a genuine sense of “FUD”—that is, fear, uncertainty, and doubt—around AI. Constructively addressing FUD is essential to fostering a supportive learning culture that empowers people to thrive in the era of AI transformation so that you and your entire organization can thrive, too. At Microsoft, we’re the first to use and test our own AI technologies internally before releasing them to customers, so we recognize the need to understand the underlying causes of FUD, find positive ways to address them, and provide helpful solutions. We’ve also found that skilling up on AI and learning how it can streamline our workloads, improve our decision-making, and increase our productivity can reduce concerns and boost enthusiasm around this cutting-edge technology. Transforming fear into opportunity Probably the biggest fear in the workplace is that AI adoption might lead to job loss, but the reality is that a number of experts are optimistic. In Generative AI likely to augment rather than destroy jobs, the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) predicts that AI “is more likely to augment than destroy jobs by automating some tasks rather than taking over a role entirely.” Many job roles will likely evolve to become hybrid—using AI to complement human work. Given this evolution of work, AI skills are in high demand, and this presents an opportunity for employees in nearly every discipline, field, industry, and role. Proactively building AI skills equips workers to adapt to the transforming workplace. And skilling up provides a meaningful way for them to overcome their fears and develop confidence in their capabilities and in the technology. Organizations that provide skill-building opportunities thus help not only their workers but also the organizations themselves. For details on resources, opportunities, and solutions for acquiring AI skills and competencies, read Get AI ready: Build skills with Microsoft Learn. Dispelling AI uncertainty with a learning culture The AI transformation is happening so fast that uncertainty is sometimes seen as the baseline, not the outlier. We’re all learning right now, in real time. As we test Microsoft AI apps and services, we’re actively figuring out what AI can do. Practically speaking, everyone in the workforce needs to put AI to work and see what it can do. An organizational learning culture can support these efforts and help dispel uncertainty. Ethan Mollick, Professor of Management at the Wharton School and a noted authority on AI and entrepreneurship, has found that the biggest gains come in organizations that encourage cooperative learning. In the Beyond the Prompt podcast episode titled What everybody’s missing about AI in business, he points out, “It starts with culture.” The episode also encourages listeners with this key takeaway: “Use AI for everything you can: The only way to truly understand AI's capabilities is to use it for as many tasks as possible.” Empowering your teams with AI training on Microsoft Learn for Organizations The consensus on overcoming AI FUD in organizations is that skills training and a learning culture are key, and a team training environment can greatly support this growth. Microsoft Learn for Organizations curates Microsoft Learn training for teams and organizations, including offerings to help build AI skills and confidence: Microsoft Learn for Organizations Playbook: A guide to skill up your team for AI and beyond. The playbook helps you to develop an AI skill-building plan, with resources to maximize your impact at the individual, team, and organizational levels. Links to AI skill-building for your organization, live webinars, and insights and strategies on building a learning culture. Links to the Copilot learning hub on Microsoft Learn, the AI learning hub on Microsoft Learn, and the Security hub on Microsoft Learn. Official Plans that cover the latest Microsoft AI apps and services, including “Build, test, and deploy applications securely with GitHub and Microsoft Azure,” “Implementing data integration and model grounding with Azure AI Studio and Microsoft Fabric,” and “Accelerate app development by using GitHub Copilot.” The latest Microsoft Credentials. These industry-trusted and Microsoft-verified credentials give learners the flexibility to grow the AI and cloud skills needed for critical roles or projects. Microsoft Certifications validate a wide range of skills required to be successful in a job role. Learners earn a Certification by passing an exam. AI-focused Certifications include “Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals” and “Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate,” among others. Microsoft Applied Skills validate skill sets specific to real-world technical scenarios. Learners earn them by passing interactive lab-based assessments on Microsoft Learn. More than half of the Applied Skills portfolio is focused on AI, including “Build a natural language processing solution with Azure AI Language,” “Create an intelligent document processing solution with Azure AI Document Intelligence,” and many more. Get started on your AI journey at Microsoft Learn for Organizations, and make the most of the many team training opportunities available there. As you and your teams begin to put newly acquired AI skills to use streamlining workloads, increasing collaboration, adding productivity, and more, we hope that the fear, uncertainty, and doubt around AI begin to fade and are replaced by enthusiasm for the many possibilities that the future of AI in the workplace presents. Learn Microsoft AI with our blog series: Get AI ready Check out other articles from our AI-focused series of blog posts exploring perspectives and opportunities to acquire critical AI skills. Get AI ready: Build skills with Microsoft Learn | Microsoft Community Hub Get AI ready: Inside the Copilot Learning Hub | Microsoft Community Hub Discover AI skill building with Microsoft Training Services Partners | Microsoft Community Hub Get AI ready: Empowering developers in the era of AI | Microsoft Community Hub
