Microsoft and NASA apply AI agents to key hydrology data, deepening our understanding of Earth
NASA collects significant amounts of earth observation data, including complex information about hydrology that can help predict droughts and support environmental planning and resilience efforts. But access to this data typically requires deep technical knowledge and specialized tools. NASA and Microsoft are now democratizing access to this data with the help of Azure AI tools and agents to make it easier for more people to make sense of information and make actionable, informed choices from it.From Cloud to Chip: Building Smarter AI at the Edge with Windows AI PCs
As AI engineers, we’ve spent years optimizing models for the cloud, scaling inference, wrangling latency, and chasing compute across clusters. But the frontier is shifting. With the rise of Windows AI PCs and powerful local accelerators, the edge is no longer a constraint it’s now a canvas. Whether you're deploying vision models to industrial cameras, optimizing speech interfaces for offline assistants, or building privacy-preserving apps for healthcare, Edge AI is where real-world intelligence meets real-time performance. Why Edge AI, Why Now? Edge AI isn’t just about running models locally, it’s about rethinking the entire lifecycle: - Latency: Decisions in milliseconds, not round-trips to the cloud. - Privacy: Sensitive data stays on-device, enabling HIPAA/GDPR compliance. - Resilience: Offline-first apps that don’t break when the network does. - Cost: Reduced cloud compute and bandwidth overhead. With Windows AI PCs powered by Intel and Qualcomm NPUs and tools like ONNX Runtime, DirectML, and Olive, developers can now optimize and deploy models with unprecedented efficiency. What You’ll Learn in Edge AI for Beginners The Edge AI for Beginners curriculum is a hands-on, open-source guide designed for engineers ready to move from theory to deployment. Multi-Language Support This content is available in over 48 languages, so you can read and study in your native language. What You'll Master This course takes you from fundamental concepts to production-ready implementations, covering: Small Language Models (SLMs) optimized for edge deployment Hardware-aware optimization across diverse platforms Real-time inference with privacy-preserving capabilities Production deployment strategies for enterprise applications Why EdgeAI Matters Edge AI represents a paradigm shift that addresses critical modern challenges: Privacy & Security: Process sensitive data locally without cloud exposure Real-time Performance: Eliminate network latency for time-critical applications Cost Efficiency: Reduce bandwidth and cloud computing expenses Resilient Operations: Maintain functionality during network outages Regulatory Compliance: Meet data sovereignty requirements Edge AI Edge AI refers to running AI algorithms and language models locally on hardware, close to where data is generated without relying on cloud resources for inference. It reduces latency, enhances privacy, and enables real-time decision-making. Core Principles: On-device inference: AI models run on edge devices (phones, routers, microcontrollers, industrial PCs) Offline capability: Functions without persistent internet connectivity Low latency: Immediate responses suited for real-time systems Data sovereignty: Keeps sensitive data local, improving security and compliance Small Language Models (SLMs) SLMs like Phi-4, Mistral-7B, Qwen and Gemma are optimized versions of larger LLMs, trained or distilled for: Reduced memory footprint: Efficient use of limited edge device memory Lower compute demand: Optimized for CPU and edge GPU performance Faster startup times: Quick initialization for responsive applications They unlock powerful NLP capabilities while meeting the constraints of: Embedded systems: IoT devices and industrial controllers Mobile devices: Smartphones and tablets with offline capabilities IoT Devices: Sensors and smart devices with limited resources Edge servers: Local processing units with limited GPU resources Personal Computers: Desktop and laptop deployment scenarios Course Modules & Navigation Course duration. 10 hours of content Module Topic Focus Area Key Content Level Duration 📖 00 Introduction to EdgeAI Foundation & Context EdgeAI Overview • Industry Applications • SLM Introduction • Learning Objectives Beginner 1-2 hrs 📚 01 EdgeAI Fundamentals Cloud vs Edge AI comparison EdgeAI Fundamentals • Real World Case Studies • Implementation Guide • Edge Deployment Beginner 3-4 hrs 🧠 02 SLM Model Foundations Model families & architecture Phi Family • Qwen Family • Gemma Family • BitNET • μModel • Phi-Silica Beginner 4-5 hrs 🚀 03 SLM Deployment Practice Local & cloud deployment Advanced Learning • Local Environment • Cloud Deployment Intermediate 4-5 hrs ⚙️ 04 Model Optimization Toolkit Cross-platform optimization Introduction • Llama.cpp • Microsoft Olive • OpenVINO • Apple MLX • Workflow Synthesis Intermediate 5-6 hrs 🔧 05 SLMOps Production Production operations SLMOps Introduction • Model Distillation • Fine-tuning • Production Deployment Advanced 5-6 hrs 🤖 06 AI Agents & Function Calling Agent frameworks & MCP Agent Introduction • Function Calling • Model Context Protocol Advanced 4-5 hrs 💻 07 Platform Implementation Cross-platform samples AI Toolkit • Foundry Local • Windows Development Advanced 3-4 hrs 🏭 08 Foundry Local Toolkit Production-ready samples Sample applications (see details below) Expert 8-10 hrs Each module includes Jupyter notebooks, code samples, and deployment walkthroughs, perfect for engineers who learn by doing. Developer Highlights - 🔧 Olive: Microsoft's optimization toolchain for quantization, pruning, and acceleration. - 🧩 ONNX Runtime: Cross-platform inference engine with support for CPU, GPU, and NPU. - 🎮 DirectML: GPU-accelerated ML API for Windows, ideal for gaming and real-time apps. - 🖥️ Windows AI PCs: Devices with built-in NPUs for low-power, high-performance inference. Local AI: Beyond the Edge Local AI isn’t just about inference, it’s about autonomy. Imagine agents that: - Learn from local context - Adapt to user behavior - Respect privacy by design With tools like Agent Framework, Azure AI Foundry and Windows Copilot Studio, and Foundry Local developers can orchestrate local agents that blend LLMs, sensors, and user preferences, all without cloud dependency. Try It Yourself Ready to get started? Clone the Edge AI for Beginners GitHub repo, run the notebooks, and deploy your first model to a Windows AI PC or IoT devices Whether you're building smart kiosks, offline assistants, or industrial monitors, this curriculum gives you the scaffolding to go from prototype to production.Using Reading Coach in the classroom: Microsoft 365 LTI app + educator tools
Hi everyone! As we work to better support learners on their journey to becoming confident readers, I’m excited to share a few updates about Reading Coach – our free, AI-powered reading fluency tool – and highlight how it’s now even more accessible for your classroom. 📣 What's new: Reading Coach in the Microsoft 365 LTI We've heard from educators that managing multiple LTI® integrations can be overwhelming. That's why we're thrilled to announce that Reading Coach is now available in the unified Microsoft 365 LTI! This means you can access Reading Coach alongside other Microsoft education tools – like Class Notebook, Assignments, Reflect, and more – all from a single integration in your Learning Management System (LMS). What does this mean for you? ✅ One integration, many tools: No need to install separate LTI apps for each Microsoft education tool ✅ Simpler for IT admins: A single app to configure and manage ✅ Same great Reading Coach experience: All the AI-powered fluency features you love If your school uses Canvas, Schoology Learning, Blackboard, Brightspace by D2L, Moodle ™, or another LTI 1.3 Advantage platform, ask your LMS administrator about enabling the Microsoft 365 LTI. Where to find Reading Coach in the Microsoft 365 LTI Navigate to the Microsoft Education placement in your LMS and select Course settings in the top right under your profile image. Ensure Reading Coach is toggled on. If you don’t see it, your administrator might need to enable it for your district. To learn more, check out these resources: For educators: Microsoft 365 LTI User Docs For administrators: Microsoft 365 LTI Deployment Guide 📖 How-to: getting started with guided practice in Reading Coach Guided practice allows educators to create reading assignments that students can join with a simple link or code – no complex setup required. What is guided practice? Guided practice features bridge the gap between free reading and formal assignments. Educators can create two types of practices: Practice Type What It Does Open Reading Set a time goal (for example, "Read for 20 minutes"). Students can read anything in the app – AI stories, library passages – to reach their goal. Single Passage Share a specific text for students to read. Paste your own content or choose from the built-in ReadWorks library. 🎬 See It in Action Watch this quick demo video to see guided practice features in action: Step 1: Access Reading Coach as an educator Go to coach.microsoft.com or access Reading Coach through the All Apps list on microsoft365.com. Keep an eye out for a lightweight guided practice preview in Reading Coach in the Microsoft 365 LTI soon! Sign in with your school Microsoft account (Microsoft Entra ID). Look for the Teacher/Student toggle at the top of the home page – make sure you're in Teacher view. Step 2: Create a new practice Select Create a Practice. Choose your practice type: Open Reading: Set a time goal. Single Passage: Paste custom text or browse the ReadWorks library. Give your practice a name that students will recognize. Select Create. Step 3: Share with students Once your practice is created, you'll see: A unique Join Code (for example, "567123") A direct link to share Share either of these with your students via: Your LMS announcement or assignment Projected on your classroom board Email or messaging Step 4: Monitor student progress From each practice in the Teacher tab, you can track: Completion status: Who has started? Who has finished? Time spent: How long did each student practice? Fluency metrics: Words Per Minute (WPM) and Accuracy percentage Individual history: Drill down into any student's reading journey Requirements To use Guided Practice: Accounts: Requires Microsoft Entra ID (school) accounts Same tenant: Educators and students must belong to the same Microsoft 365 tenant No-cost: No additional licenses required beyond Microsoft 365 Education Get Started Today! Reading Coach is free for all Microsoft 365 Education users. Whether you're using it standalone at coach.microsoft.com or through the Microsoft 365 LTI app in your LMS, we're here to help every student build reading confidence. Helpful Links: 📘 Reading Coach on Microsoft Learn 💬 Share feedback with us by joining our EDU Insider Program Have questions? Drop them in the comments below – I'd love to hear how you're using Reading Coach in your classroom! Until next time, Emma Gray Microsoft Education Learning Tools Interoperability® (LTI®) is a trademark of the 1EdTech Consortium, Inc. (1edtech.org) The word Moodle and associated Moodle logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Moodle Pty Ltd or its related affiliates.Microsoft Marketplace offer live? Make it shine. 🌟
App Advisorgives you the fastest path from listing to momentum: clear steps to optimize, promote, and convert on Microsoft Marketplace. Get the practical, step‑by‑step guidance in our new post - then open App Advisor to put it into action. 🔗 Learn more here.
SharePoint at 25: The knowledge platform for Copilot and agents
Join us for a global digital event to celebrate the 25th birthday of SharePoint! Gear up for an exciting look at SharePoint’s historic moments along with an exclusive look ahead to the next chapter of SharePoint’s AI future! You will discover how SharePoint’s new content AI capabilities and intelligent experiences will transform the way people create, manage, and collaborate. Be sure to stick around after for our live Ask Microsoft Anything (AMA), where you can ask your questions about the exciting new SharePoint features directly to the product team! 🛠️ Don’t miss the SharePoint Hackathon in March 2026 Design, create, share! We are excited to invite you to a hackathon dedicated to crafting exceptional employee experiences using AI and the latest SharePoint features. More details coming soon.Key AI announcements for software developers from Microsoft Ignite 2025
At Microsoft Ignite 2025, Microsoft unveiled a series of AI innovations that signal a significant evolution in how software developers build, deploy, and scale intelligent solutions. Central to these announcements is Microsoft Foundry, a unified platform designed to simplify the development, orchestration, and governance of AI agents across Microsoft’s cloud and application ecosystem. The announcements also introduced Foundry IQ, enabling secure, compliant access to enterprise data for AI agents, along with a new Foundry Control Plane that provides centralized visibility and operational control. Together, these capabilities help reduce complexity while supporting enterprise-grade security, compliance, and scalability requirements. Additional highlights include expanded model choice and flexibility through enhanced Model Router support and deeper integration of third-party models, as well as new capabilities that allow developers to publish and distribute AI agents directly into Microsoft 365 and Teams, creating powerful new go-to-market opportunities. Read the full article to learn more about these Microsoft Ignite announcements, what they mean for software developers, and how to take advantage of Microsoft’s rapidly evolving AI and Marketplace ecosystem.Unlocking growth: The channel-led Marketplace opportunity
The Microsoft Marketplace is creating new ways for partners to scale and grow. This article explores how channel-led strategies can accelerate customer acquisition, expand reach, and drive revenue through marketplace transactions. Learn why embracing marketplace collaboration is critical for future success and how partners can leverage these opportunities to deliver greater value. Unlocking growth: the channel-led Marketplace opportunity | Microsoft Community Hub10 Essential tips for Marketplace success: Insights from Microsoft Ignite 2025
At Microsoft Ignite 2025, the Marketplace took centre stage as the unified platform for cloud and AI innovation. With the global expansion of resale-enabled offers, new incentives, and a reimagined partner ecosystem, the Marketplace is now the fastest path for customers to discover, purchase, and deploy solutions—and for partners to scale. This article distils the top 10 tips for Marketplace success, blending strategic guidance with practical actions for partners ready to lead in the AI-first era. Tip 1: Marketplace is mainstream—Make it core to your strategy The Microsoft Marketplace is no longer an optional channel; it’s the foundation of modern go-to-market. With millions of monthly shoppers and the largest catalogue of AI apps and agents, Marketplace is where customers expect to find, try, and buy solutions. Partners who prioritise Marketplace as their primary route to market are best positioned to capture demand, accelerate sales, and build lasting customer relationships. Treat Marketplace as your digital front door—optimise your listings, ensure discoverability, and align your sales motions accordingly. Introducing Microsoft Marketplace — Thousands of solutions. Millions of customers. One Marketplace. - The Official Microsoft Blog Microsoft Marketplace deal execution To unlock faster time to value and close more strategic deals, partner must understand how Marketplace integration, private offers, and deal constructs work together across customer segments. Tip 2: Integration is the differentiator—Accelerate time to value In today’s fast-moving landscape, speed and integration are critical. Marketplace enables partners to deliver solutions through direct, on-behalf-of, and syndicated sales models, adapting to how customers want to buy. By leveraging Marketplace’s integration with Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem, partners can streamline procurement, reduce onboarding friction, and deliver value faster. The ability to scale across geographies and segments is a unique differentiator—embrace it to stay ahead. Tip 3: Master private offers—Customise for customer needs Private offers are a powerful lever for partners to tailor deals, pricing, and terms to specific customer requirements. Marketplace’s private offer capabilities allow you to negotiate directly, offer flexible billing, and align with customers’ pre-committed cloud spend. Understanding the private offer flow—from creation to acceptance—enables you to close strategic deals efficiently while maintaining control over the customer experience. Tip 4: Understand deal constructs—Align to customer segments Every customer segment—SMB, mid-market, enterprise—has unique procurement needs and deal structures. Marketplace supports a range of constructs, from private offers to multiparty and CSP deals. Partners who understand these nuances can better align their sales motions, optimise for MACC (Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment) alignment, and deliver tailored solutions that resonate with each audience. Read more information on Tips 2,3,4 here: Boosting cloud and AI ROI: The power of Microsoft Marketplace | Microsoft Community Hub Scaling Marketplace impact through visibility and relationships Long-term Marketplace growth depends on being discoverable, co-sell ready, and disciplined in how you manage pipeline and relationships with both customers and Microsoft field teams Tip 5: Be public, transactable, and co-sell eligible Visibility and credibility are essential for Marketplace success. Ensure your solutions are not just listed, but transactable and co-sell eligible. This signals to Microsoft and customers that your offer is robust, secure, and ready for enterprise deployment. Co-sell eligibility unlocks joint go-to-market opportunities, larger deal sizes, and deeper engagement with Microsoft’s field teams. Invest in technical validation and business readiness to maximise your Marketplace impact. Tip 6: Focus on pipeline management and relationship building Effective pipeline management is the backbone of Marketplace growth. Use Marketplace tools to track leads, map stakeholders, and drive proactive engagement. Build relationships with customers and Microsoft field teams, leveraging account intelligence and industry references to differentiate your proposition. A marketplace-first approach, combined with strong relationship management, accelerates deal closure and drives repeat business. Read more information on Tips 5 & 6 here: How we talk about the value of Microsoft Marketplace with customers | Microsoft Community Hub Investing in the teams and framework that power Marketplace success A repeatable and scalable Marketplace motion requires intentional investment in the people, processes, and operating frameworks that support consistent execution. Tip 7: Build your Marketplace practice—Invest in people and process Marketplace success is a team effort. Invest in building a dedicated Marketplace practice, engaging cross-functional teams across sales, marketing, operations, and technical enablement. Adopt proven frameworks (such as MEDDPICC), focus on enablement and execution, and create a culture of continuous learning. A strong internal process ensures you can scale, adapt, and capture every opportunity Marketplace presents UK Microsoft Marketplace Channel Assets Extending Marketplace growth through partners and go-to-market investment To scale beyond direct sales, partners must activate channel-led motions and fully leverage Microsoft’s go-to-market resources and incentives to expand reach, drive demand, and accelerate growth. Tip 8: Embrace channel-led opportunities—Scale through partnerships Marketplace is a platform for partnership. By enabling channel partners to resell your solutions—via resale-enabled offers, multiparty private offers, and CSP private offers—you unlock new markets and customer segments. Distributed marketplaces empower partners to bundle software and services, creating differentiated value propositions. Building a strong channel ecosystem is essential for scaling reach and driving sustainable growth. Tip 9: Leverage go-to-market resources and incentives Microsoft offers a comprehensive suite of go-to-market resources—co-branding, marketing benefits, Azure credits, and more. Take full advantage of these incentives to fuel your Marketplace growth. Optimise your listings, participate in promotional programmes, and use Azure sponsorships to drive preference and accelerate sales. Stay informed about new programmes and adapt quickly to maximise your benefits. Read more information on Tips 8 & 9 here: December edition of Microsoft Marketplace Partner Digest | Microsoft Community Hub Strengthening Marketplace success through community engagement The most successful Marketplace partners don’t just participate – they actively contribute, collaborate, and help shape the evolution of the Marketplace ecosystem. Tip10: Join and shape the Marketplace Community Marketplace is more than a platform—it’s a thriving community of partners, Microsoft SMEs, and innovators. Engage in peer-to-peer learning, share best practices, and provide feedback to help shape the future of Marketplace. Early access to new features, direct support, and community recognition are just some of the benefits. By contributing to the community, you not only accelerate your own success but help raise the bar for the entire ecosystem. aka.ms/marketplacecommunity Microsoft Marketplace is the trusted destination for cloud and AI solutions, connecting customers and partners in a unified, scalable ecosystem. By embracing these ten tips, partners can unlock new growth, accelerate innovation, and lead in the AI-first era. The time to act is now—make Marketplace the cornerstone of your strategy and join the community shaping the future of digital commerce.
