Microsoft Build 2025: Agentic AI, Developer Empowerment, and the Platform Shift Ahead

As I sit here in Amsterdam, preparing to soft-launch my book AI-First Enterprise Architecture, I can’t help but reflect on the wave of innovation we’re witnessing—particularly after this year’s Microsoft Build.

This wasn’t just another developer conference. It was a clear signal: we are entering a new era. One where AI becomes not just a co-pilot, but a peer. Where the agentic web becomes a new layer of the internet. Where developers are empowered like never before to build meaningful, intelligent systems—at scale.

Let me share a few key takeaways and why they matter.

From Pair Programmer to Peer Programmer

The transformation of GitHub Copilot from an assistant into a true autonomous agent is one of the most important moments in software development since the rise of cloud. You can now assign it tasks, let it generate fixes, open PRs, and learn from your edits.

This isn’t hypothetical—it’s happening now.

The new GitHub Copilot agent mode gives us more than suggestions. It gives us delegation. It’s the difference between doing all the work and working with a teammate who just gets it.

The Agentic Web is Real

Satya called this moment a “platform shift”—and he’s right.

We’re moving from app silos to an open, agent-powered ecosystem where AI agents can interact, reason, and collaborate across boundaries. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is the backbone of this evolution—think of it as the HTTP of intelligent systems.

Microsoft’s commitment to openness and interoperability here is game-changing. Agents will no longer be trapped inside apps. They’ll work across apps, clouds, and even vendors.

Copilot Studio and Azure Foundry: Build, Orchestrate, Scale

Between Copilot Studio, Copilot tuning, and Azure AI Foundry, developers now have an end-to-end platform for:

• Designing and customizing enterprise agents

• Orchestrating multiagent workflows

• Connecting to enterprise data via MCP

• Running agents locally, in the cloud, or at the edge

The demo of a multiagent RFP response workflow using SAP and DocuSign data wasn’t just impressive—it was practical. And it’s available today.

Smart Routing Across Models: Meet the Model Router

One of the most quietly powerful announcements at Build was the introduction of the Model Router in Azure AI Foundry. As developers, we no longer have to hardwire our applications to a specific model. The Model Router dynamically selects the best model—based on context, cost, latency, and quality—for each request.

Why does this matter?

• You can build your agent once, and run it across models like GPT-4o, Mistral, Llama, Grok, or domain-specific models—without rearchitecting.

• As new models emerge (and they will, rapidly), the router adapts. No more version chasing.

• Enterprises gain better cost control by routing non-critical tasks to more efficient models, while keeping high-accuracy tasks on premium reasoning models.

• You can mix open source, commercial, and proprietary models in one pipeline—with no added complexity.

It’s a clear step toward multimodel orchestration at scale, and it’s foundational for the agentic web, where no single model fits all.

Think of it as the “load balancer” for intelligence. A powerful abstraction layer that future-proofs your AI apps while maximizing performance and ROI.

Real-World Impact: Agents at Work

This year’s Build didn’t just talk about possibilities. It showed results:

• Stanford Medicine is using multiagent AI orchestration to streamline tumor board reviews, improving healthcare decisions at scale.

• Microsoft Discovery compressed years of R&D into days, identifying a new eco-friendly coolant through autonomous hypothesis generation and simulation.

• The NFL is using Foundry to generate real-time scouting insights from terabytes of data, reshaping how teams make game-day decisions.

These aren’t isolated wins. They show what’s possible when domain-specific reasoning models, real-time data access, and agentic orchestration come together.

The Edge Is Now Intelligent

With Windows AI Foundry and Foundry Local, Microsoft brings AI directly to the device. Agents can now run on Windows—securely, offline, and with full access to local context and data.

This is critical for privacy, low-latency experiences, and hybrid workflows. You can build agents that reason across cloud and edge, using standardized MCP servers for file systems, app actions, or even Figma design interpretation.

Foundry Local: Bringing AI Agents to the Edge

One of the most strategic announcements at Build was Foundry Local—a local runtime that brings the full power of Azure AI Foundry to your device. This is a game-changer for developers building hybrid AI experiences that need to run securely, offline, or with ultra-low latency.

Here’s what Foundry Local unlocks:

• Local agent execution: Run intelligent agents directly on your laptop, workstation, or edge device—with no cloud dependency.

• Performance-tuned runtime: Foundry Local includes an optimized agent execution engine, model runner, and CLI—all designed for high performance on modern hardware, including CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs.

• On-device privacy and control: Especially important in regulated industries, agents running locally ensure that data never leaves the device—ideal for scenarios in healthcare, finance, defense, or field operations.

• Cross-platform support: It works on both Windows and macOS, aligning with Microsoft’s push to make AI development ubiquitous, not siloed.

This is Microsoft’s answer to bridging the cloud-to-edge continuum for AI agents. Whether you're building AI for frontline workers, industrial machines, or personal productivity, Foundry Local gives you enterprise-grade capabilities—without needing always-on connectivity.

Think of it as your local agent factory, ready to operate anywhere your users are.

A Call to Developers

If you’re a developer, architect, or innovator—this is your moment.

• Learn how to build with MCP. It’s the new API surface.

• Explore GitHub Copilot Agent Mode. Assign work, not just prompts.

• Use Copilot Studio to design real workflows, not just demos.

• Think in agents. Think in orchestration. Think bigger.

The tooling is ready. The models are powerful. The protocols are open. The opportunity is yours.

Closing Thought

In my book, I talk about building AI-first systems that are sustainable, intelligent, and empowering—not just technically impressive.

Available now on Amazon: http://amazon.com/dp/B0CW1MVM3F/

Microsoft Build showed us how that vision is now becoming reality—through interoperable agents, open protocols, and platforms that scale from developer to enterprise to global systems.

This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about augmenting them. It’s about building agents that can help us think deeper, move faster, and solve problems that were once out of reach.

And for me, it all comes back to that feeling I had at 15—when I wrote my first program and realized what was possible. That sense of wonder is back.

Let’s build the agentic web, together.

you can also watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVkv-AtRBDY

— #MicrosoftBuild #AgenticAI #AIArchitecture #MCP #AzureFoundry #GitHubCopilot #CopilotStudio #EnterpriseAI #DeveloperEmpowerment