Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) is a managed container orchestration service that allows users to deploy, scale, and manage containerized applications. It offers fully managed Kubernetes clusters, enabling end-to-end deployment, scalability, and high availability. AKS manages the control plane of Kubernetes which includes components like etcd and the API server, allowing users to focus on managing applications. It provides a way to deploy and manage containerized applications without having to stand up or manage Kubernetes infrastructure.