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Microsoft Builds an AI Assistant for Startup Developers
Microsoft is helping resource-strapped startups build their own applications using AI.
Part of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub program, the new "Build with AI" feature is now in preview, Microsoft announced Tuesday as part of its Build conference.
In a blog post, Annie Pearl, corporate vice president of ecosystems at Microsoft, said the feature is designed to give startups "access to flexible templates designed to accelerate the creation and deployment of Al solutions."
There are currently four templates available through Build with AI, each one customizable and intended to address "common startup situations" like:
- Adding ChatGPT to an app
- Connecting ChatGPT to an app's data using Python
- Connecting ChatGPT to an app's data using JavaScript
- Creating a ChatGPT plugin
In addition to the templates, the Founders Hub is also getting an AI assistant by way of Copilot. Currently available in private preview in select markets, Copilot in Founders Hub exists as a chat window with which users can converse in natural language.
Together, said Pearl, the templates and the Copilot chat feature promise to "streamline Al development and provide comprehensive support at every stage of the startup journey."
Microsoft first launched the Founders Hub in 2022 with the aim of giving startups access to technological resources and guidance that might otherwise be out of their reach because of low funding. Depending on their level of engagement with the program, startups can receive between $1,000 and $150,000 in Azure credits, up to $2,500 in OpenAI credits, free access to GitHub, as well as compute resources in Microsoft's cloud.