The energy at Microsoft Build 2025 is palpable, with the spotlight shining brightly on Windows AI Foundry and its transformative impact on the future of AI development. Microsoft is not just evolving its platform but democratizing AI, making it accessible, powerful, and secure for developers and organizations worldwide.

Windows AI Foundry, the evolution of Windows Copilot Runtime, now offers a unified, reliable, and secure platform that supports the entire AI developer lifecycle. From model selection and optimization to fine-tuning and deployment across CPU, GPU, NPU, and cloud, Foundry is designed to meet developers where they are, whether they’re just starting with AI or building advanced, custom solutions. This new platform is a testament to Microsoft’s commitment to empowering developers and organizations to innovate confidently, leveraging the full spectrum of modern hardware and software capabilities.

One of the most exciting announcements is the integration of Foundry Local, which brings instant, on-device AI to every Windows device. Developers can now browse, test, and deploy a rich catalog of optimized open-source models, such as those from Ollama and NVIDIA NIMs, directly on their hardware, with seamless support for AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm silicon. The Windows AI APIs make it easy to integrate language and vision capabilities, including text intelligence, image description, OCR, and even advanced features like object erase, all running locally for privacy and performance. This approach not only accelerates development but also ensures that user data remains secure and private, a crucial consideration in today’s digital landscape.

Microsoft is also introducing LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation) for fine-tuning the built-in small language model, Phi Silica, with custom data. This empowers developers to create tailored AI experiences without the complexity of retraining entire models. New APIs for semantic search and knowledge retrieval enable powerful, natural language search and RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) scenarios, all optimized for Copilot+ PCs. These innovations are designed to make AI integration seamless, efficient, and highly customizable, opening new avenues for application development across industries.

The AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code and the AI Dev Gallery provide robust tools, samples, and tutorials, making it easier than ever to get started with local AI development and deployment. With Windows ML as the foundation, developers can bring their models and deploy them efficiently across the entire Windows silicon ecosystem. This comprehensive toolset is designed to lower the barrier to entry for AI development, enabling both newcomers and seasoned professionals to build, test, and deploy AI-powered applications with unprecedented speed and reliability.

At Burzcast, we are thrilled to be part of this AI revolution. Our team has been actively using and testing Azure AI Foundry in our product, Cluj Plus - the go-to digital guide for Cluj-Napoca, offering residents and visitors smart access to public services, transport, healthcare, and more, all powered by intelligent, on-device AI. The seamless integration of Foundry’s capabilities allows us to deliver fast, private, and context-aware experiences to our users, right on their devices. Cluj Plus exemplifies how modern AI can enhance everyday life, providing real-time information, recommendations, and support to a diverse user base.

Our excitement extends beyond Cluj Plus. At Burzcast, we are leveraging Windows AI Foundry and Azure AI across a diverse portfolio of products and custom solutions for our global clientele. The ability to deploy, fine-tune, and optimize AI models locally and in the cloud is unlocking new possibilities for innovation, security, and user empowerment. Our clients benefit from solutions that are not only cutting-edge but also robust, scalable, and tailored to their unique needs, whether in healthcare, public administration, or enterprise IT.

Microsoft’s commitment to open platforms, developer productivity, and responsible AI is evident in every announcement at Build 2025. From open-sourcing the Windows Subsystem for Linux to introducing new security features like the VBS Enclave SDK and post-quantum cryptography, the future of AI on Windows is bright, secure, and open to all. These advancements ensure that developers have the tools and frameworks necessary to build secure, future-proof applications that can adapt to the rapidly changing technology landscape.

The introduction of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) marks another significant milestone, enabling standardized, secure, and auditable connections between AI agents and native Windows apps. This infrastructure paves the way for a new generation of agentic applications, where AI can seamlessly augment user workflows, automate complex tasks, and deliver personalized experiences across devices and platforms. MCP’s focus on security, transparency, and user control aligns perfectly with Burzcast’s values and our commitment to delivering trustworthy solutions to our customers.

As we look to the future, the possibilities unlocked by Windows AI Foundry and Foundry Local are truly inspiring. Developers can now build applications that leverage the full power of on-device AI, ensuring low latency, high privacy, and unparalleled user experiences. The combination of robust APIs, powerful hardware integration, and a thriving ecosystem of tools and resources positions Windows as the premier platform for AI innovation.

We at Burzcast are proud to be building on this foundation, delivering next-generation AI experiences for our customers and partners. The journey is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see what the developer community will create with the power of Foundry and Windows AI.