A Microsoft AI Tour in New York City? I was intrigued from the start. But what I experienced was so much more than just another tech event. It was a celebration of community, a showcase of incredible innovation, and a glimpse into the fascinating future of AI. As someone steeped in the Salesforce ecosystem for years, I came curious and left deeply impressed by Microsoft’s vision: democratizing AI and building a future together.
Hiss-terical Beginnings: Lunar New Year in Chinatown
I arrived in New York, the day before the event to acclimatise and get a brief experience of the city. As I wandered through the vibrant streets of Chinatown, it hit me that it was Lunar New Year. The festive energy, fireworks, and laughter sparked a deep sense of belonging, reconnecting me to my roots in a way I hadn’t felt in years. In that moment, I found an unexpected connection to a dormant feeling and that day became the perfect prelude to what would define the Microsoft AI Tour: Community.
Microsoft’s Ecosystem: A Community-Driven Vision
Stepping into the event, I was struck by the sheer scale of Microsoft’s AI ecosystem. From PCs, Surface devices and AMD-powered processors to developer tools like Visual Studio and GitHub, Microsoft is so much more than a tech giant, it is a community builder.
Take the Surface laptop for example. Not only is it a device, it also represents the powerful partnerships between Microsoft, Intel, AMD and NVIDIA. Integrated with Copilot, Surface is powered by the same advanced technology that run complex AI models, ensuring lightning-fast responses for every type of professional tasks from drafting an email to analyzing data and designing an app.
But the true power of this ecosystem lies in the community Microsoft has fostered. In 2019, the company’s multi-billion-dollar partnership with OpenAI was to be the spark that ignited the GenAI movement, capturing global public interest and pushing enterprise to explore and apply this new groundbreaking technology. Since then, Microsoft has led the way in delivering enterprise-ready LLM solutions like Azure OpenAI Services, embedding Copilot into our devices and apps to create a collaborative space where developers, businesses, and end-users can innovate and thrive together with AI.
One of the success stories in this ecosystem is GitHub Copilot, launched in 2021. With 100 million users, GitHub transformed software development by automating those tedious and repetitive tasks, freeing developers to focus on real innovation (and maybe enjoy life a bit more). Today, 46% of all code written on GitHub is AI-generated, proving that AI isn’t just assisting, it’s actively shaping the future of software development.
Copilot for Everyone: A Strategy for the Future
What truly stood out about Microsoft’s approach is its inclusivity. By embedding Copilot directly into PCs and Surface devices and opening the doors for third-party integrations, Microsoft is creating an AI ecosystem that’s not just for the tech elite, it’s for all of us. This aligns with the messaging we’ve heard from the Microsoft AI Cloud Program at BA Insight, and it’s exciting to see this vision take shape.
One demo that particularly stood out to me was Copilot’s conversational automation. With a simple voice command, users could instruct Copilot to, “Pull the latest sales data from Excel, then generate a chart comparing last month’s performance to this quarter.” Copilot responded, “I’m pulling the data now,” and seamlessly created visualizations in PowerPoint while summarizing insights. This intuitive, collaborative interaction showcases the possibilities, whilst emphasising how seamless productivity can be when AI and humans work together.
For enterprises looking to extend Copilot’s reach beyond Microsoft’s ecosystem, partner-driven solutions, such as connectors and plugins, integrate AI into line-of-business applications, ensuring seamless alignment with existing workflows and security protocols. Partner programs like a 30-day Quick Start package help business accelerate their AI journey while leveraging external content and secure governance frameworks.
Building Enterprise Readiness with AI
Another highlight from the event was Microsoft’s commitment on helping enterprise work for them. OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar made it clear: AI is “not a hype cycle technology”, it’s here to stay. Yet, 74% of companies struggle to Achieve and Scale Value to move beyond Proofs of Concept (Boston Consulting Group).
This is a little discouraging, but it makes sense. AI is moving at lighting speed, and it’s tough to keep up. With new tools like Copilot, Agentforce, and others flooding in, it can be overwhelming for many organizations and therefore, many find it hard to articulate or even agree on use cases with measurable returns.
Collaboration and Flexibility: The Secret Ingredients for Enterprise Adoption
Microsoft isn’t just pushing their products, they are guiding enterprises through the adoption process. With frameworks, best practices, and industry-specific resources like curated prompt libraries and Copilot guides, Microsoft helps businesses prove AI’s value and develop real-world use cases efficiently.
Their open partner strategy further empowers organizations, offering flexibility and support to navigate new technologies. Tools like DeepSeek, already available on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, showcase how Microsoft adapts to the evolving AI scene. This is also where partners like BA Insight step in.
As part of Microsoft’s ecosystem, our AI enablement platform helps organizations fully realize the benefits of the latest technology by adopting an “AI-first mindset.” Businesses can choose their own AI models and search engines, while the platform bridges the gap between enterprise knowledge and AI technology. By doing so, partners enable organizations to scale their Copilot investments faster, ensuring solutions are connective, scalable, secure, and impactful to both top and bottom lines.
A Shared Future with AI
As I reflect on my experience at the Microsoft AI Tour, what stands out most is the feeling of community, inclusivity, and the shared mission to help everyone, whether individual users or enterprises, embrace the future of AI. Through its products, partnerships, and the strategies being implemented, Microsoft is creating an ecosystem where AI isn’t just a powerful tool but a catalyst for innovation across all industries.
The future of AI isn’t some abstract concept. It’s here, and it’s for everyone. With Microsoft leading the charge and partners providing the tools and expertise, the journey is just beginning.
Learn how to extend and tailor Copilot experience here
