January 25, 2025
Unveiling the way forward for AI innovation for ISVs

At Microsoft Ignite in November 2024, we introduced choices and assets to empower software program firms within the panorama of AI-powered experiences.

In at this time’s quickly evolving digital panorama, software program firms are on the forefront of innovation. These organizations are uniquely positioned to make the most of AI-powered options to drive progress, improve buyer experiences, and keep forward of the competitors.

AI is opening the door to beneficial alternatives for software program firms by accelerating cloud migration, app modernization, and analytics, whereas making developer instruments extra accessible. To harness the facility of AI, software program improvement is vital.

With 53,000 prospects at the moment utilizing Azure AI companies, it’s clear {that a} rising variety of firms are investing in AI instruments for impartial software program distributors (ISVs)—they usually’re reaping the advantages.1 On common, organizations see a 350% return on each greenback invested in AI inside 14 months.2

In the event you’re seeking to rework your small business, Microsoft is dedicated to serving to you obtain your AI ambitions. At Microsoft Ignite in November 2024, we introduced product improvements, a set of latest choices, and streamlined assets to empower software program firms to distinguish, innovate, and develop within the ever-evolving panorama of AI-powered experiences.

ISV innovation with AI

Software program firms play a main function as a result of they create the instruments and platforms that make AI accessible and sensible for varied industries. These firms develop the foundational fashions and algorithms into their choices that drive AI functions, enabling differentiated modern options throughout totally different sectors.

By advancing AI capabilities, software program firms can push the boundaries of what’s attainable, fostering an atmosphere of steady enchancment and discovery. 

With the suitable AI instruments for ISVs, it’s attainable to develop clever functions that anticipate person wants whereas enhancing knowledge privateness and safety. Along with elevating buyer experiences, many software program firms are tapping into AI to streamline improvement and go to market quicker.

Graphic of reoccurring themes affecting software company journeys across 1. Design better, more compelling products. 2. Build & ship faster. 3. Grow your business/audience/revenue

We’ve recognized 4 key buyer traits which are driving AI transformation and presenting important alternatives for software program firms. In response to our prospects, AI makes it simpler for his or her organizations to:

  1. Enhance buyer engagement. Organizations are enhancing buyer engagement by way of AI-powered self-service capabilities. This permits firms to ship partaking, customized interactions and create extra significant connections with their prospects.
  2. Elevate worker experiences. Groups are utilizing AI instruments to automate repetitive duties and achieve beneficial AI-driven insights. This empowers workers to give attention to higher-value actions, enhancing their general work expertise.
  3. Reinvent enterprise processes. AI is reshaping enterprise processes by way of course of automation and provide chain optimization. This permits organizations to streamline operations, cut back prices, enhance effectivity, and drive enterprise progress.
  4. Speed up innovation. Organizations throughout all industries are tapping into AI to innovate quicker and achieve a aggressive edge. Analysis and improvement, product, and engineering groups are benefiting from deep AI-driven insights and self-learning instruments to spice up productiveness, streamline processes, and make extra knowledgeable choices.

These traits symbolize the following leap in computing and expertise, opening new potentialities for ISV companions to combine superior AI options into their options. Firms like PTC and Relativity are utilizing AI-based options constructed on Microsoft Azure to ship distinctive worth to their prospects. These success tales spotlight the tangible advantages of AI, from elevated effectivity to enhanced buyer satisfaction.

Differentiate with AI-powered experiences: Insights from Microsoft Ignite

Throughout our Microsoft Ignite classes for AI for ISVs, we launched updates to Azure Machine Studying, Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, and Microsoft Fabric designed that can assist you keep forward. For instance, the Azure integration with Weights & Biases will give builders extra methods to trace, consider, and optimize Azure OpenAI fashions. Utilizing these instruments, builders can routinely monitor varied elements of fine-tuning jobs, evaluate mannequin variations, and consider generative AI-powered apps. 

Alt text: Graphic showing a visualization of the copilot and AI stack, the most complete and integrated stack to build with AI, including Copilot Studio, Visual studio, GitHub, and Azure capabilities

We additionally introduced curated assets and AI readiness applications, together with our new Microsoft ISV AI Envisioning workshops. These free occasions are designed that can assist you hold your expertise sharp and your choices aggressive. Discover ways to empower your group to construct AI-powered apps confidently with hands-on steering in 1:1 technical consults or be part of our AI Envisioning workshops to get a framework for growing generative AI options. All of that is underpinned by Azure Necessities, a group of assets that features foundational steering, greatest practices, and devoted coaching that can assist you elevate safety, reliability, and ongoing efficiency on your cloud and AI workloads.

Rework your improvement expertise and ship quicker

Probably the most important benefits of AI is that it helps streamline and velocity up improvement. At Microsoft, we’re at all times in search of methods to enhance the developer expertise, together with giving your software program groups AI tooling at their fingertips to allow them to transfer quicker. Complete platforms like Azure AI Foundry and GitHub Copilot enable builders to innovate quickly, cut back time spent on repetitive duties, and liberate assets to give attention to what actually issues—constructing nice software program. These instruments ship customized technical steering, guaranteeing your builders have the assist they should succeed.

Azure AI Foundry SDK, now in preview, gives a unified and complete software chain for constructing, testing, deploying, and managing AI functions and software programming interfaces (APIs) with enterprise-grade management and customization. That includes a library of fashions and instruments, this resolution provides simplified coding experiences to spice up developer productiveness and assist your group responsibly scale your AI functions. 

GitHub Copilot for Azure in VS Code

GitHub Copilot for Azure in VS Code is constructed to simplify cloud improvement by bringing every little thing you want proper into your editor. As a substitute of leaping between instruments and docs, you’ll be able to arrange assets, deploy apps, troubleshoot points, and study Azure—all with out leaving VS Code. Simply ask for assist with duties like configuring a Kubernetes cluster, discovering a selected service, or resolving widespread errors, and Copilot will information you. It’s designed to maintain you coding, velocity up deployments, and cut back the time you spend on setup and fixes.

Our free assets and technical steering present complete assist at each stage of your improvement journey, from AI readiness to sandbox credit for experimentation. Plus, you’ll achieve entry to our industry-leading AI merchandise and instruments with credit for Copilot.

Develop your attain and drive progress to the following stage

Many ISVs are embracing AI to open up new avenues for progress. By constructing and promoting AI options, software program firms can attain extra prospects, increase into new markets, and scale their companies.

The Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program provides you the instruments to create and market modern Microsoft Cloud and AI options. With choices for companions throughout enterprise fashions and progress levels, we meet you the place you might be and supply the assets that you must drive profitability and innovation. Relying in your wants and targets, discover the next pathways that can assist you construct, promote, and develop your software program options.

  • ISV Success: ISV Success helps you rework your improvement expertise, construct and publish to the Microsoft business market quicker, and speed up gross sales with Marketplace Rewards. Be a part of ISV Success free of charge and get entry to unique advantages, together with AI assets, a cloud sandbox, industry-leading developer instruments, and technical consultations. As you promote by way of {the marketplace}, you’ll earn Market Rewards that allow you to convert prospects and shut extra offers—the extra you carry out, the extra you earn.

Producing AI success with key investments

Plus, ISV Success now contains new AI investments spanning hands-on technical enablement, credit for AI improvement instruments, and expanded advantages for ISVs with AI tasks.
Our highest performing ISVs may qualify for monetary incentives to construct and deploy AI-powered apps or migrate finish prospects to apps primarily based in Azure.   

  • Microsoft business market: We’ve made key investments to assist make sure that the Microsoft commercial marketplace continues to be probably the most partner-focused enterprise platform, designed that can assist you attain extra prospects, simplify gross sales, and develop your small business. This contains diminished company charges for renewals, expanded multiparty personal provides in key markets, and new methods to monetize skilled companies by way of personal provides. Moreover, the Azure Sponsorship profit that’s out there by way of Market Rewards is increasing for channel companions.
  • Licensed software program designations: Now you can set your organization aside and improve buyer attain with Solutions Partner designations. To qualify, you’ll want to fulfill efficiency, coaching, and buyer success standards—and prospects should clearly determine that your options have the dependable capabilities they want. This distinction helps validate the standard, reliability, and relevance of your software program resolution. It additionally drives a optimistic buyer expertise by delivering on the worth prospects count on from options constructed on the Microsoft Cloud. Whenever you attain a licensed software program designation on your resolution, you’ll achieve entry to go-to-market, gross sales, and advertising and marketing advantages designed to propel your progress and gas higher demand on your options.

Securing the long run

Within the period of AI, Microsoft is taking a daring step ahead to assist ensure the security and trust of our prospects, companions, and the worldwide neighborhood. As we try to go to market with a unified AI technique, we acknowledge the significance of safety in defending our digital future.

For Microsoft, safety isn’t just a precedence; it’s a elementary dedication. We’re devoted to offering modern options that assist safeguard our prospects and companions from rising threats. This unwavering dedication to safety is mirrored in our cybersecurity funding of $20 billion over the following 5 years. We’re devoted to addressing the ever-evolving threats confronted by organizations worldwide.

On the forefront of the digital safety panorama, we’re main the cost in serving to to guard our prospects and companions in an more and more complicated digital atmosphere. Our complete safety options are designed to construct belief and resilience, guaranteeing that our prospects can navigate the digital age with confidence.

Atone for all of the bulletins from Microsoft Ignite

In the event you missed 2024’s Microsoft Ignite, we encourage you to watch all the sessions on demand. Throughout these classes, discover the alternatives AI gives for progress and differentiation within the market. Additionally, atone for all of the news for partners in this recap blog

Let’s construct the long run collectively and faucet into the complete potential of AI to rework the software program {industry}. Be a part of us in our mission to empower each particular person and group on the planet.


1https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor/events/fy-2024/earnings-fy-2024-q2

2IDC Infographic, sponsored by Microsoft, The Enterprise Alternative of AI, IDC #US51315823, November 2023. **Generative Synthetic Intelligence: A New Chapter for Enterprise Enterprise Purposes, IDC Perspective #US50471523, March 2023.