Large-scale, generative AI models have been fueling the next wave of startups and applications, leveraging APIs with deep understandings of language and code to enable new comprehensive scenarios and cutting-edge solutions.
Members of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub can access free credits to OpenAI APIs, and the launch of Azure OpenAI Service has presented even more opportunities for startups in our portfolio to take advantage of the OpenAI offerings under the Microsoft umbrella and build using the next generation of AI services.
Read on to better understand what Azure OpenAI Service is and how to leverage it.
What is Azure OpenAI Service?
Azure OpenAI Service is an Azure AI service that allows access to OpenAI GPT-4 (waitlist only), GPT-3, Codex, and DALL-E models with the security and enterprise promise of Azure. These models can be adapted to tasks such as content generation, summarization, semantic search, and natural language to code translation.
- ChatGPT and GPT-4: These are both conversation in, message-out models designed for conversational interfaces as well as non-chat scenarios. You can use these models to perform specific actions like tax advisory through a few-shot learning, or ground these models on your relevant data for specialized outputs, like searching through your internal documentation.
- Codex is an AI system that translates natural language to code. Startups can use Codex to generate natural-language descriptions of code examples, generate code snippets and more.
- DALL-E is a generative model, generating images from text prompts. Startups can use this to create brand images, artwork based on prompts or even end-to-end design studios customized to user’s prompts.
Users can access Azure OpenAI Service through REST APIs, Python SDK, or the web-based interface in the Azure OpenAI Studio. Microsoft co-develops the APIs with OpenAI, ensuring compatibility and a smooth transition from one to the other.
Azure OpenAI Service also allows developers to discover the art-of-the-possible with cutting-edge models from OpenAI that provide the security capabilities of Microsoft Azure while running the same models as OpenAI. Azure OpenAI Service offers private networking, regional availability, and responsible AI content filtering.
How’s this different from the OpenAI API benefit on Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub?
Free credits to Azure OpenAI Service APIs are directly available as a benefit in Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub and as a service via Azure. Azure OpenAI Service gets you access to the APIs along with 99.9% uptime, built-in content filtering, enterprise-grade security, privacy controls, and regional availability as an enterprise-class service.
How can Microsoft for Startups portfolio companies access Azure OpenAI Service?
As part of Microsoft’s commitment to responsible AI, we are designing and releasing Azure OpenAI Service with the intention of protecting the rights of individuals and society and fostering transparent human-computer interaction. For this reason, we currently limit the access and use of Azure OpenAI, including limiting access to the ability to modify content filters and/or abuse monitoring. Startups may use Azure credits for access, but the amount of credits needed will depend on how much you use the service.
Startups in Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub must apply for access for their specific use case. You’re encouraged to apply under the most fitting review criteria for your stage. Once approved for use, customers can login to the Azure portal to create an Azure OpenAI Service resource and get started either in our Studio website or via code. You can read and learn more via our documentation. Reach out to the Founders Hub Support Center for more guidance.
Watch this space as we roll out future developments for the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub.
Not yet joined Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub? Sign up today to get credits for OpenAI APIs, technical advisory, up to $150,000 in Azure credits, access to Microsoft startup experts and mentors, and so much more.
