Microsoft set to unveil AI tools for PC and cloud at developer conference

Microsoft is set to open its annual developer conference Tuesday in San Francisco, where CEO Satya Nadella is expected to outline new artificial intelligence tools for software developers building applications on PCs and in the cloud.

The conference arrives as Microsoft faces stiffening competition from OpenAI and Anthropic in the AI developer-tools market, with analysts expecting the company to address mounting concerns about the safety of autonomous AI agents in enterprise settings.

A central topic is expected to be "agentic" AI software — programs that can direct networks of AI bots to carry out tasks on a user's behalf without constant human oversight. According to The Korea Times, one such platform is OpenClaw, an open-source application that gained significant popularity in China and has been cited as a factor in driving Apple Mac computer sales.

Hardware announcements are also expected to feature prominently. A new Nvidia chip unveiled Monday is designed to bring AI processing power directly to personal computers, with the technology targeting laptops priced to compete against Apple's premium offerings, The Korea Times reported.

Analysts expect Nadella to present a roadmap for making agentic AI tools safe enough for broad business adoption, according to The Korea Times. Windows counts roughly 1 billion users worldwide, giving Microsoft a vast installed base for any AI features it rolls out across its operating system.

On the software side, Microsoft is expected to unveil new AI models aimed at developers who write, review and complete code — placing the company in direct competition with OpenAI's Codex and Anthropic's Claude Code, The Korea Times reported. The move would extend Microsoft's AI push beyond its established Azure cloud services and into everyday software development workflows.

Microsoft's conference marks a pivotal moment in the company's push to position both Windows PCs and its Azure cloud platform as the foundational infrastructure for the next generation of AI-powered software.