Q&A
Copilot Engineering in the Cloud with Azure and GitHub
You already know AI is reshaping software development and you need to get on board this train or be left behind. Microsoft's ecosystem -- spanning GitHub Copilot, Azure AI Foundry and a growing suite of AI-powered tools -- is at the forefront of this transformation. But there are a lot of moving parts along with a constant stream of new advancements to keep track of.
Developers who want to stay ahead of the curve will have an opportunity to explore these technologies in depth -- like eight hours of depth -- at the upcoming Copilot Engineering in the Cloud with Azure & GitHub workshop, part of the VS Live! developer conference in Las Vegas.
This workshop is being helmed by two seasoned professionals who have long been working with these tools in their roles at GitHub, which introduced the original "AI pair programmer" and spawned the ubiquitous Copilot moniker.
Led by Brian A. Randell, Staff Developer Advocate, and Mickey Gousset, DevOps Architect, this full-day workshop on March 14 will guide developers through the fundamentals of AI-powered development and the practical applications of Large Language Models (LLMs) in real-world projects.
Attendees will learn about integrating GitHub Copilot and Azure AI Foundry into their workflows, learning how to boost productivity with AI-assisted coding, automate repetitive tasks, and build intelligent applications. With live demonstrations, the workshop will provide actionable insights that developers can apply immediately to their projects.
"A significant portion of the workshop is dedicated to GitHub Copilot, an innovative tool that's redefining software development," says the event description. "You'll discover how to leverage GitHub Copilot's capabilities to boost your coding efficiency and creativity within your preferred IDEs, including Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code. The workshop will also cover integration with GitHub Enterprise Cloud, showing you how to streamline your workflow and accelerate development cycles."
In the following Q&A, Randell shares insights into what attendees can expect from the workshop, the role of AI in modern software development, and how developers can make the most of these cutting-edge tools.
VisualStudioMagazine: What inspired you to present a workshop on this topic?
Randell: AI is transforming how developers approach software engineering, and tools like GitHub Copilot and Azure AI Foundry are at the forefront of this change. Mickey and I are focused on helping developers embrace these innovations to become more productive and creative.
"AI, particularly LLMs like GPT-4, has revolutionized coding and problem-solving. We wanted to share our knowledge and experience in integrating these powerful tools into applications while helping developers harness the full potential of AI in their workflows."
Brian A. Randell, Staff Developer Advocate, GitHub
AI, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4, has revolutionized coding and problem-solving. We wanted to share our knowledge and experience in integrating these powerful tools into applications while helping developers harness the full potential of AI in their workflows.
What makes this workshop a must-attend for developers interested in AI integration?
Our goal is to create a workshop we wish we'd had when we got started. Starting at the fundamentals of LLMs and services like ChatGPT we want to move to practical applications of this technology from a "Microsoft-stack" focused development experience using the Azure and GitHub Platforms. We will provide live demonstrations and build something that we hope will provide valuable insights into building AI-powered applications.
What skills or knowledge will participants gain that they can immediately apply to their projects?
Participants will see how to use GitHub Copilot for code suggestions and completion along with chat, multi-file editing and more. We'll cover integration with services like Azure AI Foundry and how to explore models via GitHub Models marketplace and we'll provide code samples and additional guidance on how to learn more afterwards.
What role does Azure AI Foundry play in building interactive, intelligent applications during this workshop?
Azure AI Foundry is a cornerstone of your production solutions. It provides the backend intelligence for creating powerful applications that can understand, generate, and respond to natural language. We'll explore how to set up and integrate Azure AI Foundry into applications, utilizing its capabilities to build smarter, more dynamic solutions tailored to customer specific needs.
What resources would you recommend for developers to get up to speed with Copilot engineering in the cloud with Azure & GitHub and prepare for your workshop?
Believe it or not the documentation is helpful. we would start with these three links:
What steps can attendees take after the workshop to deepen their expertise in Copilot engineering?
The number one thing is "do something." Take one of the many samples, and reverse engineer it. Come up with a simple proof of concept and apply what they learned. And then remember, using AI is like any other "development muscle" -- you got to exercise all the time to stay in shape.
Note: Those wishing to attend the conference can save hundreds of dollars by registering early, according to the event's pricing page. "Save $300 when you register by the Early Bird savings deadline of Feb. 14," said the organizer of the event, which is presented by the parent company of Visual Studio Magazine.
About the Author
David Ramel is an editor and writer at Converge 360.