50 Microsoft tools you can use for free just in time for Build 2026 (www.techradar.com)

Microsoft has announced 50 free tools available to developers ahead of Build 2026, which will take place on June 2-3 in San Francisco. This year’s conference, focusing on AI agents, marks Microsoft's strategic shift towards integrating AI into mainstream software development. Significant developments include the general availability of the Azure AI Foundry Agent Service and a unified developer SDK that merges Semantic Kernel and AutoGen. Attendees are encouraged to explore these tools, categorized into eight areas, to maximize their experience, with GitHub playing a pivotal role in featured sessions focused on its AI integrations. The upcoming Build event is crucial as it showcases Microsoft’s efforts to establish itself competitively in the AI infrastructure market against AWS and Google. Key points will cover advanced cloud capabilities, including model routing solutions and on-device inference optimizations for Windows. A new "Responsible AI" track at the conference highlights commitment to compliance and safety in AI development, addressing pressing security concerns. With this robust lineup of tools and the conference's emphasis on practical applications of AI technology, Microsoft is positioning itself as a leader in facilitating AI integration within the developer community.