Getting started with generative AI in Azure

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Overview

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Dive into the transformative world of generative AI with Microsoft Azure! This course is your hands-on introduction to building intelligent applications, taking you from core concepts to completing multiple hands-on projects. You will start by understanding the fundamentals of what makes generative AI unique and explore its evolution from traditional AI models to the generative approach. Next, you'll get acquainted with the Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft's powerful platform for AI development. Through practical labs and activities, you will learn to set up your environment, experiment with different AI models, and configure key parameters. The course culminates in you designing, building, and refining your own text generation application. Crucially, you will also learn to integrate essential ethical principles, ensuring your AI solutions are responsible and safe. By the end, you won't just understand generative AI; you'll have the practical skills to build with it.

Syllabus

Fundamentals of generative AI

This foundational module sets the stage for your journey into generative AI. We begin by exploring the "why" behind this revolutionary technology and demystifying core concepts like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning. You will learn the crucial distinction between generative models, which create new content, and discriminative models, which classify existing data. To provide context, we will also trace the evolution of AI architectures, highlighting the key milestones that led to today's advanced systems. By the end of this module, you'll have a solid conceptual foundation, ready to dive into the practical tools in the next section. Important Notice on the Azure Interface: The screencast videos and screenshots were last updated in late 2025. Please be aware that Microsoft may have updated the Azure interface since then. If the steps shown in the course materials look different from your current Azure environment, please follow the most up-to-date interface, as the underlying concepts and learning objectives remain the same.

Getting acquainted with Azure AI Foundry

This module moves from theory to practice as you get hands-on with Microsoft's powerful suite of AI tools. You will be guided through setting up your own Azure AI Foundry environment, learning to navigate its key interfaces, and configuring different types of AI models. The core of this module is experimentation; you will run both predefined and custom experiments, learning to adjust critical parameters and observe how they influence model behavior. Through a series of practical labs, you will build confidence in using the platform's Chat-Playground and Python SDK, preparing you to build real-world applications. Important Notice on the Azure Interface: The screencast videos and screenshots were last updated in late 2025. Please be aware that Microsoft may have updated the Azure interface since then. If the steps shown in the course materials look different from your current Azure environment, please follow the most up-to-date interface, as the underlying concepts and learning objectives remain the same.

Building your first AI application

Now it's time to build! In this project-based module, you will apply your skills to construct a complete text generation application, focusing on the backend logic and AI integration. You will begin by designing the application's blueprint, outlining its core functionality and API design. A simple, pre-built user interface will be provided, allowing you to concentrate on the AI development. Then, you'll bring your application to life by integrating an Azure AI model and developing the necessary backend components. The final part of the module focuses on refinement; you will learn to test your application systematically, identify areas for improvement, and enhance its performance using techniques like prompt engineering and model fine-tuning. Optionally, you can explore customizing the provided UI, but the core focus will remain on building a functional and robust AI-powered application. Important Notice on the Azure Interface: The screencast videos and screenshots were last updated in late 2025. Please be aware that Microsoft may have updated the Azure interface since then. If the steps shown in the course materials look different from your current Azure environment, please follow the most up-to-date interface, as the underlying concepts and learning objectives remain the same.

Ethical AI usage and project completion

Building powerful AI is only half the story; building it responsibly is essential. This final module focuses on integrating ethical principles and safety measures directly into your work. You will learn to identify and mitigate potential harms like bias and harmful content generation. We'll explore techniques like creating an ethical checklist and implementing Foundry's built-in safety features, such as content filters and prompt injection defenses. You'll learn how these safeguards protect your application from security risks and unwanted behaviors. While some controlled prompt modification can be useful in specific advanced scenarios, this course focuses on establishing a secure foundation. To conclude the course, you will complete a final hands-on project that brings everything together: enhancing your text generation application, integrating these critical ethical safeguards, and creating comprehensive documentation to showcase a solution that is both technically sound and ethically responsible. Important Notice on the Azure Interface: The screencast videos and screenshots were last updated in late 2025. Please be aware that Microsoft may have updated the Azure interface since then. If the steps shown in the course materials look different from your current Azure environment, please follow the most up-to-date interface, as the underlying concepts and learning objectives remain the same.