How to Customize Visual Studio Code Chat with GitHub Copilot and Semantic Kernel
Discover how to customize Visual Studio Code Chat to revolutionize your development workflow with AI. By leveraging GitHub Copilot, Semantic Kernel, and Azure AI Agent Service, you can create chat participants tailored to tasks like project creation, requirement analysis, and code orchestration. Learn to integrate models like o1-mini for reasoning and .NET Aspire for distributed application management. Empower your IDE with AI to streamline complex workflows and boost efficiency.How to use GitHub Copilot for Azure?
Good news for everyone - GitHub Copilot is now available for free in VS Code!! Excited to try GitHub copilot for Azure in VSCode? Prerequisites: Account in GitHub Sign up for GitHub Copilot Account in Azure Install VSCode Step 1. Installation How to install GitHub Copilot for Azure? Open VS Code, in the leftmost panel, click on Extensions, type – ‘GitHub copilot for azure’, and install the first result which is by Microsoft. As shown in the Fig. 1.1 below: Fig. 1.1 How to install GitHub Copilot for Azure in VSCode 2. After this installation, you will be prompted to install – GitHub Copilot, Azure Tools, and other required installations. Click on allow and install all required extensions from the same method, as used above. Fig. 1.1.1 Installation of GitHub Copilot and sign in with GitHub Step 2: Enable How to enable GitHub Copilot in GitHub? Open GitHub, Click on top rightmost Profile pic, a left panel will open. Click on Your Copilot. Fig. 1.2 Locate GitHub Copilot Upon opening, enable it for IDE, as shown in the below Fig. 1.3 Fig. 1.3 Enabling Copilot Chat in the IDE Step 3: Walkthrough Open VSCode, and click on the GitHub Copilot icon from topmost right side. This will open the GitHub Copilot Chat. From here, you can customize the model type and Send commands. Type azure to work with Azure related tasks. Below Fig. 1.4 will help to locate the things smoothly: Fig. 1.4 Locating GitHub Copilot Chat in VSCode Scenario: Using the GitHub Repository If you have any of your project already available in the GitHub public repository, then paste the link of it in the chat section and append it with the below prompt: Prompt: This is my website deployed locally in GitHub, help me deploy in Azure. Hit Enter from the keyboard or Click the arrow sign, and proceed further with the instructions generated by the Copilot. Note: You will be prompted to Authenticate your Azure Account, simply follow the instructions said to authenticate. If you don’t have any website, paste the prompt written below in the chat section: Prompt: Could you help me create and deploy a simple Flask website by using an azd template? Fig. 1.5 Reply from GitHub Copilot for Azure As visible in the above Fig. 1.5, the GitHub Copilot for Azure will send template in the response. Hover the arrow over it, and then click on Insert into terminal, this will automatically insert the command in the terminal. Meanwhile, you may need to Authenticate your Azure Account, simply follow the instructions said to authenticate. It will take a few minutes to initialize. Meanwhile, answer the questions it asks, if unsure, simply ask the same question by copy pasting in the GitHub Copilot Chat, and it will guide you. You can ask more questions like: What does azd init command do? How the website will be deployed? What region, should I select? Once, you are clear with all of the doubts, type azd up command in the terminal, this will deploy the website in azure. Fig. 1.6 GitHub Copilot guiding the user to deploy This Command will ask which subscription you want to use to deploy your website. Fig. 1.7 Finding Subscription in Azure Portal Open the Azure portal, and type subscription in the search bar, as visible in Fig. 1.7. Click the first result and copy paste the Subscription ID visible there, to the GitHub Copilot chat, and append something like below: <Subscription ID> This is my Azure Subscription ID, deploy my website using it. <I reside in <Country Name> Once, done, you would be able to view the deployed website along with the new resources created in the Azure Portal. To un-deploy it, to free up the Azure resources, ask the same to GitHub Copilot, and it will guide you further! Tips and Tricks: For any error or Questions, directly ask to GitHub Copilot for Azure and it will answer your all queries, no limit! If unsure about anything, just paste the subscription id and share your country in the chat to get customized queries to run! Summary: GitHub Copilot can be used in VS Code for free, by installing thru extensions tab of VS Code. The deployment is done using just 2 commands: azd init and azd up To un-deploy, simply visit the directory and type azd down Happy 2025 with unlimited experiments using GitHub Copilot for Azure @VSCode for free!Managing Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise) access for Faculty and Higher Education 18+ student
Exciting news for education audiences! Microsoft has announced availability updates for Microsoft Copilot and Copilot for Microsoft 365. Learn more about the expansion of eligibility and options for managing user access with commercial data protection.Embracing Responsible AI: A Comprehensive Guide and Call to Action
In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the need for responsible AI practices has never been more critical. From healthcare to finance, AI systems influence decisions affecting millions of people. As developers, organizations, and users, we are responsible for ensuring that these technologies are designed, deployed, and evaluated ethically. This blog will delve into the principles of responsible AI, the importance of assessing generative AI applications, and provide a call to action to engage with the Microsoft Learn Module on responsible AI evaluations. What is Responsible AI? Responsible AI encompasses a set of principles and practices aimed at ensuring that AI technologies are developed and used in ways that are ethical, fair, and accountable. Here are the core principles that define responsible AI: Fairness AI systems must be designed to avoid bias and discrimination. This means ensuring that the data used to train these systems is representative and that the algorithms do not favor one group over another. Fairness is crucial in applications like hiring, lending, and law enforcement, where biased AI can lead to significant societal harm. Transparency Transparency involves making AI systems understandable to users and stakeholders. This includes providing clear explanations of how AI models make decisions and what data they use. Transparency builds trust and allows users to challenge or question AI decisions when necessary. Accountability Developers and organizations must be held accountable for the outcomes of their AI systems. This includes establishing clear lines of responsibility for AI decisions and ensuring that there are mechanisms in place to address any negative consequences that arise from AI use. Privacy AI systems often rely on vast amounts of data, raising concerns about user privacy. Responsible AI practices involve implementing robust data protection measures, ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR, and being transparent about how user data is collected, stored, and used. The Importance of Evaluating Generative AI Applications Generative AI, which includes technologies that can create text, images, music, and more, presents unique challenges and opportunities. Evaluating these applications is essential for several reasons: Quality Assessment Evaluating the output quality of generative AI applications is crucial to ensure that they meet user expectations and ethical standards. Poor-quality outputs can lead to misinformation, misrepresentation, and a loss of trust in AI technologies. Custom Evaluators Learning to create and use custom evaluators allows developers to tailor assessments to specific applications and contexts. This flexibility is vital in ensuring that the evaluation process aligns with the intended use of the AI system. Synthetic Datasets Generative AI can be used to create synthetic datasets, which can help in training AI models while addressing privacy concerns and data scarcity. Evaluating these synthetic datasets is essential to ensure they are representative and do not introduce bias. Call to Action: Engage with the Microsoft Learn Module To deepen your understanding of responsible AI and enhance your skills in evaluating generative AI applications, I encourage you to explore the Microsoft Learn Module available at this link. What You Will Learn: Concepts and Methodologies: The module covers essential frameworks for evaluating generative AI, including best practices and methodologies that can be applied across various domains. Hands-On Exercises: Engage in practical, code-first exercises that simulate real-world scenarios. These exercises will help you apply the concepts learned tangibly, reinforcing your understanding. Prerequisites: An Azure subscription (you can create one for free). Basic familiarity with Azure and Python programming. Tools like Docker and Visual Studio Code for local development. Why This Matters By participating in this module, you are not just enhancing your skills; you are contributing to a broader movement towards responsible AI. As AI technologies continue to evolve, the demand for professionals who understand and prioritize ethical considerations will only grow. Your engagement in this learning journey can help shape the future of AI, ensuring it serves humanity positively and equitably. Conclusion As we navigate the complexities of AI technology, we must prioritize responsible AI practices. By engaging with educational resources like the Microsoft Learn Module on responsible AI evaluations, we can equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to create AI systems that are not only innovative but also ethical and responsible. Join the movement towards responsible AI today! Take the first step by exploring the Microsoft Learn Module and become an advocate for ethical AI practices in your community and beyond. Together, we can ensure that AI serves as a force for good in our society. References Evaluate generative AI applications https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/evaluate-generative-ai-apps/?wt.mc_id=studentamb_263805 Azure Subscription for Students https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/students/?wt.mc_id=studentamb_263805 Visual Studio Code https://code.visualstudio.com/?wt.mc_id=studentamb_263805Announcing GitHub Universe Cloud Skills Challenge!
Join the GitHub Universe Cloud Skills Challenge and start your exiting journey in AI! Whether you’re beginning or looking to change your career, this learning experience is designed to introduce you to some of the most requested GitHub tools for AI beginners, and to explore new opportunities. Join the GitHub Universe Cloud Skills Challenge and start your exciting journey in AI!Step-by-Step: How to Setup Copilot Chat in VS Code
Copilot Chat is an AI-powered chatbot leveraging OpenAI's GPT-4, designed to enhance your coding workflow. Learn how to set up Copilot Chat step by step in Visual Studio Code (VS Code). Benefit from personalized and flexible coding environments, code analysis, automated unit test generation, and bug fixes. Prerequisites include an active GitHub account and the latest version of VS Code. Elevate your coding efficiency to new heights with Copilot Chat.Step-by-Step: Setting Up GitHub Student and GitHub Copilot as an Authenticated Student Developer
To become an authenticated GitHub Student Developer, follow these steps: create a GitHub account, verify student status through a school email or contact GitHub support, sign up for the student developer pack, connect to Copilot and activate the GitHub Student Developer Pack benefits. The GitHub Student Developer Pack offers 100s of free software offers and other benefits such as Azure credit, Codespaces, a student gallery, campus experts program, and a learning lab. Copilot provides autocomplete-style suggestions from AI as you code. Visual Studio Marketplace also offers GitHub Copilot Labs, a companion extension with experimental features, and GitHub Copilot for autocomplete-style suggestions. Setting up your GitHub Student and GitHub Copilot as an authenticated Github Student DeveloperExploring the Power of Codespaces for Student Developers
Say goodbye to the hassle! With GitHub Codespaces, you can code from anywhere, on any device, without worrying about installations or configurations. Whether you’re working on group projects or solo assignments, Codespaces gives you a fully set-up environment in just a few clicks.Exploring Windows on ARM: The Future of Computing
Discover the potential of Windows on ARM—the next frontier of efficient, scalable computing. In this blog, I explore running Windows on ARM through Azure VMs, discuss app compatibility, and dive into why developers should start building for ARM now. Learn about Microsoft's powerful tools, such as Visual Studio and x86 emulation, that make developing for ARM easy and efficient. Ready to explore? Let’s dive in!What’s New in Microsoft EDU | August 2024
Welcome to our monthly update for Microsoft Education and thank you so much for being part of our growing community! As many countries are getting ready for back to school in August of 2024, or already started, we have a set of updates to make your school day easier, productive and more personalized. Also, if you haven’t explored the 34 “Quick Guides” from MIE Expert Heather Aird, this blog had a ton of useful 1 page PDFs that are great for professional development.
