- Web app developers can soon leverage Microsoft's on-device AI models on Edge.
- The model in question currently is the Phi-4-mini, which is trained on DeepSeek R1.
- Developers can use the APIs to assist in writing and generating/summarizing text.
Artificial Intelligence is now one of the major selling points in various software products, and is slowing making its way into the core functions. While firms continue showcasing new capabilities, web browsers are where AI’s arrival is most imminent. Google has already added Gemini Nano to Chrome, and now Microsoft is opening its on-device AI to Edge.
Microsoft has announced in the Build conference that it will soon open the existing on-device AI models to web applications, so developers can take advantage of the same. Specifically, the model Phi-4-mini, which was trained on the data from DeepSeek R1’s reasoning model. For comparison, it’s a close competitor to OpenAI’s o3-mini model.
These new APIs will help developers develop new apps or add AI capabilities to their existing web applications. They also include a set of APIs to assist in writing and generating/summarizing text. Microsoft also claims that the APIs offer on-device processing and are extremely secure.
Microsoft says the APIs will be cross-platform and will also work with other AI models in tandem. They’re now available on Edge’s Canary and Dev channels. In comparison, Google’s Gemini Nano in Chrome also offers a host of features, including text translation and image generation.
This is not the only AI-centric announcement from Microsoft this year. The giant also launched Copilot Search in Bing during the Copilot event and its 50th anniversary, which the firm claims will revolutionize search. The Redmond giant is also working to bring a host of AI tools and abilities to Windows with its Copilot+ PCs.
What are your thoughts on Microsoft opening its AI models to Edge for web developers. What are some of the apps that you want to see leverage these models? Let us know in the comments.
