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Phi-4: Microsoft’s New Small Language Model Outperforms Giants in AI Reasoning

With Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models (LLMs), bigger has often better. LLMs like OpenAI’s GPT-4o and Google’s Gemini Pro have dominated headlines for their massive scale and capabilities. However, Microsoft is redefining this narrative with Phi-4, a 14-billion parameter small language model (SLM) that delivers exceptional performance, rivaling models many times its size.

Phi-4 isn’t just another incremental improvement. This model demonstrates that by prioritizing data quality, innovative training techniques, and advanced post-training refinements, smaller models can achieve superior performance in reasoning-heavy tasks. This breakthrough has significant implications for AI accessibility, efficiency, and specialized applications.

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The Build5Nines Membership has been developed by Chris Pietschmann (long-time Microsoft MVP, HashiCorp Ambassador, and Microsoft Certified Trainer) utilizing his 20+ years of experience working with organizations of all sizes from Fortune 500 business to small teams. It can be difficult to stay up-to-date on the latest technologies, and the Build5Nines Membership provides an exclusive community where you can find the expert help you need to succeed!

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• Designing AI-Ready Infrastructure in Microsoft Azure

• Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900) Certification Prep

• Manage Infrastructure using HashiCorp Terraform from Beginner to Advanced

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Retirement of AzureEdge.net DNS: Edg.io Business Closure and What You Need to Know

Microsoft has announced the retirement of the azureedge.net domain by January 15, 2025, driven by Edgio’s (formerly Limelight Networks) business closure. This domain underpins Azure CDN services, .NET installations, and content delivery for various Azure and Microsoft services. The shift requires developers and DevOps teams to update configurations, pipelines, and deployment practices to ensure continuity. This article outlines what you need to know, the risks of inaction, and the necessary steps to mitigate disruptions.

How the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative is Safeguarding Our Digital Tomorrow and Here’s Why it Matters

In a world where cyber threats are evolving faster than ever, the need for robust, proactive, and future-focused security measures has never been greater. Enter the Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative (SFI), a bold multiyear commitment designed to prioritize security across all aspects of the company’s ecosystem. Since its launch in late 2023, the initiative has set new standards for protecting data, systems, and people against an increasingly sophisticated cyber threat landscape.

But what exactly is the Microsoft Secure Future Initiative, and why should you care? Whether you’re an enterprise leader, a cybersecurity professional, or a technology enthusiast, understanding the goals and impact of SFI is critical in today’s connected world. Let’s explore.

Design of Intelligent, Multi-Agent AI Systems

Intelligent multi-agent AI systems stand out as a robust solution for solving problems requiring modularity, scalability, and specialized expertise. The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence has brought about the innovative approach of designing multi-agent AI systems that can tackle complex, dynamic, and distributed tasks. These systems rely on multiple AI agents collaborating to achieve goals that would be impractical for a single agent to handle alone.