Microsoft has made an undisclosed equity investment in Builder.ai, a company that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify the software-building process. The investment is part of a broader collaboration aimed at integrating the two companies' services.
Builder.ai has been on a rapid growth trajectory, tapping into a new wave of businesses seeking turnkey solutions for creating their own native apps. The company's success was evident in a $100 million Series C funding round led by Insight Partners last year, taking Builder.ai's total funding to $195 million.
Integrating AI Services
The collaboration will further entwine Microsoft's and Builder.ai's AI services, integrating Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Cognitive Services, and Builder.ai's software development services. This collaboration will enable users to utilize Builder.ai's Natasha AI product manager directly through Microsoft Teams for easy and efficient business application prototyping.
Microsoft's investment in Builder.ai mirrors its dedication to its mission to empower every individual and organization to make software development easy for everyone. Jon Tinter, Corporate Vice President of Business Development at Microsoft, commented on the deal saying, “We see Builder.ai creating an entirely new category that empowers everyone to be a developer and our new, deeper collaboration fueled by Azure AI will bring the combined power of both companies to businesses around the world.“
Builder.AI and Github Copilot: AI Assisted Software Development
Both Builder.ai and GitHub Copilot are examples of how AI can assist software development. However, they have some key differences and similarities. Builder.ai is a no-code platform, while GitHub Copilot is a code completion tool. This means that Builder.ai allows you to create apps without writing any code, while GitHub Copilot helps you write code more efficiently.
Therefore, Builder.ai is more suitable for non-technical users who want to build simple or standard apps, while GitHub Copilot is more suitable for experienced developers who want to enhance their productivity and creativity.
Builder.ai provides you with a fixed price and timeline for your app, while GitHub Copilot does not. This means that Builder.ai gives you more certainty and transparency about the cost and duration of your project, while GitHub Copilot depends on your own coding speed and quality.
Pre-built Components vs. Public Repositories
While Builder.ai and GitHub Copilot both use AI to generate code, they have different sources of data. Builder.ai uses its own database of pre-built components and templates, while GitHub Copilot uses data from public repositories on GitHub. This means that Builder.ai has more control over the quality and security of the code it generates, while GitHub Copilot may have more diversity and variety in its suggestions.
The strategic partnership between Microsoft and Builder.ai signals an era of synergy between two companies at the forefront of AI and software development. The exact investment figure remains undisclosed, but given Microsoft's recent substantial investments in OpenAI, it is believed to be in the millions.