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AI Sparks – From Playground to Production

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AI Sparks – From Playground to Production

Join Microsoft Reactor and engage with developers, entrepreneurs, and startups live

Ready to get started with AI and the latest technologies? Microsoft Reactor provides events, training, and community resources to help developers, entrepreneurs and startups build on AI technology and more. Join us!

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AI Sparks – From Playground to Production

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

  • Events in this Series:
  • 5

Building AI-powered applications from scratch or infusing intelligence into existing systems? AI Sparks is your go-to webinar series for mastering the AI Toolkit (AITK) from foundational concepts to cutting-edge techniques.

In this bi-weekly, hands-on series, we’ll cover:

🚀SLMs & Local Models – Test and deploy AI models and applications efficiently on your own terms locally, to edge devices or to the cloud

🔍 Embedding Models & RAG – Supercharge retrieval for smarter applications using existing data.

🎨 Multi-Modal AI – Work with images, text, and beyond.

🤖 Agentic Frameworks – Build autonomous, decision-making AI systems.

What will you learn from this session?
Whether you're a developer, startup founder, or AI enthusiast, you'll gain practical insights, live demos, and actionable takeaways to level up your AI integration journey.

Join us and spark your AI transformation!

Learn more: https://aka.ms/Learn-Collection

Upcoming Events

Click on an event below to learn more and register for individual events.

All times in - Coordinated Universal Time

Feb

13

Thursday

2025

Introduction to AI toolkit and feature walkthrough

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (UTC)

In In this episode, we’ll introduce the AI Toolkit extension for VS Code a powerful way to explore and integrate the latest AI models from OpenAI, Meta, Deepseek, Mistral, and more. With this extension, you can browse state-of-the-art models, download some for local use, or experiment with others remotely. Whether you're enhancing an existing application or building something new, the AI Toolkit simplifies the process of selecting and integrating the right model for your needs.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Feb

27

Thursday

2025

A short introduction to SLMs and local model with use cases

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (UTC)

In this episode, we’ll explore Small Language Models (SLMs) and how they compare to larger models. SLMs are efficient, require less compute and memory, and can run on edge devices while still excelling at a variety of tasks. We’ll dive into the Phi-3.5 and Phi-4 model series and demonstrate how to build a practical application using these models. Learn more: https://aka.ms/Learn-Collection

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Mar

13

Thursday

2025

How to work with embedding models and build a RAG application

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (UTC)

In this episode, we’ll dive into embedding models—important tools for working with vector databases and large language models. These models convert text into numerical representations, making it easier to process and retrieve information efficiently. After covering the core concepts, we’ll apply them in practice by building a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) app using Small Language Models (SLMs) and a vector database. Learn more: https://aka.ms/Learn-Collection

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Mar

27

Thursday

2025

Multi-modal support and image analysis

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (UTC)

In this episode, we’ll dig deeper into multi-modal capabilities of local and remote AI models and use visualization tools for better insights. We’ll also dive into multi-modal support in the AI Toolkit, showcasing how to process and analyze images alongside text. By the end, you’ll see how these capabilities come together to enhance powerful AI applications. Learn more: https://aka.ms/Learn-Collection

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Apr

10

Thursday

2025

Evaluations – How to choose the best model for your applications needs

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (UTC)

In this episode, we’ll explore how to evaluate AI models and choose the right one for your needs. We’ll cover key performance metrics, compare different models, and demonstrate testing strategies using features like Playground, Bulk Run, and automated evaluations. Whether you're experimenting with the latest models or transitioning to a new version, these evaluation techniques will help you make informed decisions with confidence. Learn more: https://aka.ms/Learn-Collection

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Speakers

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