🧠 Partner Academy: AI Newsletter

August 2025 Edition

Welcome to the August edition of the Partner Academy AI Newsletter! This month, we spotlight major updates across Azure AI, new skilling resources, and a real-world success story that showcases the transformative power of Microsoft AI.

🚀 Azure AI Platform Updates

🔷 Azure AI Foundry Enhancements

  • Model Context Protocol (MCP): Seamless connection to MCP servers for enhanced model deployment workflows.
  • Serverless API Deployments: Now supported for Foundry models, enabling scalable and cost-efficient deployment.
  • AI Red Teaming Agent (Preview): Run and trace red teaming results directly in the cloud for improved model safety.
    🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-foundry/whats-new-azure-ai-foundry

🔷 Azure AI Services Updates

  • Voice Live API (Preview): Real-time voice agent capabilities now available.
  • Conversational Language Understanding: Enhanced training workflows and support for PII entity labeling.
    🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/whats-new-ai-services

🔷 Azure Databricks Improvements

  • Notebook Split View: Edit notebooks side-by-side for better productivity.
  • Expanded Region Availability: ai_parse_document now available in 20+ global regions.
  • Query History Enhancements: New columns for cache origin, query parameters, and written data metrics.
    🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/release-notes/product/2025/july

📚 Skilling & Learning Resources

🏅 FY26 Training Services Partner Qualification Update

Effective July 30, 2025, Microsoft has introduced a new three-bucket courseware model:

  • Fundamentals
  • Two Days or Less
  • Three Days or More

This change streamlines the Training Services Partner (TSP) designation.
🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/announcements/2025-july

🧑‍💻 AI Assistant Anywhere

Use AI Assistant directly within Partner Center’s Benefits workspace to get instant answers about Azure Credits, Cloud Services, and Developer Tools.

📘 Recommended Learning Paths

  • https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-foundry/whats-new-azure-ai-foundry
  • https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/whats-new-ai-services
  • https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/databricks/release-notes/product/2025/july

💼 Partner Program Updates

🎯 Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program

July’s update introduced:

  • New Solutions Partner designations and specializations
  • Enhanced benefits for certified software partners
  • Streamlined audit and renewal processes for Azure Partner Specialization

📎 https://assetsprod.microsoft.com/azure-specialization-partner-faq.pdf
📎 https://partner.microsoft.com/partnership/specialization#tab-content-4

🌟 Customer Success Story: Teranet

Industry: Government & Legal Services
Challenge: Modernize mission-critical systems and improve automation
Solution: Migrated to Azure Red Hat OpenShift, leveraging Azure AI for intelligent automation
Impact:

  • CA$5.6 million in cost savings
  • Enhanced customer confidence
  • Streamlined operations and improved scalability

📖 https://www.microsoft.com/en/customers/story/22690-teranet-inc-azure-red-hat-openshift

💡 Best Practices for FY26 AI Success

To help your business and technical teams thrive in FY26:

  • Use the https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/tco/calculator/ to estimate savings from cloud migration.
  • Explore https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-foundry/concepts/foundry-models-overview for building copilots and agents with built-in safety.
  • Review the https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/framework/ to ensure scalable, secure, and cost-effective AI deployments.

📣 Stay Connected

  • 🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/announcements/2025-july
  • 🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-foundry/whats-new-azure-ai-foundry
  • 🔗 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/whats-new-ai-services