Azure AI Model retirement strategy

Question

I have following queries around AOAI model retirement

1.  Regarding Retirement Date:

• What does it mean when the retirement date column states “no earlier than July 13, 2024”?

While we understand that the model will be available at least until that date, could you clarify how much longer it might remain accessible after July 13, 2024? Is it a week, a month, or perhaps three months?

2.  Auto-Update Policy:  

•  If we enable the auto-update policy, how can we determine which model version we will be updated to?
• What is the lead time between receiving information about the new model version and the actual upgrade? Will we have sufficient time for thorough testing?
• What happens if we’re using the auto-update policy and all models in the current region are retired?

Answer 1

@Deepika Sharma Thanks for reaching out to us.

A quick and general answer for your questions -

1 Regarding Retirement Date: When the retirement date column states "no earlier than July 13, 2024," it means that this is the earliest possible date the model could be retired, but it does not necessarily mean it will be retired on that exact date. It could be retired anytime after this date, based on the organization's schedule or needs. The exact duration beyond July 13, 2024, is not specified and would depend on various factors, including but not limited to, the model's performance, updates, or the introduction of a new model.

2 Auto-Update Policy: If you enable the auto-update policy, your application automatically updates to the latest model version as soon as it becomes available. The specific model version to which you will be updated depends on which new version is released at the time. The lead time between receiving information about the new model version and the actual upgrade could vary. Typically, organizations provide some advance notice about the update, but the exact timeframe can depend on various factors. If you are using the auto-update policy and all models in the current region are retired, the system would typically automatically update your application to the latest available model in another region. However, this would depend on the specific policies and procedures of the organization managing the model.

I hope this helps, please let us know if you have any other questions.

Regards,

Yutong

-Please kindly accept the answer if you feel helpful to support the community, thanks a lot.