How do I check if my Agent in Foundry is using "Azure Open AI Assistants API"

Question

According to an email from Microsoft :

On 26 August 2026, we'll retire the Azure OpenAI Assistants API. To avoid disruptions, transition to Foundry Agent Service by that date. If your workloads are purely model-inferencing and don't require agentic capabilities, you can use the Azure OpenAI Responses API instead.

I have deployed a few agents in Foundry at ai.azure.com using the new Foundry interface.

The project endpoint is something like this :

https://ME-ai-foundry-resource.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/MYPROJECT

and the Azure OpenAI endpoint is like this :

https://ME-ai-foundry-resource.openai.azure.com/openai/v1

The Service Health Advisory LZ_6-Y1Z does not currently show any impacted Resources

Answer 1

Hello @Hemant Krishnarao Chitale

Thanks for reaching out,

Based on your setup and the details you’ve shared, here’s a clear and complete explanation to help you verify whether your Foundry agents are using the Assistants API or the newer Foundry Agent Service.

If your agents are created and managed in Azure AI Foundry (ai.azure.com) and your endpoint looks like:

https://<resource>.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/<project>

Then you are already using Azure AI Foundry Agent Service, You are not using the Azure OpenAI Assistants API, No migration is required for your current agents

How to verify in detail

1. Check the endpoint URL

Assistants API (retiring):

https://<resource>.openai.azure.com/openai/assistants/... 
https://<resource>.openai.azure.com/openai/threads/... 
https://<resource>.openai.azure.com/openai/runs/...

Foundry Agent Service (current):

https://<resource>.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/<project>/...

Since your project uses the services.ai.azure.com endpoint, this confirms you are on the Foundry Agent Service.

2. Inspect request structure / payload

Assistants API

Uses objects like:

• assistantId
• threads
• runs

Explicit assistant lifecycle management

Foundry Agent Service

• Uses project-based APIs
• Does not include assistantId
• Works with models, tools, and agent configurations within the project

3. Check SDK or client usage

Assistants API (legacy)

• Typically uses OpenAIClient
• Includes assistants/threads/runs constructs

Foundry Agent Service

• Uses azure-ai-projects SDK
• Uses AIProjectClient and agent-based APIs

4. Check Azure portal / resource experience

• If you are creating and managing agents via Foundry UI (Agents tab) → Foundry Agent Service
• Assistants API is not managed through this UI experience

You mentioned:

Foundry endpoint:

https://ME-ai-foundry-resource.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/MYPROJECT

Azure OpenAI endpoint:

https://ME-ai-foundry-resource.openai.azure.com/openai/v1

This indicates:

• Agents → Foundry Agent Service (new platform)
• Model inference → Azure OpenAI (Responses/Chat APIs)

About the retirement notice

The email about Assistants API retirement (Aug 26, 2026) was sent broadly to Azure OpenAI users.

You are only impacted if:

• Your application explicitly calls:
  • /assistants
    • /threads
      • /runs

Since your implementation uses Foundry Agents, you are not impacted.

Please refer this

Foundry Agent Service overview: https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/foundry/agents/overview

Migration guide (Assistants API → Foundry Agent Service): https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/foundry/agents/how-to/migrate

Azure OpenAI Responses API (for pure inference workloads): https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/foundry/openai/how-to/responses

I Hope this helps. Do let me know if you have any further queries.

---

If this answers your query, please do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful.

Thank you!

Answer 2

The Azure OpenAI Assistants API retirement on 26 August 2026 applies to the classic Assistants/Agents experience in the Foundry (classic) portal and to SDKs and APIs that use the deprecated Assistants API surface. The new Foundry Agents Service and the OpenAI/v1 Responses API are the supported replacements.

From the provided information:

1. The project endpoint format
   • https://<resource>.services.ai.azure.com/api/projects/<project>
   • This corresponds to the new Microsoft Foundry project model and the unified azure-ai-projects / OpenAI() client pattern, not the classic Assistants API.
2. The Azure OpenAI endpoint format
   • https://<resource>.openai.azure.com/openai/v1
   • This is the new stable OpenAI/v1 API surface, which is the recommended replacement for the deprecated Azure AI Inference beta SDK and classic Assistants API.
3. Classic vs new experiences
   • Classic Assistants/Agents are explicitly called out as deprecated and tied to the Foundry (classic) portal and older APIs:
     • Assistants API (classic) is deprecated and will be retired on August 26, 2026.
     • Agents (classic) are deprecated and will be retired on March 31, 2027.
   • The new Foundry Agents Service and OpenAI/v1 Responses API are the generally available, supported paths going forward.

Given that the endpoints in use are the new project endpoint and the /openai/v1 endpoint, this configuration aligns with the new Foundry Agents Service and OpenAI/v1 Responses API, not with the deprecated Azure OpenAI Assistants API in the classic portal.

To summarize based on the context:

• Workloads using the Foundry (classic) Assistants API and classic Agents need to migrate to the new Foundry Agents Service and OpenAI/v1 by the stated retirement dates.
• Workloads already using the new Foundry project endpoint plus the /openai/v1 endpoint are on the supported path and are not using the deprecated classic Assistants API.

---

References:

• What is Microsoft Foundry?
• Azure OpenAI models and regions for Foundry Agent Service (classic)
• Migrate to the new agents developer experience
• Azure OpenAI Assistants API (Preview) (classic)
• What's new in Foundry Agent Service (classic)
• Configure your AI project to use Microsoft Foundry Models (classic)
• Migrate from the Foundry (classic) portal
• Getting started with Azure OpenAI Assistants (Preview) (classic)

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.