Easily integrate generative AI with your AL solutions

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Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically - Dec 11, 2023

Business value

Azure OpenAI Service offers powerful, generative AI models that our partners can now leverage to deliver a rich ecosystem of AI-powered extensions for Business Central. With only a few lines of AL code, developers can enhance their solutions with generative AI that feels seamlessly integrated into the Business Central user experience and can be delivered as a natural part of their add-ons or customizations.

Feature details

The first version of the Copilot toolkit offers:

  • Connect with less code: Leverage the new System.AI namespace in the system application to connect to Azure OpenAI Service and tap into models such as GPT from your AL code.
  • Seamlessly integrate: Use the new PromptDialog page type to light up generative AI experiences that look and feel unmistakably Copilot, including signature visuals, and built-in safety controls for customers.
  • Manage your subscription: Bring your own Azure AI key that powers your AI story.
  • Build for safety: Follow guidance on how to apply Responsible AI principles to your design and implementation.
  • Draw attention: Highlight the presence of your AI-powered features using the new Sparkle action image.
  • Keep admins in control: Help customers discover and govern your features by plugging into new administrative screens.
  • Learn from examples: Download sample code available as an extension to get started.
  • Track usage: Follow feature adoption statistics and monitor end-user feedback in Power BI.

An example use case of the new PromptDialog that creates string transformations.

Availability

The toolkit is available for Business Central online from Update 23.2. You can develop against Insider builds or release builds.

Data governance

Azure OpenAI Service is currently available in select countries and regions. Customers and partners connecting to Azure OpenAI service within their region won't require any additional setup, configuration or consent. When connecting to Azure OpenAI service outside of the environment's region, admins must first consent to data movement across regions before any Copilot features can be used in Business Central.

Try it out

Developers can now 'get hands-on' and begin developing their own generative AI capabilities.

  1. Get your key: To use Azure OpenAI Service, you need to have an Azure subscription and apply for access to the service.
  2. Try it out in Visual Studio Code: Leverage the new PromptDialog page type and System.AI namespace to connect to Azure OpenAI service and bring your idea to life. Looking for an inspirational example? Take a look at marketing text suggestions in Microsoft's base application.
  3. Experiment with prompts: Try various prompts in code or in Azure OpenAI Studio.

Looking for more details?

Watch the 50-minute video where the product engineering team at Microsoft shares more details about how to use these tools including code samples.

To access recordings on demand from the Business Central 2023 release wave 2 launch event, register for free at aka.ms/BCLE.

Geographic areas

This feature will be released into the following Microsoft Azure geographic areas:

  • Germany
  • Norway
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • Switzerland
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States
  • Europe
  • Asia Pacific
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
  • South America
  • Canada
  • India
  • Japan
  • France
  • Korea

Tell us what you think

Help us improve Dynamics 365 Business Central by discussing ideas, providing suggestions, and giving feedback. Use the forum at https://aka.ms/bcideas.

See also

Integrating AI using Developer Tools for Copilot (docs)