Microsoft promotes new tools for making AI software

Microsoft has talked up new tools aimed at encouraging programmers to build AI-focused technology into Windows software as it races against Alphabet (GOOGL.O), Amazon.com (AMZN.O) and Apple (AAPL.O) to dominate the emerging field.

At a developer conference in Seattle, Chief Executive Satya Nadella promoted new application programming interfaces, or APIs, that make it easier for developers to tap in to AI technology offered by Microsoft.

The company said 1.8 million developers are now using Github Copilot...