3 things leaders need to know from Microsoft Build 2026

By Dustin Ward

In this article 1. Your AI is only as good as what it knows about your business 2. Tools don’t transform organizations. Systems do. 3. The bar has moved. AI is expected to deliver real business outcomes. Your next step to build an AI-powered business Related Build headlines I’ve had a front-row seat to a…

New Azure Cobalt 200 VMs deliver 50% performance improvement, fully optimized for modern agentic AI workloads

By Dustin Ward

In this article Building on the success of Cobalt 100 VMs What’s new in Cobalt 200 Arm-based VMs Industry partners and customer adoption Developer ecosystem and Arm compatibility Microsoft services powered by Cobalt 200 VMs VM families and specifications The next chapter in Azure’s custom silicon journey Additional resources As organizations increasingly embrace the agentic…

From commit to cloud: Powering what’s next for PostgreSQL

By Dustin Ward

PostgreSQL has become foundational to how modern applications are built. It powers everything from early‑stage startups to some of the most demanding production systems in the world. Its longevity isn’t accidental, it’s the result of decades of engineering discipline, community collaboration, and a relentless focus on correctness and extensibility. As application architectures evolve, and as…

Build AI apps with Azure Cosmos DB: Key trends from Cosmos Conf 2026

By Dustin Ward

Every year, Azure Cosmos DB Conf offers a window into how modern applications are built—not in theory, but in production at global scale. This year, the key theme from Cosmos Conf was clear: AI is not just another workload. It is fundamentally reshaping how applications—and data platforms—are built. In the opening keynote, VP of Azure…

Introducing Azure Accelerate for Databases: Modernize your data for AI with experts and investments

By Dustin Ward

In this article Database modernization: Why now? Why Azure Accelerate for Databases? What you can do with Azure Accelerate for Databases Unlock savings and investments Get started with Azure Accelerate for Databases Database modernization: Why now? We consistently hear common realities from leaders: data infrastructure is a critical accelerator for AI adoption, and many organizations…