Microsoft has announced the preview release of the Microsoft Agent Framework, an open-source software development kit aimed at simplifying AI agent creation for developers of all skill levels. This new framework consolidates features from two prior projects—Semantic Kernel and AutoGen—eliminating the need for developers to choose between innovation and production stability. The framework enables developers to build AI agents with minimal code, demonstrated with functional agents created in under twenty lines.
Key pillars include Open Standards & Interoperability, supporting seamless communication and integration; a Pipeline for Research enabling advanced orchestration patterns; and being Extensible by Design, with connectors to various services. Built-in observability and CI/CD compatibility make it Ready for Production. Early enterprise adoption appears robust, with support for both Python and .NET environments. The framework is part of Microsoft’s Azure AI ecosystem, integrating with existing development tools. Migration guides for existing users of Semantic Kernel and AutoGen ensure a smooth transition, emphasizing innovation coupled with stability.
