Microsoft’s first advanced reasoning AI is here

Microsoft announced a range of new AI models at the Build 2026 conference, including its flagship model, MAI-Thinking-1. This model represents an ambitious step in development, as Microsoft previously relied on OpenAI models. MAI-Thinking-1 was trained from scratch on clean data, allowing it to outperform leading models in software engineering benchmarks. Through this model, Microsoft aims to enhance its independence in the AI sector, particularly after renegotiating its ties with OpenAI to reduce their interdependence.