Microsoft Edge Introduces AI APIs to Empower Developers with Built-In AI Models

Microsoft has unveiled a new suite of AI APIs for its Edge web browser, aiming to empower developers to seamlessly integrate AI functionalities into their web applications. Announced at Build 2025, these APIs provide capabilities similar to those offered by Google Chrome’s built-in AI, signaling Microsoft’s intent to compete aggressively in the AI-powered browser market.

Central to Edge’s new AI offerings is access to Phi 4 mini, an AI model released by Microsoft in February. With approximately 3.8 billion parameters, Phi 4 mini excels in solving mathematical problems, benefiting from a training dataset that combines human-crafted and synthetic AI-generated data. While larger models typically offer superior problem-solving capabilities, smaller models like Phi 4 mini provide efficiency advantages, especially on less powerful hardware such as laptops and mobile devices.

Beyond Phi 4 mini, Edge is introducing additional AI APIs focused on writing assistance, enabling developers to incorporate features for generating, summarizing, and editing text within web apps and browser extensions. Microsoft also plans to launch a translator API in the coming months, which will provide AI-powered language translation capabilities directly through Edge.

A key advantage of these experimental APIs is their design as potential web standards that will operate across platforms and browsers, supporting various AI models. This cross-compatibility ensures developers can build versatile applications without being locked into a single ecosystem. Additionally, the APIs emphasize privacy and security by enabling on-device processing, which is particularly beneficial for developers handling sensitive data or operating in regulated industries, as it eliminates the need to transmit data to external cloud services.

Currently, all these new AI APIs are available in the Edge Canary and Dev channels, allowing developers early access to experiment and integrate these features into their projects. This move positions Microsoft Edge as a compelling platform for AI-enhanced web applications, offering both powerful AI capabilities and robust privacy protections.

In related developments, Microsoft is also introducing a PDF translation tool within Edge, supporting over 70 languages. Users can translate entire PDF documents by clicking a translate icon in the browser’s address bar, with general availability expected next month and early access for Canary users starting immediately. This feature further enhances Edge’s utility as a comprehensive, AI-powered browsing solution.