Microsoft has released AI Shell as a public preview version. The project equips the shell with AI capabilities, provides interaction options with Azure OpenAI and Copilot’s AI agents in Azure and can be used as a standalone application or with Microsoft’s open source shell PowerShell 7.
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Two AI agents: Copilot in Azure OpenAI and Azure
AI Shell consists of a command line shell interface, a framework for building AI agents, a PowerShell module, and two built-in AI agents:
Azure OpenAI agent can be any of the following Azure OpenAI According to Microsoft, the provided AI models can be used and are suitable for a variety of queries, natural language interpretations and code generation. If more data protection or management options for model settings are desired – or if a model trained with your own data already exists, the agent can be linked to a deployed Azure OpenAI model.
AI-powered tools Co-Pilot in Azure Available as a preview and specializes in providing cloud-focused support. Copilot in Azure Agent provides Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell commands and is intended to help automate Azure-specific tasks. Using it requires logging into Azure using the Azure CLI with an account with an identity and access management (IAM) role to access Copilot in Azure. It should be noted that this agent requires additional configuration, which will be mentioned upon its initialization.
Two installation options: with or without Powershell connection
Developers can install AI Shell as a standalone program that runs independently of other shells. However, Microsoft recommends another version of using the AI Shell: the AI Shell as a module, that is aishThe tool connects to a PowerShell 7 session. The AI Shell then opens next to PowerShell 7 in a subwindow on the right, as seen here:
The AI Shell module provides connection to PowerShell 7: Output from the AI agent can be fed directly into PowerShell.
(Image: Microsoft)
With this variant, the results of AI chat can be transferred directly to a PowerShell session. Its purpose is to facilitate both simplified execution of entries and support from the AI agent in fixing errors: if an error message comes up in the terminal, the cmdlet can be used resolve-error To send them to the AI shell window and request help from the AI model.
If errors occur, developers can ask for advice from the AI model.
(Image: Microsoft)
Command used to switch between two available AI agents @ possible. For example, to switch to Azure OpenAI Agent, use @openai-gptAlternatively, developers can do this through @ Interview the desired AI agent directly.
Installation on Windows, macOS and Linux
AI Shell is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. For Windows and macOS An installation script is availableWhile Linux users manual installation instructions Have to follow. Furthermore, there is no support for AI shell modules in Linux.
For Windows users, the requirements are Windows 10 or higher, PowerShell 7.4.6 or higher, and Windows Terminal. On macOS, macOS 13 Ventura or later, PowerShell 7.4.6 or later, and the iTerm2 terminal app (limited support) must be installed. Linux requirements are Ubuntu 20.04 or later, PowerShell 7.4 or later (recommended), and any terminal emulator that supports the operating system.
All additional information about the preview release Can be found in Microsoft’s developer blog,
(May)
