New AI Platforms Released in May 2025: Worth Testing or Subscribing
As we navigate through May 2025, several significant AI platform releases have emerged, each offering innovative capabilities for different use cases. This report highlights the most noteworthy recent AI platform launches that deserve your attention—whether for immediate subscription or preliminary testing.
Microsoft Windows AI Foundry
Microsoft announced the Windows AI Foundry on May 19, 2025, at its Build 2025 conference. This platform represents a significant evolution of the previous Windows Copilot Runtime service5.
Key Features:
- A unified platform for local AI development across Windows devices
- Windows ML as the built-in AI inferencing runtime on Windows
- Integration with Foundry Local and other model catalogs like Ollama and NVIDIA NIMs
- Ready-to-use AI APIs for key language and vision tasks
- Support across diverse silicon partners including AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm7
Windows AI Foundry stands out for developers building AI-powered applications on Windows, offering automated hardware detection and fetching of necessary software components to run AI models efficiently. Microsoft claims the platform will keep these components updated as new devices are released, significantly simplifying the process of preparing AI models5.
Box AI Platform with Enterprise Agents
On May 15, 2025, Box unveiled its next-generation AI platform focused on bringing powerful AI agents to enterprise content management6.
Key Features:
- AI Agent for Search: Uses generative AI to return results across large collections of documents
- Deep Research Agent: Synthesizes complex findings from files into research reports or trend analyses
- Enhanced Data Extraction: Adds structured metadata to various file types, including PDFs and handwritten notes
- AI Agent for Microsoft 365 Copilot: Connects Microsoft app content in Box with Copilot AI9
Box’s platform targets the enterprise content management sector, allowing organizations to unlock more value from their existing content while maintaining security and compliance standards. The agents are expected to be available “in the coming months,” with pricing to be determined closer to general availability6.
Starburst AI Platform Capabilities
Starburst announced comprehensive AI platform innovations on May 19, 2025, designed to accelerate enterprise AI initiatives and support the transition to future-ready data architecture8.
Key Features:
- AI Workflows: Purpose-built suite connecting vector-native search, metadata-driven context, and governance
- Starburst AI Agent: Natural language interface for Starburst’s data platform
- Vector transformation capabilities for unstructured data
- Support for on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments10
This platform specifically addresses the challenge of fragmented data spread across clouds, formats, and teams. Rather than requiring data migration, Starburst enables access to distributed data “lakeside,” providing a foundation for AI, applications, agents, and analytics8.
According to analyst Kevin Petrie from BARC U.S., “Starburst addresses the biggest risks, including data access, data quality, privacy, incompatible systems and complex architectures”10.
ServiceNow AI Platform
ServiceNow introduced its new AI Platform at Knowledge 2025 on May 6, 2025, positioning it to support “any AI, any agent, any model” across enterprise systems11.
Key Features:
- Conversational AI Engagement Layer for completing complex tasks across systems
- Integration with ServiceNow’s Knowledge Graph, Workflow Data Fabric, and AI Agent Fabric
- Expanded partnerships with NVIDIA, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle
- ServiceNow AI Control Tower for management and orchestration14
The platform aims to help organizations move from fragmented AI pilots to full-scale AI execution. According to ServiceNow’s Enterprise AI Maturity Index, 55% of organizations using agentic AI have improved gross margins compared to 22% of companies not yet exploring AI11.
Vortex IQ StagingPro
Vortex IQ, a company specializing in AI technology for e-commerce, launched its updated StagingPro platform with enhanced AI capabilities on May 15, 202512.
Key Features:
- E-commerce optimization tools powered by AI
- Streamlined online store operations
- Available on Microsoft Azure Marketplace for seamless integration with Azure cloud services
This platform specifically targets the online retail sector, allowing businesses to leverage AI for e-commerce optimization. The availability through Azure Marketplace enhances accessibility for developers and enterprise customers already using Microsoft’s cloud services12.
Conclusion: Which Platforms Are Worth Testing?
For Developers and Technical Teams:
Microsoft Windows AI Foundry should be at the top of your list if you’re building AI-powered Windows applications. Its automated hardware detection and component management across different silicon vendors could significantly reduce development overhead.
For Enterprise Content Management:
Box AI Platform offers compelling capabilities for organizations heavily invested in document management. The Deep Research agent could be particularly valuable for legal teams examining contract clauses or insurance auditors analyzing policy terms across thousands of documents9.
For Data Teams:
Starburst AI Platform addresses the critical challenge of accessing distributed data for AI without migration requirements. If your organization has data spread across multiple environments, this platform deserves attention for its “lakeside” approach to data access.
For ServiceNow Customers:
If you’re already using ServiceNow, their AI Platform represents a natural extension of your existing infrastructure, with the potential to orchestrate AI capabilities across your systems.
For E-commerce Businesses:
Vortex IQ’s StagingPro provides specialized AI capabilities for online retail operations and may be worth exploring if you’re looking to optimize your e-commerce presence.
Most of these platforms have just been announced and some are not yet generally available, with pricing details still forthcoming. However, given their potential impact on productivity and decision-making, organizations should consider allocating resources to test these platforms as they become available, particularly those that align with their existing technology stacks and strategic priorities.
