Microsoft Azure helps Worlds power the future of AI in the physical world

Worlds needed a fast, scalable way to deploy its AI platform across complex enterprise environments. Speed-to-value and seamless integration with existing infrastructure were critical, making Microsoft Azure the ideal solution.

Worlds chose Microsoft Azure for its scalable cloud infrastructure, seamless integration with customer environments, and support for rapid deployment which enabled fast, efficient delivery of their AI platform using existing tools and architecture.

By deploying on Microsoft Azure, Worlds reduced deployment time, streamlined integration with customer systems, and accelerated time-to-value, enabling real-time AI insights from existing sensors with no added hardware.

From factory floors to bustling warehouses, the physical world is full of untapped data, waiting to be seen, measured, and understood. Recognizing the possibilities, Worlds brings that potential into reality. As the creator of the first end-to-end AI platform purpose-built for the physical world, Worlds empowers enterprises to unlock insights from the infrastructure they already own—cameras, sensors, and IoT devices—transforming them into intelligent systems for real-time monitoring and decision-making. To scale this vision and meet the complex demands of diverse industrial environments, Worlds partnered with Microsoft Azure—not just as a cloud provider, but as a strategic ally—enabling rapid deployment, with enterprise-level security, and accelerated time-to-value.

"When it comes to physical AI, we're seeing more companies investing in open AI platforms that can connect to any sensors and AI models and not be limited by narrow point solutions," Dave Copps, co-founder and CEO of Worlds.

“When it comes to physical AI, we're seeing more companies investing in open AI platforms that can connect to any sensors and AI models and not be limited by narrow point solutions.”

Dave Copps, Co-founder and CEO, Worlds

Achieving speed, scale, and seamless deployment

Worlds has a bold vision: to enable any organization to measure, monitor, and act on real-world data using AI-powered insights from the infrastructure they already own. But deploying AI in dynamic physical environments presents unique challenges. Conditions fluctuate, lighting varies, and hardware capabilities differ from site to site. At the same time, enterprises expect fast time to value.

To meet those expectations, Worlds needed to accelerate deployment and streamline integration into complex enterprise systems. While hosting the platform internally was a useful starting point, scaling to customer environments required a more flexible, secure, and enterprise-ready architecture. That’s where Microsoft Azure provided the critical foundation—offering the trusted, scalable infrastructure Worlds needed to rapidly deploy its platform, meet enterprise demands, and deliver transformative AI solutions at scale.

Why Microsoft Azure?

For Worlds, choosing Azure was more than a technical decision. It was strategic. Azure's infrastructure enabled the company to quickly stand-up environments for clients and transition those deployments into customer-owned environments with minimal friction. As many of their clients already used Azure as their cloud architecture, this compatibility drastically reduced deployment time and complexity.

“Being a part of the Microsoft ecosystem has numerous advantages,” said Copps. “But for us, innovation enablement and acceleration are at the top of the list. Azure allows us to fully concentrate on creating differentiation for Worlds, building better, more innovative products, and accelerating time-to-value for our clients.”

“Being a part of the Microsoft ecosystem has numerous advantages. But for us, innovation enablement and acceleration are at the top of the list. Azure allows us to fully concentrate on creating differentiation for Worlds, building better, more innovative products, and accelerating time-to-value for our clients.”

Dave Copps, Co-founder and CEO, Worlds

How Microsoft Azure empowers the physical AI platform

Microsoft Azure provided the backbone for Worlds rapid deployment and scalability goals. With built-in support for:

Auto-scaling infrastructure
Cloud-native AI capabilities
Integration with Microsoft’s partner ecosystem
Deployment within existing enterprise environments

Azure enabled Worlds to meet clients where they were, no need for additional hardware or unfamiliar tools. The platform could now use existing cameras, sensors, and cloud environments to deliver insights almost immediately. Azure also facilitated Worlds' expansion into the Microsoft commercial marketplace, opening doors to new customers and streamlining transactions. Collaboration with the Microsoft account and technical teams helped Worlds align with Azure's tools and best practices, enabling smoother deployments and stronger customer support.

Real world impact

The impact of the Worlds and Microsoft Azure partnership is already delivering real-world results. Take Metallus, a customer in the steel industry where environmental conditions can shift from blinding brightness to total darkness in an instant. With the combined power of Worlds’ AI platform and Azure’s scalable infrastructure, Metallus successfully moved from pilot testing to full-scale production, proving the technology can adapt and perform even in the most demanding industrial environments. Key outcomes include:

Real-time monitoring and alerting through existing camera systems
Faster deployment in customer-owned Azure environments
Reduction in complexity for enterprise IT teams
Rapid surfacing of previously invisible data, enabling smarter, safer, and more efficient operations

Even cameras that were once used solely for security are now transformed into intelligent devices capable of complex AI analytics, proactively providing insights instead of passively recording data.

"Our IT team was very impressed with the security and infrastructure Azure's solutions provided. Worlds packaged it so we could keep security in place, leveraging that technology and velocity to achieve scalability." - Andrew Bissot, VP of Reliability Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence, Metallus

Numbers Tell the Story

Zero additional hardware required for most customers
Significantly reduced deployment time due to Azure compatibility
Marketplace listing already generating near-term transactions
Seamless integration with client cloud environments via Microsoft Azure

“Our IT team was very impressed with the security and infrastructure Azure's solutions provided. Worlds packaged it so we could keep security in place, leveraging that technology and velocity to achieve scalability.”

Andrew Bissot, VP of Reliability Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence, Metallus

What does the future hold?

Worlds is just getting started. The next evolution of its platform represents a monumental leap forward. By combining Vision Language Models (VLMs), Large Language Models (LLMs), and AI agents, Worlds will introduce a revolutionary and new interface, one where users can talk to the world, and the world talks back.

“Inside Worlds, language becomes the way you interact with your environment,” Copps explained. “AI agents become your partners and co-collaborators in exploring, understanding, and automating the world around you.”

And once again, Microsoft Azure will play a central role in bringing this innovation to life, helping Worlds scale, deploy, and empower more enterprises to turn passive sensors into intelligent systems.