Microsoft’s unveiling of Gieni AI as a reference example of next-generation vertical AI at Build 2025 marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of enterprise intelligence tools. The selection of Gieni AI by Orderfox Schweiz AG demonstrates not only Microsoft’s ambitious vision for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) ecosystem, but also validates the critical role of sector-specific artificial intelligence in reshaping workflows across today’s data-driven enterprises. By merging its market intelligence expertise with the latest Microsoft Copilot and MCP Connector technologies, Gieni AI sets a fresh standard for real-time, actionable business insights delivered directly within the familiar environment of Microsoft 365.
The artificial intelligence revolution, once characterized by universal models and generic assistants, is rapidly giving way to vertical AI—intelligent agents meticulously crafted for specific industries and business contexts. These vertical agents dive deep into specialized workflows, offering contextual precision and sector-relevant answers that general-purpose AI cannot. Microsoft’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), unveiled at Build 2025, serves as a new backbone for the vertical AI movement. It creates standard pathways for AI agents to access, communicate, and act upon data across disparate software tools and environments in real time.
With Gieni AI as a reference integration, Microsoft is making a statement: the future of business productivity hinges on seamless, context-rich intelligence delivered where users work—not in isolated silos, but embedded within Teams, Outlook, Excel, and Word.
For Gieni AI and Orderfox, this partnership is not just a badge of technical excellence, but a launchpad for wider adoption across global industries. As MCP connectivity becomes standard, the seamless merging of market intelligence, decision support, and workflow automation will become not the exception, but the expectation.
The potential for smarter, faster strategic decisions is immense—but realization of this promise will require vigilance around data governance, human oversight, and a mindful approach to platform integration. As the AI arms race heats up, those organizations that can harness vertical agents like Gieni AI within their native workflows will find themselves at the forefront of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness in the digital age.
Source: The Manila Times Microsoft Highlights Gieni AI as Vertical AI Reference at Build 2025
Background: Rise of Vertical AI and Microsoft’s MCP
The artificial intelligence revolution, once characterized by universal models and generic assistants, is rapidly giving way to vertical AI—intelligent agents meticulously crafted for specific industries and business contexts. These vertical agents dive deep into specialized workflows, offering contextual precision and sector-relevant answers that general-purpose AI cannot. Microsoft’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), unveiled at Build 2025, serves as a new backbone for the vertical AI movement. It creates standard pathways for AI agents to access, communicate, and act upon data across disparate software tools and environments in real time.With Gieni AI as a reference integration, Microsoft is making a statement: the future of business productivity hinges on seamless, context-rich intelligence delivered where users work—not in isolated silos, but embedded within Teams, Outlook, Excel, and Word.
Gieni AI: Redefining Market Intelligence as a Vertical Agent
Fast, Contextual Market and Risk Insights
Developed by Zurich-based Orderfox Schweiz AG, Gieni AI is a vertical AI platform tailored for market intelligence, competition tracking, and risk analysis—critical functions for firms navigating volatile sectors. The platform ingests immense volumes of structured and unstructured company data, processing information from over 380 million web pages and 5 million company profiles.- Semantic Search and Classification: Gieni AI’s proprietary semantic algorithms excel at discovering relevant intelligence amidst the online noise, classifying information with market-specific nuance.
- Hybrid Intelligence Model: By unifying proprietary datasets, zero-shot reasoning, and a vector-based database structure, Gieni AI responds in real time to complex questions: from benchmarking competitors to flagging ESG-compliant suppliers.
Embedded Within Microsoft 365: Eliminating App Switching
Previously, market research agents have struggled to integrate seamlessly with enterprise workflows. Gieni AI, powered by Microsoft’s MCP Connector, now leaps this hurdle:- Direct Integration: Users access dashboards, synthesize market reports, and enrich CRM entries from within Teams, Excel, or Outlook—without ever leaving their workspace.
- Real-Time Answers: ESG tracking, competitive analysis, and industry trend detection are now available on demand, turning each query into actionable guidance using the latest data.
Microsoft Model Context Protocol (MCP): Shaping the AI-First Workflow
What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is Microsoft’s answer to the fragmentation of enterprise tools and data silos. MCP enables real-time interoperability between AI agents and legacy or modern business systems—providing a universal standard for AI-to-AI and AI-to-software communication.- Plug-and-Play Architecture: MCP Connectors, like the one powering Gieni AI, allow any compliant agent to surface in Microsoft Copilot Studio and be directly billed through Microsoft’s enterprise platforms.
- Secure Contextual Awareness: With permissioned access and transparent data flows, agents can draw from internal and external databases, maintaining compliance with corporate governance and privacy frameworks.
Copilot Studio and Marketplace Expansion
As more vertical AI agents are developed and certified, the Microsoft Marketplace for Copilot Studio becomes the premiere destination for enterprise-ready intelligence tools. Gieni AI’s early availability as a MCP Connector sets a blueprint for future agents, promising organizations the flexibility to mix and match specialized intelligence modules based on their sectoral needs.Orderfox’s Strategic Vision: From Vertical Intelligence to Industrial Automation
Orderfox Schweiz AG isn’t new to advanced business automation. Already renowned for its Partfox platform—the world’s largest CNC network for automated buyer-supplier matching—Orderfox has long focused on bridging manual processes with AI-driven efficiency.- Gieni AI pushes this vision into the market intelligence space, distilling the overwhelming abundance of commercial data into actionable insights that are immediately accessible.
- With Gieni, enterprises can automate lead qualification, competitor benchmarking, and market opportunity analysis, all while reducing the cognitive burden on their teams.
Key Benefits for Enterprises
Unified Intelligence, No Workflow Disruption
The biggest triumph of the Gieni AI integration is its ability to eliminate the friction of context-switching:- Reports, dashboards, and custom queries become as simple as conversing with a Copilot within the same Excel sheet or Outlook thread.
- CRM enrichment and real-time benchmarking are empowered by live access to troves of verified company and market data.
Scalability, Speed, and Security
With access to Microsoft’s secure infrastructure and billing, enterprises benefit from:- Rapid deployment of vertical AI agents via the familiar Microsoft 365 framework
- Centralized security and compliance controls for all integrated AI modules
- Scalability that supports teams of any size, from startups to Fortune 500 firms
Customization and Industry Targeting
Because Gieni AI is built as a vertical agent, it adapts quickly to sector-specific needs. From compliance monitoring in finance to supplier tracking in manufacturing, the platform’s hybrid model tailors its intelligence for complex, regulated industries.Potential Risks and Challenges
Data Privacy and Corporate Governance
Any tool that integrates proprietary databases and external web intelligence raises questions around data governance, privacy, and regulatory compliance. While MCP is engineered with security at its core, organizations must remain vigilant to:- Configure granular access permissions for sensitive market and company data
- Audit the provenance and context of AI-generated insights, especially when powering strategic decisions
Overreliance on Automated Analysis
The promise of AI-driven market intelligence is speed and depth, but it also introduces risk if decision-makers grow too reliant on machine-generated recommendations:- Human oversight and validation remain essential, especially in high-stakes contexts or regulated industries
- Organizations must implement processes for regular review and calibration of AI models against real-world outcomes
Platform Lock-In
Embedding AI agents so deeply within the Microsoft 365 suite increases convenience, but it also could entrench platform dependency. This may impact long-term technological flexibility, particularly for businesses diversified across several cloud or productivity ecosystems.Real-World Impact: Transforming Market Research and Competitive Strategy
On-Demand Market Reports and Dashboards
For market analysts and sales teams, the ability to pull customized dashboards and reports instantly within their everyday tools changes the game:- Faster go-to-market strategy development with up-to-date competitive intelligence
- Streamlined lead qualification by instantly cross-referencing prospects with live market data
- Dynamic benchmarking empowers companies to stay ahead of evolving industry trends
ESG Compliance and Supplier Analysis
In light of growing regulatory scrutiny and customer demands for ethical sourcing, Gieni AI’s integration enables:- Real-time identification of ESG-compliant suppliers for procurement teams
- Ongoing competitor tracking to benchmark sustainability practices across regions
The Road Ahead: Setting the Standard for Industry-Specific Intelligence
Microsoft’s decision to spotlight Gieni AI at Build 2025 signals the rise of a new standard for actionable intelligence within the workplace. As more vertical AI agents enter the marketplace, business leaders will have unprecedented opportunities to customize their tech stack by integrating the precise intelligence modules required by their sector.For Gieni AI and Orderfox, this partnership is not just a badge of technical excellence, but a launchpad for wider adoption across global industries. As MCP connectivity becomes standard, the seamless merging of market intelligence, decision support, and workflow automation will become not the exception, but the expectation.
Conclusion: The Future of Business Intelligence is Vertical, Contextual, and Embedded
The unveiling of Gieni AI as a reference integration for Microsoft’s Model Context Protocol represents more than a technical milestone—it reflects a fundamental shift in how businesses will access, interpret, and act on information. By weaving real-time market and competitive intelligence directly into the core productivity platforms that teams use every day, Gieni AI exemplifies the next era of vertical, contextual enterprise AI.The potential for smarter, faster strategic decisions is immense—but realization of this promise will require vigilance around data governance, human oversight, and a mindful approach to platform integration. As the AI arms race heats up, those organizations that can harness vertical agents like Gieni AI within their native workflows will find themselves at the forefront of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness in the digital age.
Source: The Manila Times Microsoft Highlights Gieni AI as Vertical AI Reference at Build 2025
