From insights at Commsverse to real-world concerns, we explore how tools like Copilot and Cowork are shifting organisations from fixed licensing to consumption-driven models - bringing both opportunity and uncertainty.

The discussion focuses on balancing cost vs value, the importance of governance and guardrails, and why organisations must carefully pilot AI usage rather than roll it out blindly. They also highlight the challenge of helping users choose the right tool for the right task without driving up unnecessary costs.

Useful links:

• Cowork cost management overview — https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/usage-based-billing-manage-copilot-credits
• Cowork Cost Estimator -https://aka.ms/CustomerCoworkEstimator
• Cowork Adoption site - https://adoption.microsoft.com/en-gb/copilot/cowork/ai-user/
•  Cost management demo - https://demos.microsoft.com/app/present/6694#/0/0
• An unsuspecting bill - https://www.reddit.com/r/copilotstudio/comments/1ueqedl/woke_up_to_a_47k_bill_after_deploying_one_copilot/
• More on unsuspecting bills - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/peter-sabapathy-71a88145_a-post-on-reddit-this-week-described-someone-share-7475913687963467778-xsXa

We unpack a fast-moving couple of weeks in AI, from the shift in how Microsoft shares Build news (goodbye Book of News, hello live blog and CLI tooling), to the hands-on, lab-heavy focus that signals a return to Build’s developer roots. Expect plenty of perspective on what stood out, what worked, and what felt different this year.

The conversation then turns to one of the headline releases: Copilot Cowork now generally available. Kevin and Garry explore how Cowork changes the way we interact with Copilot - moving from simple chat to task-driven, cloud-executed workflows with deeper Microsoft 365 integration. They share real-world usage patterns, from daily task triage to cross-device workflows, and discuss the impact of its new consumption-based pricing model (and why “value over tokens” is the mindset shift we all need).

From there, they step into the more experimental space with Microsoft Scout—a local, autonomous agent inspired by OpenClaw that introduces concepts like heartbeats, browser automation, and powerful extensibility. The duo compare Scout vs Cowork, weighing up local vs cloud agents, flexibility vs control, and the growing importance of governance as agents gain more autonomy.

Useful Links

• https://build.microsoft.com/
• Build Live Blog
• Build Blog - be yourself at work
• Build Next Steps GitHub Repo
• Cowork GA
• The Cowork Cookbook (community link)
• Microsoft Scout
• Work IQ GA
• Work IQ Licensing
• Windows Platform Security
• Project Solara
• Surface Laptop Ultra
• Surface RTX Spark Dev Box

The conversation then jumps ahead to Microsoft Build, where agents, observability, and the growing obsession with value and ROI take centre stage. Kevin and Zoe unpack why business goals matter more than shiny dashboards, how Agent 365 fits into the picture, and what all this means for teams trying to move from curiosity to confidence with AI — all wrapped up with event shout‑outs, future episode teases, and the usual friendly chaos

Useful links:

• Lab that Kevin mentioned https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-agent-lab-soc-ops
• kevmcdonk/mvp-summit-bingo: Web app for MVPs to track all those common phrases we hear over the week. Who will get bingo first
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2026/03/09/copilot-cowork-a-new-way-of-getting-work-done
• Get started with Copilot Cowork (Frontier) | Microsoft Learn
• Microsoft Agent 365 documentation | Microsoft Learn

Useful links:

• Zoe and Kevin keynote the Copilot Community Conference - Copilot Community Conference 2026
• Experts Live UK
• Scottish Summit
• Call for speakers for Scottish Summit still open
• Rajesh Jha retiring
• Copilot Leadership Team
• Frontier Suite
• Copilot Wave 3
• SharePoint at 25
• Copilot Cowork

The conversation covers everything from workflow automation myths and cognitive overload to organisational silos, identity shifts, and the realities of embedding AI into everyday work. Expect thoughtful insights, a few laughs (including designer chickens and the underpants gnomes), and practical guidance on how individuals, leaders, and change practitioners can navigate the next phase of AI‑driven transformation.

Tune in to learn why the future of AI isn’t just about technology—it’s about people, systems, and redefining what meaningful work looks like.

Takeaways

• AI implementation requires a holistic approach
• The integration of AI technology presents multifaceted challenges AI adoption is evolving rapidly
• Human systems integration is crucial for responsible AI implementation

After last week's Ignite conference in San Francisco, Zoe and Kevin run through the key updates around the different areas of Copilot, covering topics like:

- Microsoft Agent 365

- Work IQ

- Microsoft 365 Copilot updates

- Thoughts on the location and keynote

Plus we highlight a few of the upcoming ESPC sessions to keep an eye out for.

Ignite Book of News 2025

Microsoft Agent 365

Work IQ and other Microsoft 365 Copilot updates

Agent Mode in Office

News, news, news - we have lots of new news! Zoe and Kevin discuss the latest announcements from Microsoft about Copilot Wave 2 Spring Release. We delve into the significance of the Work Trend Index, the new user interface and search experience, and the introduction of memory and notebooks features. Then we dig into the management and reporting of agents, the concept of the human-agent ratio (including some extreme reactions to some new phrases from Microsoft...) and the importance of leadership in leveraging AI capabilities. Finally, we cover some of the magical events coming up.

Takeaways

• Wave 2 announcements from Microsoft include significant updates and features.
• The Work Trend Index is crucial for understanding productivity trends.
• A new user interface is being introduced for a better user experience.
• Memory features will enhance user interactions with Copilot.
• Notebooks will allow users to group and summarize conversations.
• The Create Experience will simplify content creation across platforms.
• Agent management is becoming more streamlined with the Frontier Program.
• Understanding the human-agent ratio is essential for effective delegation.
• Upcoming conferences will provide opportunities for community engagement.

Sound Bites

• "The skill of delegation is something that everyone wanted to get."
• "Minutes saved isn't cashable."
• "It definitely feels like conference season is in full swing."

Is your tenant ready for Copilot? Do you know what needs to be done to be ready? This week, Kevin was joined by Michal Pisarek, CEO and Janitor at Orchestry, who has been involved in governance in Microsoft 365 for many years. We talk about Copilot Readiness and three key areas for governance:
- Understand the environment
- Review oversharing
- Sort out your sensitivity labels

Zoe and Kevin also cover a few bits of the latest news, including some Drama Llama action with Whats App, some impressive custom copilot creation from Microsoft Research and a plea from Kevin to provide ideas and feedback to Microsoft.

Don't forget that we are holding a Month of Copilot in June and still looking for people to share sessions. Submit your sessions at Month of Copilots: Call for Speakers.

Useful links:

Project VASA - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/vasa-1/ 

Lllama 3 launched - Meta steps up AI battle with OpenAI and Google with release of Llama 3 | Meta | The Guardian
Comparison of recent models - https://x.com/rschu/status/1781007659493212215

Meta AI in WhatsApp - How to chat with Meta AI in a group | WhatsApp Help Center

Privacy and Meta AI - https://www.facebook.com/privacy/guide/genai?entry_point=whatsapp_genai

Feedback portal has Copilot for Sales and for Service - Community (microsoft.com)

For more news, subscribe to your newsletter on LinkedIn at LinkedIn

In this podcast episode, Kevin runs solo to talk about the extensibility of Copilot. he covers the impact of Copilot on organizations, how to prepare for it, and how to extend it. The episode also features interviews with Garry Trinder (developer advocate at Microsoft) and Anoop Tatti (Team Lead at Advania), who share their experiences with Copilot and its extensions.

The episode delves into the importance of thinking about why you would extend Copilot, the different ways to do it, and the value it delivers. The podcast also touches on the importance of responsible AI and how to ensure that the power of AI is used correctly.  Anyone interested in the capabilities of Copilot and how it can be extended to deliver even more value to organizations should listen!

Useful links:

Copilot for Devs (thanks for making this happen, Dona!) - https://aka.ms/CopilotForDevs
Sample Copilot Graph Connectors - pnp/graph-connectors-samples: Microsoft Graph Connector samples (github.com)
Sample Copilot Plugins- OfficeDev/Copilot-for-M365-Plugins-Samples: Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Plugins samples (github.com)

Garry Trinder's sessions on extending Copilot - Introduction on extending Copilot for Microsoft 365 - YouTube

Miyagi samples for custom copilots - Azure-Samples/miyagi: Sample to envision intelligent apps with Microsoft's Copilot stack for AI-infused product experiences. (github.com)

Suparna Bannerjee's GPT4 turbo with power plat form - Analyse images in Power Apps using Azure OpenAI GPT 4 Turbo with Vision – Suparna's Tech Basket (wordpress.com)

Windows ai studio - https://x.com/omiossec_med/status/1735184534650368354?s=46&t=T_UsQjGMhGGOFKsyPDAf2g

Recreating the Google Gemini in open ai - https://x.com/zohaibahmed/status/1733278841559453898?s=46&t=T_UsQjGMhGGOFKsyPDAf2g

Following on from the last episode, we continue with some of the interviews from ESPC23 in Amsterdam with guests Heather Cook, Karoliina Kettukari and Gabriel Ho from Microsoft. Hear what they think about what Copilot means to them, the transformation that people will see, what people should prepare for and what they hope will happen next. Plus the latest news on Copilot for Sales, new Microsoft Copilot engines and cool stuff shared by Dona Sarkar and Alexio Chandiwana.

Copilot for Sales can log leads directly - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-sales-copilot-blog/what-s-new-in-sales-copilot-december-2023/ba-p/4008438

Swift key with built in copilot - https://x.com/alex_chandiwana/status/1737033401784308005?s=46&t=T_UsQjGMhGGOFKsyPDAf2g

Dona’s AI content - https://x.com/donasarkar/status/1736729230757810630?s=46&t=T_UsQjGMhGGOFKsyPDAf2g
Dona's AI workshop - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/donasarkar_aicareer-activity-7143210436362977280-2--i

Continued AI Innovation in Copilot | Search Quality Insights (bing.com)

Biased copilot from Leon - https://x.com/leonarmston/status/1735586459145642288?s=46&t=T_UsQjGMhGGOFKsyPDAf2g

Year in review: How Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Teams, and our partners built a stronger ecosystem - Microsoft Community Hub

Turn your ideas into songs with Suno on Microsoft Copilot | Bing Search Blog

Zoe and Kevin share all the big Ignite news with insider information from Zoe who was over in Seattle. We also have interviews with Dona Sarkar, Ana Ines Urrutia and Raymond Comvalius fresh from Ignite.

Kevin also announced the Custom Copilot Connection Challenge, asking you all to build Copilots that can consume all the amazing Ignite information and make it available - check out the video.

Topics covered:

• Azure AI updates like Prompt Studio and Model as a Service
• Copilot for Frontline Workers
• Is it "Copilot for" or "Copilot in"?
• Copilot Studio
• Amazing interviews

Useful links:

• Ignite Book of News 2023
• What the early users of Copilot have learnt (Worklab article)
• Copilot and Viva Topics
• Copilot and Frontline Workers
• Admin of M365 Copilot
• Adopting, Extending and Building Your Own Copilots - Dona's session at Ignite

After an exciting South Coast Summit, Kevin and Zoe sit down to discuss what has been happening in the news around Copilot and share the A-Z of Copilot with you.

 Power Platform Copilot GA

https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/build-better-apps-faster-copilot-in-power-apps-is-now-generally-available/

Power Platform Prompt Library (pnp.github.io)

 Security Copilot EAP

Microsoft Security Copilot Early Access Program is now available | Microsoft Security Blog

Worklab
How I Prompt: Leaders Share Their Favorite AI Time-Savers (microsoft.com)
 
Satya end of year letter

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-annual-letter-leading-new-era-satya-nadella?utm_source=share&utm_medium=guest_mobile_web&utm_campaign=copy

Eleven of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Angeliki Patsiavou

Angeliki sees copilot as a way to increase productivity, creativity, and innovation for individuals, teams, and organizations. She uses copilot for M365 to get technical content and learn about power FX queries and functions.

Listen to find out about what concerns her around governance in Copilot.

Angeliki Patsiavou | LinkedIn
Angeliki Patsiavou 🎶 MVP Biz Apps (@a_patsiavou) / X (twitter.com)

In this episode of Copilot Connection, hosts Zoe and Kevin discuss the latest developments in the Copilot space, share insights from recent events like Scottish Summit and anticipate upcoming announcements from Ignite. They explore the significance of agents in the AI landscape, the challenges of governance, and the evolution of AI models. Hopefully, they managed to dodge any NDA content this close to Ignite...

Takeaways

• Excitement builds ahead of the Ignite conference.
• Bluesky offers a refreshing social media experience.
• The Copilot Fireside Chat will provide live insights post-Ignite.
• Anticipation for new agent announcements is high.
• Governance is a critical consideration for AI agents.
• New AI models are being tailored for specific industries.
• Understanding the hype cycle is essential for AI adoption.
• Strategic implementation is key to realizing AI's potential.

(Auto generated by Riverside.FM)

Useful links:

We’re on Bluesky! Copilot Connection 

Scottish Summit 2024 Closing Keynote With Dona Sarkar

Building a Centre For Enablement for your Copilot Strategy - Kevin & Simon

Copilot Fireside Chat

AGENTS

Earth copilot

Microsoft Viva community call (November 2024): New Employee Experience Announcements at Ignite 2024 | Microsoft Community Hub

Description of agents https://www.linkedin.com/posts/abramj_the-agentic-scope-of-work-ugcPost-7259233983639519234-0Rbh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

ADAPTED MODELS

Adapted AI models 

 Is Microsoft building their own model?

COPILOT UPDATES

Web page summary is back

Multi tenant orgs 

Reflecting on a year of copilot

Gartner Hype Cycle

Tenth of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Angel David Carillo

Angel uses Copilot a lot in Microsoft Teams, especially for searching for information. He finds it easier and faster than using other tools or navigating to the location of the information. He also uses Copilot as his personal assistant for finding answers to any kind of question.

Listen to find out how he tries to focus on the value and confidence that Copilot provides to his customers.

Ángel David Carrillo | LinkedIn

Ninth of Twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Pragati Jain

Pragati finds Copilot helpful to start developing something, add comments to her calculations, and learn PySpark coding but worries that Copilot is not always right and she needs to validate results.

Listen to find out how she thinks Copilot will soon be able to help with the most painful parts of her delivery.

Pragati Jain | LinkedIn
Pragati Jain (@pragati1187) / X (twitter.com)

With Copilot for Security released on 1 April, we thought we should bring some real experience of trying it out from one of the top MVPs in Security. Ru Campbell (Twitter, LinkedIn) joined us to talk about:

- What is Copilot Security?
- What is it used for and by who?
- How has his experience with it been compared with the marketing?

This was a great chat that cut through into the reality of using Copilot for Security to help with right of bang and left of bang (listen to find out what that means!) as well as how the product will evolve over time.

Useful links:

Ru's tweet threads on his initial experience with Copilot for Security
https://x.com/rucam365/status/1778703094630523065
https://x.com/rucam365/status/1775181041474711702

Ru's book on Mastering Microsoft 365 Defender (co-authored with Viktor Hedberg) - Mastering Microsoft 365 Defender: Implement Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Identity, Cloud Apps, and Office 365 and respond to threats

Copilot for Security group on LinkedIn - LinkedIn

News and other updates:
Sorry, there's a lot of Kevin stuff this week!

• Sign up for Month of Copilot and register to speak too
• MVP Summit interviews
• Kevin chats with Peter Rising on Copilots
• Think Copilot with Kevin McDonnell - Kevin talks with Garry Trinder and Waldek Mastrkarz in the build up to the Global Copilot Summit
• Kevin's Meeting Automator - a way to create meetings with transcripts for demoing Copilot for Microsoft 365

Announcing new Microsoft AI Hub in London - The Official Microsoft Blog
Microsoft Copilot Dashboard now generally available - Microsoft Community Hub
Extensibility options for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Learn
Google Workspace adds AI features to help with meetings and improve data security | VentureBeat
Zoom announces Zoom Workplace

Temp code

pygiTO7rYkcTtHKJdX94

Seventh of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Chris Lloyd-Jones

Chris was impressed by how GitHub Copilot could generate code from comments and help him achieve a flow state.

Listen to find out how he thinks the Copilots could follow him across applications.

Listen to find out which areas of Copilot frustrate him and his hopes for what Copilot will become.

Chris Lloyd-Jones | LinkedIn
Chris Lloyd-Jones is on Mastodon (@Sealjay_clj) / X (twitter.com)

Third of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Marc D Anderson

Marc is a natural skeptic who thinks that Copilot often gives unsatisfying or wrong answers that require extra thinking and verification.

Find out what he thinks about the longevity and Return on Investment (ROI) of Copilot as well as any parts he might like!

Marc D Anderson | LinkedIn
Marc D Anderson (@sympmarc) / X (twitter.com)

Fifth of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Vesa Juvonen

Vesa is a principal product manager in the Microsoft 365 platform who works remotely from Seattle. He is excited about Copilot's potential to increase productivity and innovation for enterprise customers.

Listen to hear his favourite features and also the magic he thinks partners can bring.

Vesa Juvonen | LinkedIn
Vesa Juvonen (@vesajuvonen) / X (twitter.com)

With all the announcements made last week at the M365 Conf in Orlando, Zoe and Kevin take a dive into the roadmap to see what is coming up in the short to medium term. With a lot of key updates around Excel, cross application capabilities and graph grounded chat in other applications, take a listen to find out what you can expect in the world of Copilot over the next few months.

Key links:

• Month of Copilot
• May Copilot be with you
• Dona teases Project Copilot College

 M365 Conf announcements

• What’s New in Copilot | April 2024 - Microsoft Community Hub
• What’s New in Microsoft Teams | April 2024 - Microsoft Community Hub
• Announcing SharePoint advanced management innovations for the AI and Copilot era - Microsoft Community Hub

Microsoft 365 Roadmap - See What's Coming | Microsoft 365 - Copilot Rolling Out items
Microsoft 365 Roadmap - See What's Coming | Microsoft 365 - Copilot In Development items

With the post Build lull in Microsoft news, Zoe and Kevin decided to take a look at some of the upcoming conferences and recommend a few sessions that stood out in the Copilot and agents space. Firstly though, we couldn't resist talking a bit about the collapse of Builder.ai and the re-org of some of the Engineering management teams at Microsoft.

We also covered our next Copilot Fireside Chat where Daniel Laskewitz will be joining us to answer your questions on Copilot Studio, MCP and whatever else takes your fancy.

News:

• Microsoft-backed AI startup chatbots revealed to be human employees | Mashable
• Microsoft’s LinkedIn chief is now running Office as part of an AI reorg | The Verge

Conferences covered:

• European Power Platform Conference | Austria | Jun 16-19, 2025
• Commsverse 2025 - The Microsoft Teams Conference - Jun 18-19 2025
• Tech Con 365 Seattle - June 23-27 2025
• Collab Summit North America - Sep 7-9 2025
• ESPC25 | Conference | Ireland | Dec 1-4, 2025

Other ones we mentioned:

• Collab Days Netherlands - June 21 2025
• CollabDays Hamburg 2025 - June 28 2025
• CollabDays Finland 2025 - 11 Sep 2025
• Experts Live UK 2025 - 16 Sep 2025
• CollabDays Bletchley Park 2025 - 24 Sep 2025
• South Coast Summit - 17-18 Sep 2025

Check out other conferences at Community Days.

Takeaways

• Investors need to scrutinize AI startups more closely.
• The importance of responsible AI practices is paramount.
• Microsoft's leadership changes signal a new direction.
• AI's impact on employment is a growing concern.
• Community conferences are vital for networking and learning.
• AI literacy is essential for effective use of technology.
• Clothespilot demonstrates practical AI applications.
• Engaging with the community enhances knowledge sharing.
• Fireside chats provide valuable insights from industry experts.

In this episode of Copilot Connection, Zoe and Kevin are joined by Gary Raife to discuss the transformative potential of AI and Microsoft Copilot in the healthcare sector. We explore the challenges of interoperability, the role of AI in enhancing patient care, and the exciting developments of Dragon Copilot. The conversation also touches on the integration of personal health data, the importance of trust and transparency in AI applications, and the future of healthcare driven by data and technology.

Takeaways

• Healthcare presents a significant opportunity for AI integration.
• Interoperability remains a critical challenge in healthcare systems.
• AI can enhance patient experiences and streamline workflows.
• Dragon Copilot introduces ambient listening capabilities for clinicians.
• Wearable technology can provide valuable health data for monitoring.
• Trust and transparency are essential for AI adoption in healthcare.
• Personal health data integration can improve patient outcomes.
• AI should support clinicians rather than replace them.
• The future of healthcare will be increasingly data-driven.
• Collaboration between technology and healthcare professionals is vital. 

Key links

• Gary's blog

News

• Introducing Researcher and Analyst in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 Blog
• Copilot Consumer Updates - Your AI Companion - The Official Microsoft Blog
• New capabilities in Azure AI Foundry to build advanced agentic applications  | Microsoft Azure Blog
• Interpreter Agent
  • Interpreter in Microsoft Teams meetings - Microsoft Support
  • Kevin's view of Interpreter Agent
• Copilot Studio Toolkit updates announced
• microsoft/Power-CAT-Copilot-Studio-Kit
• Introduction - Model Context Protocol
• Announcing the Agent2Agent Protocol (A2A) - Google Developers Blog

Healthcare related

• Meet Microsoft Dragon Copilot: Your new AI assistant for clinical workflow - Microsoft Industry Blogs
• Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare | Microsoft

As the days in the UK get shorter, the grass looks brown and tired and the kids looked bored and ready for school, it's time to recap some of the news that has crept out while many were distracted with holidays. There's certainly been a few things coming through as momentum builds towards the second conference season of year. Zoe and Kevin cover some worrying news on hacking Copilot, some positive news on accessing models and some great events coming up.

Related links:

• Nominate your favourite community folks at the UK Technology Community Awards - https://www.ukcommunityawards.co.uk/
• Sign up for Scottish Summit and plan in for the Connecting the Copilots panel with Chris Huntingford, Dona Sarkar, Jose Lazaro Pinos , Sara Fennah and us - https://www.scottishsummit.com
• Zoe is co-hosting a webinar for Syskit with Luke Evans on Copilot for M365 after one year https://www.syskit.com/company/events/copilot-for-microsoft-365-after-one-year/
• New speaker workshop with Sara Fennah, Luke Evans and us - http://www.communitydays.org/event/2024-09-06/microsoft-community-new-speakers-day  - if you're in the UK and doing interesting things with Copilot that you'd like to share 
• Check out the brand new Copilot for M365 MVPs! - Search | MVP Communities (microsoft.com)
• Hacking Copilot
  • Microsoft’s AI Copilot can be weaponized as an ‘automated phishing machine,’ but the problem is bigger than one company | Fortune
  • https://www.perspectives.plus/p/copilot-bigger-security-threat-than-chatgpt
  • https://labs.zenity.io
• Models in Github - Introducing GitHub Models: A new generation of AI engineers building on GitHub - The GitHub Blog
• What’s new in Copilot | July 2024 - Microsoft Community Hub
• OneNote in Copilot supports Inked Notes - https://insider.microsoft365.com/blog/onenote-copilot-now-supports-inked-notes?ocid=usoc_TWITTER_M365_spl100006091250593
• Updates to Microsoft Copilot to bring enterprise data protection to more organizations - Microsoft Community Hub

In this episode of Copilot Connection, hosts Zoe Wilson and Kevin McDonnell discuss the evolution of Microsoft's Copilot ecosystem, including the recent announcement of Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. They explore the implications of AI agents in business, insights from the Microsoft Research Future of Work report, and the importance of democratizing access to AI technologies. Finally, we talk about our exciting guest for the next Copilot Fireside Chat and her new team.

Takeaways

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• The Copilot ecosystem has evolved significantly over the past 18 months.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat aims to provide a unified experience for users.
• AI agents can democratize access to technology for frontline workers.
• Organizations need to balance AI adoption with sustainability concerns.
• The Future of Work report highlights the importance of readiness in organizations.
• Multi-agent systems have great potential but require further research.
• User experience design is crucial for effective AI integration.
• Real-world examples are needed to demonstrate the value of AI agents.
• The conversation around AI should focus on responsible and sustainable use.
• Engagement with the community is essential for successful AI adoption.

Mentioned links

Copilot Chat

• M365 hero blog: https://aka.ms/copilotchat
• Copilot Studio blog (includes pricing info): http://aka.ms/mcscopilotchat

Daniel Rohregger's post of different costs https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drohregger_what-does-the-new-payg-for-agents-in-copilot-activity-7285909965200904192-Djls?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Future of Work report - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/microsoft-new-future-of-work-report-2024

Debates with Saleforce
Full GenAI panic at Salesforce? | LinkedIn

Clippy 2.0 is better than Agentforce 2.0?

Dona's call to action - Post | Feed | LinkedIn

Sign up for Copilot Fireside Chat - Copilot Fireside Chat

Zoe and Kevin share the latest news on Copilot with Copilot for OneDrive and all sorts from Microsoft Power Platform Conference and then we play some short interviews with Stale Hansen, Ragnar Heil and Marijn Somers and chat about our thoughts on them.

Useful links:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-onedrive-blog/unveiling-the-next-generation-of-onedrive/ba-p/3935612

https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/powerplatform/2023/10/03/the-ai-revolution-supercharging-low-code-with-the-power-platform-community/

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ahmedbouchaala_powerapps-mppc23-mppc-activity-7115462456348393472-HVjQ

https://blog.fabric.microsoft.com/en-GB/blog/announcing-the-data-activator-public-preview/

Eighth of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Gosia Borzecka

Gosia works in the AI space and talks here about the comparisons between Copilot Studio and AI Studio/Azure Search.

Listen to find out more about how she thinks that this plays with Copilot.

🐱‍💻 Gosia (Małgorzata) Borzęcka | LinkedIn
Gosia Borzęcka (@GosiaBorzecka) / X (twitter.com)

Happy new year to you all! In this episode, Zoe and Kevin take a short look at what happened with Copilot and with themselves in 2025, a short view on what they think and hope will happen with Copilot and AI in 2026 but focus most of the time on digging into the latest Microsoft Future of Work report that their science team has been making for the last 5 years. They explore themes such as AI judgment, collaborative AI, and the implications of inequality in the workplace amongst other things.

Takeaways

• Agent 365 has the potential to greatly impact organizational efficiency and control.
• Simplification in Copilot Studio and Chat enhances user experience and accessibility.
• Agents play a crucial role in simplifying complex AI functionalities.
• Fireside chats and workshops have been key highlights in community engagement.
• Recognition through awards fosters motivation and visibility in the tech community.
• The Future of Work report provides valuable insights into AI's impact on labor markets.
• AI judgment and perception can affect workplace dynamics and relationships.
• Collaborative AI is essential for enhancing teamwork and productivity.

Key links

Future of work report

Tailwind news

Salesforce refocussing roles

Jamie Teevan's keynote at ESPC

In this episode of the Copilot Connection, Kevin McDonnell is joined by Garry Trinder, a developer advocate at Microsoft focused on Microsoft 365 and Copilot. With Microsoft Build taking place this week, they recap the Copilot related news that came out with a special focus on extensions and custom copilots. Plenty of chat about why you should extend, the different ways to extend and when to extend or go custom.  Plus find out how many times Copilot was mentioned in the first day keynotes thanks to Vlad Catrinescu.

Useful links:

M365 Conf sessions - some online now including the age of copilots -Introducing the Community News Desk with essential content from Microsoft 365 Community Conference

Vlad Catrinescu comedy recap Microsoft Build 2024 Keynote Recap in under 5 minutes!

Book of News - https://news.microsoft.com/build-2024-book-of-news/

GPT-4o demo by Seth Juarez - Conversational website: Satya Nadella at Microsoft Build 2024

Copilot+PC - Introducing Copilot+ PCs - The Official Microsoft Blog

VS Code for Education - https://vscodeedu.com

Note that you need a Copilot license to use this with Copilot Studio - Use graph connections with knowledge sources - Microsoft Copilot Studio | Microsoft Learn

https://aka.ms/extendcopilotm365/decide

Useful Build sessions:

BRK 150: Developers guide to customizing Copilot - slides available too
BRK 151: Developer deep dive on building plugins for Microsoft Copilot
BRK203: Building a copilot: Azure AI Studio or Copilot Studio

It's our birthday today! We've managed to pull together some fantastic guests including Loryan Strant, Caroline Kallin and Tom Morgan to help us celebrate by sharing their thoughts on Copilot Wave 2 so hear what we thought and then a few interviews that we have been able to do.

Great summary post from Sara Fennah on all the useful links for Copilot Wave 2 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sarafennah_did-the-deluge-of-announcements-in-the-wave-activity-7241481645957029888-gyfa?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

In this episode, Zoe and Kevin discuss their thoughts on the biggest topics of the year in Copilot and what that means for next year before Kevin goes solo to talk about the importance of building a comprehensive AI strategy centered around Microsoft Copilot. They explore the evolution of AI tools, the need for alignment with organizational goals, and the significance of understanding agents and their capabilities. The conversation also delves into measuring success and ROI in AI implementation, the future of AI tools, governance and compliance, and the role of generative AI in business processes. They emphasize the need for a Center of Excellence to support AI initiatives and prepare for the future of work.

Takeaways

• Building an AI strategy is essential for effective implementation.
• Alignment with organizational goals reduces risk and enhances productivity.
• Understanding the capabilities of AI agents is crucial for their effective use.
• Measuring success in AI implementation goes beyond ROI; consider overall impact.
• Democratization of AI tools will make them accessible to more users.
• Governance and compliance are critical in the responsible use of AI.
• Generative AI can enhance business processes but should be used judiciously.
• The hype cycle illustrates the fluctuating expectations of AI tools.
• Preparing for the future of work involves understanding AI's evolving role.
• A Center of Excellence can facilitate the successful adoption of AI.

Key links

• Future of work report 2024
• GitHub Copilot free tier
• Simon Owen talking of CoE and C4E in his blog

With more and more people getting access to all the different Copilots, there are more myths that are appearing online. So, in this episode, Zoe and Kevin take a look at some of those myths and either bust them or add the detail behind the truth of each of them, Plus, we highlight some of the latest news along the way including some potential new text to video for Copilot (warning - that last comment is shameless clickbait!) in there too.

Myths addressed:

• Copilot is trained on your data - Daniel Anderson's LinkedIn post
• Copilot just works
• One size fits all
• Copilot will save you money
• Copilot is collecting all your data from Office Apps - evidence
• No human involvement needed
• Everyone is excited about Copilot - Microsoft's Pricey AI Assistant Copilot Gives Some Buyer's Remorse (requires subscription)
• You can automate everything
• You can't do anything about Copilot choosing the right plugin - How Copilot for Microsoft 365 decides which plugin to use
• Copilot keeps changing how it works - Introducing the new Microsoft Copilot experience in Teams
• Copilot can solve everything

News mentioned:
Announcing Fabric Copilot pricing
Sara Fennah's post on upcoming Roadmap items for M365
GPT Mentions: Effortlessly Streamline Your AI Search
Sora from Open AI

Other Copilot news:

• API-based message extensions in Team Dev Portal
• Damien Bird on using ChatGPT in Excel via Office Scripts to generate sample data
• Combating abusive AI-generated content: a comprehensive approach
• A Whole New Way of Working
• 3 big AI trends to watch in 2024
• Using Copilot in Apple Vision Pro
• 5 Takeaways From Pioneers In Microsoft Copilot Adoption
• Sticker Generator in Designer 
• What was Sora trained on? Creatives demand answers.

In this episode of Copilot Connection, hosts Zoe and Kevin discuss the latest updates and insights from the Microsoft Copilot ecosystem from Build as well as a slight detour to the Chelsea Flower Show. We cover topics like M365 Copilot tuning, notebooks, researcher and analyst agents, and SRE agents. We also explore the implications of AI Foundry and the natural language web, while wrapping up with a look at upcoming events and the importance of community engagement.

Takeaways

• The Chelsea Flower Show showcased innovative AI applications in gardening.
• M365 Copilot tuning can transform industries like legal with tailored solutions.
• Notebooks in Copilot provide a flexible way to organize and query content.
• Researcher and Analyst agents enhance data analysis and decision-making processes.
• AI Foundry allows for local model integration, expanding AI capabilities.
• SRE agents automate software reliability tasks, improving efficiency.
• Natural language web features enable more intuitive website interactions.
• Community-driven initiatives are crucial for the development of AI tools.
• Microsoft's Build conference highlighted significant advancements in AI technology.
• The importance of ethical considerations in AI deployment is paramount.

Links

Avanade Intelligent Garden 

Book of News - https://news.microsoft.com/build-2025-book-of-news/

Copilot Tuning

Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot APIs

Announcing Microsoft Entra Agent ID: Secure and manage your AI agents | Microsoft Community Hub

microsoft/AI-Red-Teaming-Playground-Labs: AI Red Teaming playground labs to run AI Red Teaming trainings including infrastructure.

NL Web Introducing NLWeb: Bringing conversational interfaces directly to the web - Source and Debugging GenAI with CAPs + NLWeb + OpenTelemetry: A Real-Time Visibility Unlock | LinkedIn

Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot APIs

Reddit post on SRE agent being used in the dotnet repo My new hobby: watching AI slowly drive Microsoft employees insane : r/ExperiencedDevs

Power Apps Studio with Agent Feed

Reimagining human-agent collaboration for a new era of app development with Microsoft Power Apps - Microsoft Power Platform Blog

Walkthrough of agent feed in Power Apps - users and ma

Welcome to this episode of the Copilot Connection podcast, where we share the latest news, insights, and capabilities of the Microsoft Copilots ecosystem. In this episode, your hosts Kevin and Zoe discuss the latest announcements in the copilot space, including the lifting of the 300 seat limit and the availability of Copilot Pro. They also delve into the human impact of Copilot, sharing powerful stories of how it has helped individuals with accessibility needs. There are also two new Copilots that have gone live and some insights from Accenture on the latest tech trends. Tune in to learn more about the exciting developments in the world of Microsoft Copilots.

Links mentioned:

Bringing the full power of Copilot to more people and businesses - The Official Microsoft Blog

Copilot set up guide - https://setup.microsoft.com/copilot/setup-guide

Martina Grom's learning path - Collections | Microsoft Learn
Jussi Roine's blog post - Mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot (jussiroine.com) 

How Microsoft 365 Copilot works | BRK256

UK Government Generative AI Framework - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-ai-framework-for-hmg

Fabric and Power BI enabled https://twitter.com/CopilotConnect/status/1747251742557798724

Overview of Copilot in Fabric and Power BI (preview) - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

Copilot in Customer Insights

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jackrowbotham_technology-ai-gpt-activity-7151815136121442304-7qLQ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Dave Dame ♿️ on X: "M365 Co-Pilot has been my tool for a month now. I have a #disability that makes authoring an email take me about 8 minutes on average. With M365 co-pilot, I can do it in 3 minutes. Creating a PowerPoint used to take me around 45 minutes on average, now it takes me 8 minutes. In… https://t.co/s3VwejsKFz" / X (twitter.com)

A story of diagnosing with Gen AI - https://x.com/PatrickJBlum/status/1745900287565402503?s=20

Accessibility Summit

https://x.com/jennylayfluffy/status/1748031237707485237?s=20

Accenture Tech Trends

Technology Trends 2024 | Tech Vision | Accenture

In a slight change of schedule, Zoe and Kevin decided to talk about the year ahead and some thoughts as to the big topics. There was a little news to cover as well, especially for all those who love buttons.

We also asked Copilot to do a summary of the show so here's that version!

In this episode of Copilot Connection, Kevin and Zoe discuss the latest news and trends in the world of Copilot and AI for 2024. They share their thoughts on the new Copilot apps for iOS and Android, the AI-powered Windows PCs with a Copilot button, and the emerging hardware devices that use Open AI models. They also talk about some of the challenges and opportunities that AI brings, such as the copyright issues, the data quality and governance, and the extensibility and customization of Copilot solutions. They give some examples of custom Copilots that they have built or seen, and how they can help users get more value from their data and documents. They invite the listeners to share their feedback and suggestions for future episodes, and to follow the Copilot Connection on social media and podcast platforms.

Copilots apps for iOS and Android - Microsoft debuts Copilot apps for mobile devices • The Register

Copilot button - Introducing a new Copilot key to kick off the year of AI-powered Windows PCs | Windows Experience Blog

AI phone - Apple's iPhone designer is leaving to work with Jony Ive and Sam Altman on AI hardware (engadget.com)
Mark Rackley's tips for the year ahead - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/markrackley_my-top-5-tips-for-your-organization-in-2024-activity-7148365967381741570-OsLn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Abram Jackson's post on tipping LLMs (1) Post | Feed | LinkedIn
26 principles of Prompts - ATLAS/data/README.md at main · VILA-Lab/ATLAS (github.com)

NYT suing Open AI and Microsoft - New York Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft Over Use of Copyrighted Work - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Gary Marcus on Twitter - Gary Marcus (@GaryMarcus) / X (twitter.com)

Kevin's Custom Copilot - Microsoft 365 & Power Platform Development community call - 4th of January, 2024
Garry talking extensibility on M365 Community call - https://twitter.com/garrytrinder/status/1742853043018772583?s=20

With Zoe stuffed full of deep pan pizza and Kevin trying to recover from the remote FOMO, we discuss the key takeaways from Microsoft Ignite 2024  focusing on the latest Copilot updates, the role of agents, integration and alignment at Microsoft, security updates, and more. We explore the significance of the Prompt Gallery and the evolution of Copilot Studio, emphasising the importance of collaboration and automation in modern workplaces.

Key Takeaways:

• Security has become a major focus for Microsoft.
• The Ignite conference had a significant turnout with over 20,000 attendees.
• Agents are a popular topic, with many mentions during the conference.
• Integration between Microsoft products is improving, making workflows smoother.
• The Copilot Prompt Gallery allows for better user engagement and prompt sharing.
• The evolution of Copilot Studio is enabling deeper connection between low code and code first.
• There are new features that enhance governance capabilities.
• The keynote atmosphere was noted to be less energetic compared to previous years.

Key links

• Microsoft Ignite 2024 Book of News
• Agents - From no code (Introducing Microsoft Copilot actions, new agents, and tools to empower IT) to low code to code first - Azure AI Agent Service: Revolutionizing AI Agent Development and Deployment
•  Document tuning - Copilot Studio is enhancing its platform with knowledge improvements, Azure AI integration, and more
• Alignment within MS is allowing AI Adoption at scale
  • Redefine development: AI-first innovation with agents and Microsoft Copilot in Power Platform
• Azure AI Agent Service: Revolutionizing AI Agent Development and Deployment
• The next wave of Azure innovation: Azure AI Foundry, intelligent data, and more
• Purview DLP Accelerate AI adoption with next-gen security and governance capabilities
•  Windows Copilot Runtime for devs https://aka.ms/AAti5u5
• Microsoft Places Introducing the AI-Powered Workplace: Technology solutions for flexible work
• Copilot Lab = Copilot Prompt Gallery https://aka.ms/AAthyfg
• Copilot Analytics aligned - Copilot Control System https://aka.ms/AAti5rh
• SAM included in license Introdu

In this episode of Copilot Connection, Kevin McDonnell and Garry Trinder discuss the latest developments from the Ignite Conference. They delve into the renaming of Azure AI Foundry to Microsoft Foundry, the new features of the Foundry portal, and the integration of Claude models. The conversation also covers the importance of experimentation with language models, updates on the Teams SDK, and the nuances of the Agent 365 SDK. In this conversation, Garry and Kevin delve into the latest advancements in Microsoft 365, focusing on Agent 365, MCP servers, and the integration of low-code solutions. They discuss the potential of natural language processing in enhancing user interactions, the significance of declarative agents, and the importance of responsible AI practices, particularly in the context of red teaming. They may also chuckle at renames more than they should...

Takeaways

• Renaming products often indicates a broader vision beyond their original scope.
• The new Microsoft Foundry portal simplifies the process of managing AI agents.
• Publishing agents to Teams and Copilot has become more streamlined and user-friendly.
• Claude models are now integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem, enhancing AI capabilities.
• Experimentation with different language models is crucial for optimizing performance.
• Understanding the purpose of each tool in the Microsoft ecosystem is key to effective use.
• The Teams SDK has been rebranded, reflecting its expanded functionality.
• The Agent 365 SDK builds on existing frameworks to enhance agent capabilities.
• MCP servers need to be exposed for use.
• Low code options are available for MCP management.
• Declarative agents are evolving with TypeSpec innovations.
• Red teaming is essential for testing AI agents.
• Responsible AI practices are crucial in agent development.
• User feedback is vital for improving Microsoft technologies.
• MCP is becoming a standard for data interaction.

Links
Ignite Book of News 

Azure AI Foundry is now Microsoft Foundry

Deploy and use Claude models in Microsoft Foundry - Microsoft Foundry | Microsoft Learn 

Teams AI Library is now Microsoft Teams SDK

Microsoft Graph is Work IQ....

Agent 365 SDK

 MCP Management Server

Kevin's example of MCP in Copilot Studio 

Type spec GA 

Connected agents 

Red Teaming agent 

 Copilot APIs

This week, Kevin McDonnell and Garry Trinder explore the world of coding agents and how they could change software development. They run through what coding agents are along with the importance of context, memory, and specifications in using AI tools effectively. Also, they think about how you need to change habits and also touch on the challenges faced by junior developers in adapting to AI technologies, the role of personality in AI agents, and the future of work with AI. This isn't just the joy of agents though, this is about the need for security and ethical considerations when integrating AI into development processes, while also encouraging developers to embrace the potential of AI to enhance productivity and creativity.

Takeaways:

• Coding agents represent the next leap in development tools.
• Understanding the context and instructions is crucial for effective use of coding agents.
• Memory in coding agents can enhance their effectiveness and personalization.
• Specifications and guidelines are still important in the age of AI.
• Junior developers should balance learning coding principles with using AI tools.
• AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for developers.
• The personality of AI agents can enhance user experience and engagement.
• Skills in AI can create repeatable processes for developers.
• The impact of AI on junior developers raises concerns about learning and understanding code.
• Security and ethical considerations are vital when using AI agents.

Links:

Github Copilot CLI - https://github.com/features/copilot/cli/

Claude Code - https://claude.com/product/claude-code

Patrick Rogers power of Coding Agents - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/patrick-rodgers-b6a05610_i-love-to-write-code-ive-been-a-programmer-activity-7422672723191058432--Ob_

Shipping at Inference Speed - https://steipete.me/posts/2025/shipping-at-inference-speed

Claude Skills - https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12512176-what-are-skills

Anthropic Skills Repo - https://github.com/anthropics/skills/tree/main/skills/slack-gif-creator

Open Code - https://opencode.ai/

Moltbot Soul - https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/docs/reference/templates/SOUL.md

Moltbot - https://moltbot.you/

Moltbook - the first agent social network? - https://www.moltbook.com/

https://www.moltbook.com/post/ef3ea419-6c29-4046-9946-d636efe972ea

Be careful with Moltbot/Clawdbot:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/elishlomo_security-activity-7421867291459391490-a0B1/

https://x.com/theonejvo/status/2015401219746128322

https://x.com/borjitaea/status/2015745063909839091?s=46

In this episode of Copilot Connection, Zoe and Kevin discuss the latest roadmap items for Microsoft 365 Copilot, highlighting Teams, Microsoft 365 apps, Extensibility, SharePoint, Admin and Purview. Hear about the latest batches coming in February and March and what it could mean to you.

Takeaways

• Roadmap updates indicate a significant increase in available tools and capabilities.
• Teams updates focus on enhancing collaborative productivity.
• Accessibility features are being prioritized in new updates.
• The ability to analyze on-screen content will improve meeting experiences.
• Voice recognition technology will enhance transcription accuracy.
• Upcoming updates will roll out in batches, indicating a fast-paced development cycle.
• Developers will soon have tools to create custom agents for Copilot.
• Extensibility is becoming more tangible and accessible for organizations.
• The integration of AI into business processes is crucial for future productivity.
• The new SharePoint features allow for better content discoverability management.
• Viva Connections cards will enhance Copilot functionality.
• Usage reports for integrated apps will provide valuable insights.
• Microsoft Purview is improving security management capabilities.
• Data Loss Prevention will restrict Copilot processing on sensitive content.
• Identifying risky AI usage is crucial for security.
• Real-life use cases of AI agents are emerging.
• Upcoming events will provide more insights into AI advancements.
• The conversation around AI is evolving rapidly.
• Engagement with the community is essential for knowledge sharing.

Key links

Roadmap - Teams

Roadmap - M365 Apps

Roadmap - Extensibility

Roadmap - SharePoint and Admin
Roadmap - Purview

In this episode of Copilot Connection, Kevin goes solo and dives deep into the world of Microsoft Copilot, exploring the intricacies of prompt engineering and the practical applications of prompts in enhancing productivity. He discusses various techniques for effective prompting, the significance of community contributions, and how to utilize the Copilot prompt gallery to streamline workflows. The conversation emphasizes the evolving nature of AI and the need for users to adapt and refine their approaches to maximize the benefits of generative AI tools.

Takeaways

• Prompt engineering is best for effective AI interaction but not essential.
• Understanding agentic threats is essential for security and OWASP can help.
• Community resources can enhance learning and application.
• Utilizing the Copilot prompt gallery can streamline workflows.
• Advanced prompting techniques can lead to better outcomes.
• Regularly revisiting and refining prompts is beneficial.
• AI can assist in complex problem-solving scenarios.
• Diversity of thought is important in AI applications.
• Practical applications of prompts can save time and effort.
• Engagement with the community fosters knowledge sharing.

Useful links

News:

OWASP agentic threats https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jsotiropoulos_aisecurity-agenticai-owasp-activity-7297385436925095937-vQmg

Beginner guide for agents https://www.linkedin.com/posts/donasarkar_happy-valentines-day-friends-as-a-activity-7296237085194084352-db7o

New AI models include a gaming model https://www.geekwire.com/2025/microsoft-reveals-new-gaming-focused-generative-ai-model-muse-that-could-revive-classic-games/

Fabian Williams bring us some agentic magic with CAPs https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fabiangwilliams_autonomous-multi-agent-group-chat-working-activity-7297051837969358848-R4zG

Prompts:

Crafting effective prompts https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/getting-the-most-from-the-copilot-prompt-gallery/4383106

Prompt Engineering Guide | Prompt Engineering Guide

Best practices for prompt engineering with the OpenAI API | OpenAI Help Center 

Stefan Bisser’s tool to write prompts https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stephan-bisser_agent-instructor-visual-studio-marketplace-activity-7298292501763780610-OAYW

Prompts of the week pnp/copilot-prompts: Examples of p

In this episode of The Copilot Connection, hosts Zoe Wilson and Kevin McDonnell are joined by Tricia Sinclair (Microsoft MVP and Avanade’s Global Lead for Contact Center & Customer Service) to explore the evolving role of AI in customer service and contact centres. They discuss how new Copilot AI agents like Case Management Agents and Intent Agents can automate processes such as email triage and understanding customer inquiries, and why many organizations are piloting these tools internally before rolling them out to customers. The conversation dives into adoption challenges – from ensuring quality data and training models to navigating consumption-based costs – and highlights governance solutions like the new Agent Hub for monitoring and controlling AI deployments. Tricia also shares insights on integrating these Copilot capabilities across the broader Microsoft ecosystem (with hints at what’s coming next) and emphasizes the bigger picture: using AI to augment, not replace human agents. The episode wraps up with a thoughtful discussion on the ethical and workforce implications of AI in contact centres, including the importance of maintaining human empathy, addressing potential biases, and keeping customer trust front and centre.

Key topics covered:

• Case Management & Intent Agents – Automating case triage and identifying customer intent using AI.
• Internal vs. External Deployment – Strategies for introducing Copilot agents on internal service desks before customer-facing use.
• Adoption Challenges & Costs – Data readiness, model training, consumption-based pricing, and ensuring ROI for AI solutions.
• Agent Hub & Governance – Using Microsoft’s Agent Hub to track, manage, and govern Copilot AI agent usage and performance.
• Integration with Microsoft Platforms – How Copilot agents tie into the wider Microsoft stack and upcoming cross-platform capabilities.
• AI’s Impact & Ethics – The balance between AI and human agents, potential job impacts, and the need for fairness, empathy, and transparency in AI-driven customer service.

p.s. decided to try Researcher agent looking at previous summaries to generate this summary. Let us know what you think!

Kevin McDonnell and Garry Trinder delve into the world of Model Context Protocol (MCP) and its implications for developers. We start with a starter overview of functionality of MCP and why it is important. However, we wanted to get beyond that initial view that is covered elsewhere and look at some of the challenges associated with using MCP and broader considerations that you need to be looking at. The conversation covers the importance of optimizing documentation for language models, governance in MCP usage, and strategies for getting started with MCP and then scaling. 

Takeaways

• MCP is a universal approach to context in AI.
• MCP servers can execute actions beyond API calls.
• Optimizing documentation for LLMs is essential for effective AI integration.
• Trust and governance are critical in using MCP servers.
• MCP can significantly enhance productivity in software development.
• Building an MCP server can be straightforward and quick.
• MCP allows for local execution of actions, enhancing flexibility.
• The future of MCP involves more robust governance and control mechanisms.
• Organizations should develop a strategy for managing MCP servers.
• Experimentation with MCP can lead to unexpected benefits and insights.

Useful links

Introduction - Model Context Protocol

Getting started with Local MCP Servers on Claude Desktop | Anthropic Help Center and For Claude Desktop Users – Model Context Protocol （MCP）

Use MCP servers in VS Code

Community built Graph MCP Server - GitHub - merill/lokka: MCP (Model Context Protocol) for Microsoft 365.

Azure AI Search:

Full text search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft Learn

Vector search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft Learn

Hybrid search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft Learn

MCP for beginners course - GitHub - microsoft/mcp-for-beginners

MCP Dev Days 29th/30th July (and available on demand after) - MCP Dev Days | Microsoft Reactor

Microsoft MCP Lab - GitHub - microsoft/mcsmcp: Lab for creating an MCP Server and using it in Microsoft Copilot Studio.

Microsoft's MCP Server collection - GitHub - microsoft/mcp: Catalog of official Microsoft MCP (Model Context Protocol) server implementations for AI-powered data access and tool integration

CLI for m365 MCP server - GitHub - pnp/cli-microsoft365-mcp-server: Manage Microsoft 365 using MCP server

GitHub - dotnet/dev-proxy: Simulate API failures, throttling, and chaos — all from your command line.

With Ignite just a week away, Zoe and Kevin got together to pick out some interesting sessions as well as several chats about what the key themes coming across are. Naturally, Copilot and agents were our main focus but there were also a couple of other areas that caught our eye.

See the sessions at https://ignite.microsoft.com.

Sessions mentioned (or that we ran out of time to mention):

- BRK402 Our Agentic Era: Building Accessible and Responsible AI for Everyone

 Low code

- BRK1742 Advanced Agent Development with Copilot Studio

- BRK 314 -Building agents with Copilot Studio and Azure AI Foundry

 Pro code - lots about scaling

- BRK1706 - Innovation Session: Your AI Apps and Agent Factory

- BRK189 AI agents in Azure AI Foundry, ship fast, scale fearlessly

- BRK411 Beyond Models: What No One's Telling you about Scaling Agents

 Securing and managing agents

- BRK306 Innovation Session: Latest AI agent innovation in security, control and productivity

- BRK265  Secure access for AI agents with Microsoft Entra

In-person

- THR821 Copilot for Physical AI

- THR763 Copilot & agent intelligence: Reporting for frontier firms

- THR759 Copilot Trust & Safety: Controls to manage AI risk

One for fun

- BRK 432 Scott & Mark learn to connect the dots

Not mentioned but still interesting

- BRK292 Fireside chat: How customers are unlocking value & growth with Copilot

- BRK319 Build Agents for Copilot with the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit

- BRK167 Maintain regulatory compliance with the Microsoft Sovereign Cloud

- BRK288 SharePoint: The Knowledge Platform for Copilot and Agents

- BRK281 Unlocking the all-in-one AI Advantage of Microsoft 365 Copilot

Sixth of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Rishi Sapra

Rishi sees Copilot as a tool for creativity and insight, rather than automation. He thinks it can help technologists understand the business questions and the data model better

Listen to find out which areas of Copilot frustrate him and his hopes for what Copilot will become

Rishi Sapra ACA, MCT, Microsoft MVP | LinkedIn
Rishi Sapra MVP (@rsaprano) / X (twitter.com)

It has been a little while since the last episode with Zoe and Kevin so they share some of their own news on why things have been a little quieter over the summer and then discuss the latest updates and news from Microsoft 365 Copilot. We recap recent events, including the Collab Summit North America, Experts Live UK conference, and share our upcoming events. 

On the news side we delve into significant announcements from lasast couple of months, including the introduction of the Knowledge Agent to "Frontier Firms", licensing changes, and the implications of GPT-5. Plus, Zoe pulls off some awesome dance moves without even realising it.

AI powered Takeaways

• The Knowledge Agent aims to enhance knowledge management within organizations.
• Licensing changes are designed to encourage broader adoption of Copilot features.
• AI's role in the workplace is becoming increasingly significant.
• Organizations must address foundational knowledge management issues to leverage AI effectively.
• The conversation highlights the need for ongoing discussions about AI's impact on work and society.

Useful links

Agents

• Introducing Knowledge Agent in SharePoint | Microsoft Community Hub
• https://demos.microsoft.com/microsoft/play/5140/knowledge-agents#/0/0 
• Microsoft 365 Copilot: Enabling human-agent teams | Microsoft 365 Blog
• Moving sales, service, and finance to the Frontier with Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 Blog

Licensing

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot-studio/billing-licensing

GPT 5

• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/08/07/available-today-gpt-5-in-microsoft-365-copilot/

Copilot Chat in Office Apps

• https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/copilot-chat-comes-to-the-microsoft-365-apps/4453349

Viva Engage in Copilot

•  Viva Engage Public Content is Now Available in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Community Hub

Copilot Mode in Edge

• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/blog/2025/08/07/release-notes-august-7-2025/

Deal with US Government

• Accelerating AI adoption for the US government - The Official Microsoft Blog

Copilot Memory

• https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/introducing-copilot-memory-a-more-productive-and-personalized-ai-

One of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Darrell Webster

Darryl is a change manager and adoption specialist who likes creating videos and helping people make sense of technology.

Find out what he thinks about Copilot and the insights it can bring as well as the areas of concern he has.

Darrell (as a Service) Webster | LinkedIn
Darrell as a Service 🛎 (@DarrellaaS) / X (twitter.com)

For the first in a series of interviews from ESPC, we have Karuana Gatimu and Richard Harbridge from the expo floor at ESPC. Plus, the latest news including GA for Copilot for Service, info on a Copilot for Viva Glint and a reminder about our Custom Copilot Connection Challenge.

Announcing Microsoft Copilot for Service  - Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog

Microsoft Viva Glint + Copilot to analyze employee feedback at scale

AI-Driven Productivity and Creativity | LinkedIn

Second of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Tom Morgan

Tom uses GitHub Copilot to develop things on Microsoft 365 platform, and finds it useful for taking out some of the tedious tasks that he already knows how to do as well as learning with it.

Listen to find out how he built using a new language to him and how Copilot may help junior developers.

Tom Morgan | LinkedIn
Tom Morgan (@tomorgan) / X (twitter.com)

In this episode of the Copilot Connection, hosts Zoe Wilson  and Kevin McDonnell discuss the latest updates in the Microsoft Copilot ecosystem, including a new feature called Copilot Labs (not Lab...), insights from the upcoming Microsoft Ignite conference, and the importance of AI integration in business. They also touch on the significance of empowering neurodivergent employees and the community's engagement in upcoming events. They also have a new AI generated summary - what do you think?

Links

• Introducing Copilot Vision
• Meet the new Copilot

Ignite sessions
Session catalog at https://ignite.microsoft.com where you can search for codes.

Build and extend agents with Microsoft Copilot studio  | LAB433
Code-first development workshop for Copilot agents  | LAB441
Extending M365 Copilot with Copilot agents: Best practices  | BRK170
Part 1:2 Declarative Agents: Build Agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot  | LAB445
Reinventing business processes with autonomous agents  | BRK169
Smarter workflows with ServiceNow Now Assist and Copilot integration  | ODFP974
 
Ground Microsoft 365 Copilot in your business knowledge  | BRK275
Microsoft 365 Copilot advantages: How does it compare with other AI solutions  | BRK276
SharePoint content management reimagined with Copilot  | BRK279
 Unlock smart collaboration with Microsoft Teams  | BRK280
  
 Revolutionizing Employee Experience with AI  | BRK283 
 The Future of Power Platform: Intelligent Apps  | BRK171
 
From Copilot to code-first: the power of Microsoft Fabric and AI  | THR618
Bring on-device ML to enterprise apps with Windows Copilot Library  | BRK303
Copilot+ PCs: Your new superpower  | THR650
Mastering custom plugins in Microsoft Security Copilot  | THR653
 Build real-time collab experiences with Fluid and Copilot  | LAB440
 Empowering neurodivergent employees with Copilot  | BRK297

Twelth of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Mark Rackley

Mark thinks that copilot is a vague term that can mean different things to different people, and he wants to help people understand what it is. Mark has some great use cases like finding presentations that were shared with him by using natural language queries.

Listen to find out how he thinks the equity of availability of Copilot could impact the future and what he wishes for next.

Mark Rackley | LinkedIn
Mark Rackley 🐗 @NACollabSummit @Techsplaining (@mrackley) / X (twitter.com)

Welcome to Copilot Connection, the podcast that explores the world of Microsoft Copilots! Join your hosts, Zoe Wilson and Kevin McDonnell, as they take you on a journey through the different Copilots available and how they can help you in your day-to-day life. From the newly launch date announced Microsoft 365 Copilot to the Dynamics 365, GitHub, Windows, Custom and more Copilots, we'll cover it all. Our upbeat and engaging conversations with experts in the field will keep you entertained and informed. Tune in to Copilot Connection and discover how these AI-powered assistants can transform the way you work!

Welcome to a brand new way of hearing about the latest Copilot extensibility news! In this episode of the Copilot Connection, Kevin swaps out Zoe for Garry Trinder in the first of a spin-off of episodes where we dig deeper into the extensibility side of Copilot.

In this first episode, we go into an overview of the options that you have for extending Copilot. We talk cover why you would need to extend Copilot, the different ways you can do that (whether by end user, maker or specialist) and touch a little on how you can actually get started with doing it.

Is there a specific topic that you'd like to see us cover? Let us know!

Takeaways

• Extensibility in Copilot allows developers to create tailored solutions.
• Understanding AI maturity is crucial for effective implementation.
• Personalization of AI tools enhances user experience and productivity.
• Scoping and context are essential for effective use of Copilot.
• Integrating external knowledge sources can enhance AI capabilities.
• Balancing deterministic and non-deterministic approaches is key in AI applications.
• Declarative agents simplify the process of building AI solutions.
• Responsible AI practices are necessary when developing custom solutions.
• Continuous learning and adaptation are vital in the evolving AI landscape.

Related links

• Copilot extensibility learning paths
• Copilot camp - no actual camping required
• Community samples
• Pro dev community samples

Fourth of twelve mini episodes as we bring our interviews from MVP Summit.

Interviewee today - Simon Doy

Simon likes the development side of things and breaking down application barriers with Copilot. He is excited about the opportunities to bring business data and take actions with Copilot.

Listen to find out how he used Copilot to make his daughter's birthday even more special.

Simon Doy | LinkedIn
Simon Doy | MVP #Copilot (@simondoy) / X (twitter.com)

How responsible are you with AI? Zoe Wilson and Kevin McDonnell are joined this week by Chris Huntingford (Director of AI at ANS among many other things!), focusing on responsible AI practices, data management, and the socio-economic impacts of technology. We covered the importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical practices in AI implementation. The discussion also touches on the cultural shifts required for successful AI adoption, the challenges of governance in AI systems, and the future of AI agents.

We also had an amazing announcement for the Copilot Fireside Chat that you can hear at the end! Or get a sneak peak on the Fireside Chat site.

Key takeaways:

• The importance of responsible AI practices is paramount.
• Data management and compliance are critical in the AI landscape.
• Socioeconomic impacts of AI technology must be considered.
• Education and critical thinking are essential for future generations.
• Creativity should not be overshadowed by AI advancements.
• AI-generated content can lead to a decline in quality and creativity.
• Legal accountability for AI deployment is necessary.
• Individuals must advocate for ethical AI practices.
• The EU AI Act sets important standards for AI accountability.
• Community engagement is vital for responsible AI development. Transparency is crucial in AI deployment.
• Shared responsibility involves vendors, deployers, and users.
• Accountability must be established at all levels.
• Data quality directly impacts AI outcomes.
• Cultural shifts are necessary for effective AI adoption.
• Governance in AI is more important than ever.
• Organizations should focus on training rather than cutting jobs.
• AI implementation requires careful planning and testing.
• Responsible AI practices must be prioritized.
• The future of AI agents needs robust governance frameworks.

After a small pause due to travel, we are back with our thoughts from the MVP Summit without jeopardising our NDAs. As well as those thoughts, we pick up on the latest news and play a longer interview with Aaron Reich, CTO of Avanade, covering his thoughts and views on the Copilots, recorded live on the Microsoft campus. Listen to the second half of the show to hear what it means to a global, multi-national consultancy to share the value of Copilot.

News:

Advancing the new era of work with Copilot, Windows, and Surface | Microsoft 365 Blog

New Microsoft AI lead - Mustafa Suleyman, DeepMind and Inflection Co-founder, joins Microsoft to lead Copilot

Microsoft did with Inflection what they were planning for OpenAI, stated as an "unusual deal" 

Mustafa Suleyman views on AI - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5u64GZHQcAzvQgmEWiodtm

Copilot for Security GA - Microsoft Copilot for Security is generally available on April 1, 2024 | Microsoft Security Blog

Updated Copilot success kit - Copilot Success Kit – Microsoft Adoption

Answering questions with Copilot in the style of a specific person - https://x.com/aprildunnam/status/1761068171451064382?s=20

I tried with it being Terry Pratchett - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kevmcdonnell_oh-this-is-such-a-good-idea-from-april-dunnam-activity-7166906303204818944-nH8z?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

New Copilot training available - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/davidcervigonluna_m365copilot-m365training-microsoftlearn-activity-7167857418842976256-DM5Z?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

After a slightly quieter time on the podcast, Kevin and Zoe are back and we pick some of the Month of Copilot sessions to share some interesting ideas from them that will interest you.

Check out the rest of the Month of Copilot sessions in the Copilot Connection - YouTube.

Kevin mentioned Commsverse and Experts Live UK so check out the links for more info.

Finally, if you want to try out the super hero prompt that Zoe mentioned, copy the prompt below and let us know what it finds!

Look at the emails and Teams meetings that I have sent in the last 6 months. Use these messages to distill a personal brand voice document that I can use to inform copilot of my personal voice and style.

Based on the above analysis, what superhero represents my style of work best? What would my super powers be? Can you format that as a dossier for superheroes -- listing my real name, and most similar existing superhero, and include the rest of the information formatted and edited in dossier style?

We are joined by Tricia Sinclair, Microsoft MVP, CRM Tech Architect at Avanade and quiz host extraordinaire. Together, we talk about the latest news, how Copilot is changing Customer Service with Dynamics and the issues and considerations around Sustainability for Copilot and the wider Generative AI ecosystem.

M365 Copilot General Availability

 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/microsoft-365-copilot

 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/ 

 Our Copilot Demos Copilot Demos - YouTube

Announcing Microsoft Applied Skills, the new credentials to verify in-demand technical skills - Microsoft Community Hub

 https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/dynamics365/bdm/2023/10/23/modernize-customer-support-with-copilot-in-dynamics-365-customer-service/

Microsoft pushes the boundaries of small AI models | Semafor