The Copilot Connection

Send us a text 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 Key links Future of work report Tailwind news Salesforce refocussing roles Jamie Teevan's keynote at ESPC

Send us a text 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 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

Send us a text 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

Send us a text 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

Send us a text 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 Useful links Agents Introducing Knowledge Agent in SharePoint | Microsoft Community Hubhttps://demos.microsoft.com/microsoft/play/5140/knowledge-agents#/0/0Microsoft 365 Copilot: Enabling human-agent teams | Microsoft 365 BlogMoving sales, service, and finance to the Frontier with Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 BlogLicensing https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot-studio/billing-licensingGPT 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/4453349Viva Engage in Copilot Viva Engage Public Content is Now Available in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Community HubCopilot 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 BlogCopilot Memory https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/introducing-copilot-memory-a-more-productive-and-personalized-ai-

Send us a text 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 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.

Send us a text 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 Related links Copilot extensibility learning pathsCopilot campCommunity samplesPro dev community samples

Send us a text 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 | MashableMicrosoft’s LinkedIn chief is now running Office as part of an AI reorg | The VergeConferences covered: European Power Platform Conference | Austria | Jun 16-19, 2025Commsverse 2025 - The Microsoft Teams ConferenceTech Con 365 SeattleCollab Summit North AmericaESPC25 | Conference | Ireland | Dec 1-4, 2025Other ones we mentioned: Collab Days NetherlandsCollabDays Hamburg 2025CollabDays Finland 2025Experts Live UK 2025CollabDays Bletchley Park 2025South Coast SummitCheck out other conferences at Community Days. Takeaways

Send us a text 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 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

Send us a text 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 Sound Bites

Send us a text 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 Key links Gary's blogNews Introducing Researcher and Analyst in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 BlogYour AI Companion - The Official Microsoft BlogNew capabilities in Azure AI Foundry to build advanced agentic applications | Microsoft Azure BlogInterpreter in Microsoft Teams meetings - Microsoft SupportKevin's view of Interpreter AgentCopilot Studio Toolkit updates announcedmicrosoft/Power-CAT-Copilot-Studio-KitIntroduction - Model Context ProtocolAnnouncing the Agent2Agent Protocol (A2A) - Google Developers BlogHealthcare related Meet Microsoft Dragon Copilot: Your new AI assistant for clinical workflow - Microsoft Industry BlogsMicrosoft Cloud for Healthcare | Microsoft

Send us a text 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:

Send us a text 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 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

Send us a text 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 Key links Roadmap - Teams Roadmap - M365 Apps Roadmap - Extensibility Roadmap - SharePoint and Admin Roadmap - Purview

Send us a text 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 Powered by Riverside AI Mentioned links Copilot Chat https://aka.ms/copilotchathttp://aka.ms/mcscopilotchatDaniel 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

Send us a text 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 Key links Future of work report 2024GitHub Copilot free tierSimon Owen talking of CoE and C4E in his blog

Send us a text 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: Key links Microsoft Ignite 2024 Book of NewsIntroducing Microsoft Copilot actions, new agents, and tools to empower ITAzure AI Agent Service: Revolutionizing AI Agent Development and DeploymentCopilot Studio is enhancing its platform with knowledge improvements, Azure AI integration, and moreRedefine development: AI-first innovation with agents and Microsoft Copilot in Power PlatformAzure AI Agent Service: Revolutionizing AI Agent Development and DeploymentThe next wave of Azure innovation: Azure AI Foundry, intelligent data, and moreAccelerate AI adoption with next-gen security and governance capabilitieshttps://aka.ms/AAti5u5Introducing the AI-Powered Workplace: Technology solutions for flexible workhttps://aka.ms/AAthyfghttps://aka.ms/AAti5rhIntrodu

Send us a text 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 (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

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 VisionMeet the new CopilotIgnite 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

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