Category: Microsoft

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Windows at 40: Milestones that changed computing for ever

Windows at 40

It was Forty years ago (now that makes me feel. Old) that Microsoft launched Windows 1.0. This was a graphical shell that was layered over MS-DOS. Whilst it was clunky, slow, and barely usable – it created the framework and vision for what would become the Windows that has powered work and creativity for decades. 40 Years ago, was the time Back To The Future was in our Cinemas – just to put that time into perspective.

Today, Windows powers billions of devices across the globe. As it has evolved over the decades it has become more than just an operating system it has marked a place in history. From iconic cursors and start up chimes, the start menu, voice assistants and now the shift from menu and mouse driven interactions to voice and AI-driven agents. Windows has evolved through eras of innovation, fan fair releases, a few missteps, re-invention and innovation.

At Ignite this week, Microsoft has also unveiled its vision for an “agentic OS” in Windows 11 25H2 (with very mixed views) but today, here’s a look back at the milestone releases that truly changed computing. Here I dive into the history milestones as we celebrate Windows at 40!

The GUI Awakens (1985–1992)

Windows 1.0, released in 1985 – introduced the business world to the graphical user interface. Windows gave us windows, icons, mouse and pointers (the WIMP environment). It was a radical shift from command-line computing and MS-DOS, although initially Windows was essentially a shell that still run in Microsoft Disk Operating System (MSDOS).

Image (C) Wikipedia


Windows has updates over the years with Windows 2.0, 3.0 and then 3.1 and 3.11 (Windows for Workgroups). This brought mass adoption and became the stable at work. We had network printers, Program Manager, Task Manager, File Manager, and the introduction of TrueType fonts which made Windows the OS for business and publishing.

The Desktop Revolution (1995–2000)

In 1995, Microsoft released, arguably the biggest innovation to the Windows OS ever, which still is deep rooted in the Windows we know and use today. Windows 95 brought 16-bit computing, much loved Start menu, taskbar, and revolutionary hardware plug-and-play support which completely defined the modern desktop environment we know today. A year later, Microsoft Internet Explorer was released which wiped the floor with all other Internet Browers at the time and quickly wiped Netscape from existence.

We also saw the launch of the “Microsoft Network” or MSN and saw IM tools like Instant Messenger and the early modern browsers powered by those dial-up modems we all loved and hated!

Oh…and we can’t forget the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSoD)!

Security and Stability As Standard

In 2000, we saw Windows 2000 – an enterprise-grade, secure Operating System built on their Windows NT 3.51 and 4 Server Operating System. This was built on the NT (New Technology) secure kernel (rather than the underlaying MSDOS) and became the backbone for future releases of Windows.

Stability and Dominance (2001–2009)

In 2001 (with major updates in 2002), we saw the release of Windows XP which will always be remembered for the “teletubby wallpaper”.

Windows XP Desktop

Windows XP unified the consumer and business experience. It was loved for its more friendly interface, rich graphics, powered in-box apps. It was also the first version of Windows that actively supported (or tried) to support pen, ink and touch. Whilst this was probably ahead of its time, we saw a new range of touch tablets (this is pre-iPad days) with Windows XP Tablet Edition. – Check out my blog of the RM Windows XP Tablet.

Windows XP powered homes, cash point machines, hospitals, and offices for over a decade.

In 2009, Microsoft gave us Windows 7. Arguably this was the most “loved” Windows Operating System ever – according to multiple sources. It was a sleeker version of Windows XP but also very familiar, meaning adoption rocketed.

Windows 7, restored user trust after Windows Vista (a poor and rushed attempt at refreshing Windows XP which). Windows 7 was fast, stable, and became dominant in commercial, public sector and enterprise IT.

Twenty four years later – it’s still not uncommon to see the odd device, information screen etc pop up still running this OS !

The Service Update Era (2012–2015)

In 2012, along with Microsoft’s first attempt launch of Tablet and touch computing (again maybe too early), we got Windows 8 -and then Windows 8.1. This was mainly a flop with the world not being ready for such a major shift to the UI, with a bold, touch-first redesign which mirrored that of the Windows Mobile.

Microsoft (to the hate of users), removed the Start menu (which they did bring back in Windows 8.1) and introduced their Metro UI which features innovative “live tiles” and the also introduced to the app store. There was also an ARM based version of Windows 8 to run on Surface RT devices – Microsoft’s again (too early) attempt of Windows on ARM – which today is what powers many Copilot Plus PCs and many of the world’s smart phones.

Then in 2015, we got Windows 10. This was the first version of Windows that essentially didn’t have versions as Microsoft shifted to “Windows as a Service.” This gave us continuous updates, cross-device integration and an OS that supported a blend of traditional Windows 7 style and aspects of the Metro / Live Tile interface of Windows 8.

Windows 10 on Surface Pro


The AI Frontier (2021–2025)

As we existing Covid-19, Microsoft unveiled Windows 11. This was built on the reliability and stability of Windows 10, but brought a fluent design, centred taskbar, and (later) Microsoft Copilot AI integration. A modern aesthetic with AI at its core.

Image (c) Bleeping Computer

This autumn, Microsoft released Windows 11 25H2 which marks the 40th anniversary of Windows. At Ignite in November (this month at time of writing), Microsoft unveiled their vision for an agentic OS – the next evolution of Windows, where AI agents orchestrate tasks across apps and devices. This could be a bold leap into ambient computing – but again there are many that would rather Microsoft left Windows alone and left the AI stuff to optional apps.


Final Thought

Windows has always been a mirror of its time — from GUI to cloud, from mouse to touch, and now from manual to agentic.

As we celebrate 40 years, we’re not just looking back. We’re standing at the edge of a new paradigm. The next chapter isn’t about what Windows does its about infusing AI into our workflow and apps.

With the change in how people use and access their devices and role of AI in our lives, the question is – what will Windows look like at 50!

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With Security Copilot now part of Microsoft 365 E5 – what do you actually get?

At Ignite this week, Microsoft announced that Security Copilot will now be included in Microsoft 365 E5 (and E5 Security) at no additional cost. Security Copilot delivers “AI-powered, integrated, cost-effective, and extensible security capabilities” that elevate an organisations IT Security Operations or SOC’s efficiency and resilience.

So, what does it actually include and what are the catches?

1. Integrated AI-driven defense across the Microsoft stack

Security Copilot agents are natively embedded into Microsoft Defender, Entra, Intune, and Purview, which means that IT / Sec teams don’t need to juggle separate tools. This allows for a single, cohesive workflow where identity, endpoint, data, and threat protection are all reinforced by AI and can be reviewed, configured and monitored with just a prompt!

2. Autonomous and proactive protection

As part of this announcement, Microsoft has also introduced a dozen new AI agents that enable “agentic defense” — adaptive, autonomous responses to threats. Instead of just alerting, Copilot can recommend or even automate actions, helping teams stay ahead of evolving attacks or reasons for concern and to plan for action.

3. Included at no additional cost with E5

For Microsoft E5 customers, Security Copilot will now be included as part of the core entitlement.

Here’s the important part: Organisations receive 400 Security Compute Units (SCUs) per month per 1,000 users, scaling up to 10,000 SCUs/month — enough to cover (Microsoft say) most typical enterprise scenarios without extra spend.

4. Faster incident response and investigation

Copilot in Copilot Security is designed to accelerates triage, root cause analysis, and remediation by summarising complex signals into actionable insights. This can significantly reduce mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR), freeing analysts to focus on strategic threats rather than repetitive tasks.

5. Customisation and extensibility

Beyond the built-in agents, Microsoft also provides extensive developer tools and APIs so organisations can create custom agents or connect other systems securely specifically tailored to their environment. This means it is possible and configure Security Copilot to unique workflows, integrate with third-party systems, and align it with your specific compliance or operational needs.

Enablement

Depending on your organisation, you might qualify for funded workshops for awareness and enablement of Security Copilot. Speak to your Microsoft Partner to find out more.

Read more at Microsoft Learn:

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Sora-2 now in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Sora 2 - Copilot

At Ignite 2025 this month, amongst a long list of AI and Security updates, Microsoft announced that OpenAI’s Sora 2 text-to-video model is now integrated into Microsoft 365 Copilot in their Create Agent bringing AI video into enterprise productivity.

Sora 2 can make content much more realistic than the previous version of Sora and has earned both praise and criticism, since AI-generated videos are quite a debated and controversial topic. Sora 2 also supports a “cameos” feature that creates the likeness of a person that can then be placed in content – again met with mixed opinions.

Sora 2 is available today (in the US) and rolling out to other regions, for Microsoft 365 Commercial users who are part of Microsoft’s Frontier program

What’s New with Sora 2

For those not familiar with Sora 2 the integration into Microsoft 365 Copilot (at no additonal cost) beings:

  • Improved realism and physics: Videos now follow motion dynamics more closely, from gymnastics routines to buoyancy on water.
  • Longer, coherent clips: Open AI’s Sora 2 can generate richer, more sustained video sequences than its predecessor.
  • Cameos feature: Users can insert likenesses (with consent) into videos, opening up new possibilities for training and storytelling.
  • Enterprise integration: Within Copilot’s Create experience, commercial users in the Frontier program can generate short clips, add voiceovers, music, and brand kit elements for consistency.

Whilst this may still feel like novality, it shows how far this is coming on and unleases new levels of quality allowing creators and marketiers to embedding video creation into the same environment where organisations already manage documents, presentations, and collaboration.

How to Access Sora-2 in Copilot

Users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license can create video project with Copilot (powered by the Sora-2). It can be used for video and voiceovers, leverage your organisation brand kit and then be editied to add music, and include other visual elements using ClipChamp.

Note: Today, your oganisation must be enrolled in the Copilot Frontier (early adopter programme)

Why It Matters for Microsoft 365 Customers

Microsoft positions Copilot as a multimodal hub, combining text, images, documents, audio, and now realistic video. For enterprises, this means:

  • Marketing teams can rapidly prototype campaign assets.
  • HR and L&D can produce onboarding explainers without outsourcing.
  • Anyone can create and enrich presentations with dynamic video narratives.

Since all this happens inside Microsoft 365, identity, compliance, and governance frameworks apply. That’s a major differentiator compared to consumer-first AI video tools and helps business further enable this level of creativity within risking corporate data leakage.

Video also coming to Copilot Notebooks

Along side this new feature, Microsoft are also bringing video into Copilot Notebooks. ALong with the already available audio podcast feature, Copilot Notebooks can now create enhances overview pages, proactive topic suggestions, and …wait for it, audio and video summaries and podcasts.

What’s Next?

Sora 2 in Copilot is more than a feature—it’s a signal of where enterprise communication is heading. Video will sit alongside slides, spreadsheets, and documents as a default medium. The organisations that thrive will be those that treat AI video not as a gimmick, but as a strategic lever for clarity, engagement, and impact.

Read Microsoft’s Official Post here:
Available today: OpenAI’s Sora 2 in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Community Hub

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Windows 365: What, Where and Why?

As Windows 365 settles well into its forth year, there have been huge advancements in capability, connection methods, endpoint innovation, and licensing options – with even more expected as Microsoft Ignite approaches next week

In my role, I spend a lot of time talking with clients about Modern Work solutions and where Windows 365 fits within their organisation: how it can be adopted and leveraged for simplicity, security, governance, access & management, contractors, and frontline staff.

This blog walks through many of these themes in my own way, reflecting how we often describe them to clients when shaping strategy and deployment. 

So, what is Windows 365? Windows 365 is a cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) that provides a new type of dedicated Windows virtual machine (Cloud PCs) for your end users. The Cloud PC lets users access their Windows desktop from various devices, including Windows, Web, iOS, and Android etc.

Ways to Connect to Windows 365

Microsoft now highlights three/four primary ways to connect to a Windows 365 Cloud PC: 

  • Via Web Browser (at https://windows365.microsoft.com) 
    • The fastest way to access and deploy, no installation required (and no plug-ins). 
    • Ideal for occasional access or unmanaged devices and even on home TV.
    • Works across platforms (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux) with no apps needed.
  • Remote Desktop App  (being deprecated)
    • Full-featured experience with richer integration. 
    • Supports multiple monitors, device redirection, and local resource access. 
    • Best suited for power users who need a seamless desktop feel. 
  • Windows App
    • Unified app for both Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. 
    • Modern interface, simplified management. 
    • Designed for organisations standardising on Microsoft’s evolving app ecosystem. 
  • Windows 365 Link 
    • Microsoft first purpose-built Cloud PC device. 
    • Boots directly to Windows 365 in seconds, with dual 4K monitor support and optimised video conferencing. 
    • Runs a locked-down OS withno local data, apps, or admin rights, reducing attack surface. 
    • Managed via Intune and Entra, with flexible deployment models (IT-driven or user-driven

Each method balances simplicity, performance, and integration differently. The right choice depends on your team’s workflows, devices, and IT governance model. Of course in some situations a mix may be used as per my use example below.

Key Use Cases and Scenarios

  • Contractors or Temporary Staff → Browser access for quick onboarding/offboarding. 
  • Field Workers and Mobile Teams → Remote Desktop app for resilience and performance. 
  • Developers and Power Users :Windows App or Remote Desktop for multi-monitor and GPU acceleration. 
  • Highly Regulated Industries :Browser or Windows 365 Link for locked-down compliance. 
  • Shared Workspaces and Hot‑desking: Windows 365 Link for instant sign‑in and simplified IT. 
  • IT Modernisation Projects: Windows App and Windows 365 Link for different and future‑proof endpoint strategy. 

Cost Optimisation for Frontline and Part‑Time Users

Licensing is just as important as the connection method. Here are ways to reduce costs without compromising experience: 

  • Windows 365 Frontline 
    • Tailored for shift workers, seasonal staff, and part‑time employees. 
    • Licenses are pooled—multiple users can share Cloud PCs across shifts. 
    • Automatic sign‑out ensures Cloud PCs aren’t left idle. 
    • Currently available with a 20% discount for new customers. 
  • Blended Licensing Strategy 
    • Use Enterprise licenses for full‑time staff needing persistent access. 
    • Use Frontline licenses for part‑time or occasional users. 
    • This mix maximises ROI and avoids over‑provisioning. 
  • Bring Your Own PC (BYOPC) 
    • Employees connect securely from their own devices. 
    • Reduces hardware spend—Forrester estimates ~$750 saved per contractor. 
  • Shared Cloud PCs 
    • Provision temporary desktops for contractors or seasonal staff. 
    • Can avoids the cost of dedicated, always‑on Cloud PCs. 
  • Flexible Provisioning 
    • Scale Cloud PCs up or down based on demand (e.g., retail peaks, healthcare shifts). 
    • Prevents wasted spend during quiet periods (remove license or scale down).

Let’s talk ROI….

A common question is naturally, “how can Windows 365 can offer better lower cost of ownership than a PC bearing in mind a device of some sort is needed to access Windows 365 from in the first place”.

So, and again this depends on the scenario, when you look at a 4‑year device lifecycle, Windows 365 can deliver a lower total cost of ownership than a traditional PC – especially in BYOPC or contractor scenarios. Even when the costs are similar, the added benefits in security, agility, and simplified IT management make the Cloud PC model more compelling. For frontline or part‑time staff, the savings are even greater thanks to pooled licensing.

The Forrester report (below) goes into this in more detail.

Strategic Considerations

Beyond user scenarios, IT leaders should weigh: 

  • Security posture: Browser and Link minimise local footprint, while apps offer richer policy enforcement. 
  • Device diversity: Mixed estates (BYOD, macOS, Linux) lean toward browser; standardised estates benefit from apps or Link. 
  • Future roadmap: The Windows App and Windows 365 Link are evolving rapidly—early adoption may simplify long-term management. 
  • Cost efficiency: Frontline licensing and BYOPC strategies can significantly reduce TCO. 

Sources

There are a bunch of great Microsoft and tech community sites that talk about these things in more detail.. I’ve included the URLs below as these go deep into many areas I have covered above.

Windows 365 – How to Choose the Best Connection Method for Your Team 

Windows 365 Link — The First Cloud PC Device 

Windows 365 Link – Deployment Planning, Setup and Enrollment 
   
Windows 365 Documentation (Microsoft Learn) 

Windows 365 Frontline (Official Microsoft Page) 

Forrester TEI Study — The Total Economic Impact of Windows 365 

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AI Explained: 9 Key Concepts You Need to Know in 2025

Artificial intelligence, whilst a phrase used in most of our daily lives, can feel huge, strange, unknown, scary, exciting and sometimes even intimidating. In this post I decided I would strip back the noise and waffle and share nine crisp, usable concepts. I’ve aimed to provide clarity over jargon and give some practical examples over theory.

Before I start, many and to put into familiar brands, here are a few AI tools and brands you will of already know or at least of have heard of:

1. Common AI Tools to know about

  • ChatGPT – What really started the world of “publicly accessible” Generative AI Chat Bots. ChatGPT (version 5 is the current) is a conversational AI that generates text, pictures, and even video. It can answer questions and help with creative writing. It’s a clear example of generative AI in action, showing how large language models can produce human‑like responses. Free and Paid versions.
  • Copilot (Microsoft) – leverages many different AI models including ChatGPT, Microsoft’s own and others, can do very what ChatGPT can do, but is also integrated across line of business apps and data like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Windows. Copilot acts as an AI agent that helps you create, draft, analyse, and even automate tasks. It’s a practical demonstration of how AI agents and retrieval techniques can boost productivity. Free tier (ChatGPT Pro equivalent) and Premium for Consumer/Family. Microsoft 365 Copilot for Business use.
  • Google Gemini – Google’s AI assistant that blends search with generative capabilities, pulling in live information to give context‑aware answers. Free and Paid tiers.
  • GitHub Copilot – A developer‑focused AI that suggests code snippets and functions in real time. It shows how reasoning models and pattern recognition can accelerate software development.
  • MidJourney / DALL·E – Image generation tools that turn text prompts into visuals. These highlight the creative side of AI, where models learn patterns from vast datasets and apply them to new artistic outputs.
  • Perplexity – Great for research including financial data and educational content. Has free and paid versions.
  • Siri / Alexa – typically home style voice assistants that act as simpler AI agents, interpreting commands and connecting to external systems like calendars, music apps, or smart home devices. Great for simple tasks like “what is weather like today” and for linking to smart home devices – “Alexa, turn on the porch light“.

If you are just starting (or are a beginner), the easiest way to decide which AI tool to use is to match the tool to the problem you’re trying to solve. If you need help writing or brainstorming, generative text tools like ChatGPT or Copilot in Word are ideal. If you’re working with numbers or data, Copilot in Excel can analyse and visualise patterns for you. For deeply creative projects, image generators like MidJourney or DALL·E turn ideas into visuals, while GitHub Copilot accelerates coding tasks. The key is not to chase every shiny new AI release, but to ask: what am I trying to achieve, and which tool is designed for that job? If you are starting out, start small, experiment with one or two tools in their daily workflow, and build confidence before expanding into more advanced applications.

Which AI in 5: Pick the AI tool that fits your task- writing, data, images, or code—and grow from there.

2. What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not really a product though word bingo might have people say ChatGPT or Copilot (at work), but it is far more than that! AI is a broad field of computer science focused on creating systems that can perform tasks which normally require human intelligence. These tasks include many things such as recognising speech, interpreting and understanding images and videos, making decisions, and even generating creative content such as music, videos and images. As of 2025, AI is already embedded in many aspects of our everyday lives – in work and in personal life – from recommendation engines on Netflix to fraud detection in banking, to summarising meetings at work.

At its core, AI combines data, algorithms, and computing power to simulate aspects of human cognition, but it does so at a scale and speed that humans could never achieve.

AI in 5: AI is machines learning, reasoning, and acting like humans.

3. AI Agents

Right, so an AI Agent is a system designed to act autonomously in pursuit of a goal. Unlike traditional software that follows rigid instructions, agents can perceive their environment, make decisions, and take actions with or without constant human input.

For example, a customer service chatbot is an agent that listens to queries, interprets intent, and responds appropriately. More advanced agents can coordinate multiple tasks, such as scheduling meetings, analysing reports, or even controlling robots in manufacturing.

The key is autonomy: agents don’t just follow orders—they adapt to changing conditions.

AI Agents in 5: AI agents are digital helpers that think and act for you.

4. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)

RAG is a technique that makes AI more reliable by combining generative models (or sub models) with external knowledge sources such as the Web or date from corporate SharePoint sites, email etc.

Instead of relying solely on what the AI model was trained on (which may be outdated or incomplete), RAG can retrieves relevant documents or data in (near) real time and integrates them into its response.

This is especially powerful in business contexts, where accuracy and timeliness are critical – for example, pulling the latest compliance rules or product specifications from an application or data repository, before answering a query. RAG bridges the gap between static training data and dynamic, real-world knowledge.

RAG in 5: RAG = AI that looks things up from multiple sources before answering.

5. Explainable AI (XAI)

One of the biggest challenges with AI is the “black box” problem. What I mean by that is that often do not know how AI arrived at its decisions or answer when instructed.

Explainable AI addresses this by making the reasoning process transparent and understandable to humans. For instance, if an AI is being used by a bank to determine if a customer should/can get a loan or not and that AI  model rejects the loan application, XAI will highlight / explain the factors such as credit history or income that influenced the decision.

In essence this is about seeing it’s workings out. If you have used Microsofts Researcher or Analyst agent at work, you will see some of this as it does its work.

This transparency is vital in ensuring we can trust AI and is required in regulated industries like healthcare, finance, and law, where accountability and fairness are non-negotiable.

By opening this black box, XAI builds trust and ensures AI is used responsibly.

XAI in 5: XAI shows you why the AI answers the way it did, what information it used and how it made its choice.

6. Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI)

While today’s AI is powerful, it is still considered “narrow AI” – specialised in specific tasks despite the advances we see every week.

Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) is a (some say) theoretical future state where machines surpass human intelligence across every domain, from scientific discovery to emotional understanding.

Many might be thinking “The Terminator” here but in reality it is more than conceivable given the current pace of evolution that ASI could in design new technologies, solve global challenges, or even “create” beyond human imagination.

This naturally raises profound ethical and safety concerns: how do we ensure such intelligence aligns with human values and what happens if ASI becomes smarter than the humans that created it?

ASI remains speculative and there are many opinions and research on the matter, but today it is a concept that drives much of the debate around the long-term future of AI.

ASI in 5: ASI is the idea of AI being smarter than all humans in every way.

7. Reasoning Models

Traditional AI models excel at recognising patterns, but they often struggle with multi-step logic.

Reasoning models are designed to overcome this by simulating structured, logical thought processes. They can break down complex problems into smaller steps, evaluate different pathways, and arrive at conclusions in a way that mirrors human reasoning.

This makes them especially useful in domains like legal analysis, financial analysis, scientific research, or strategic planning, where answers are notjust about recognising patterns and finding information but about weighing evidence and making defensible decisions in a way similar to how we as humans might undertake such work.

Reasoning Models in 5: Reasoning models let AI think step by step like us.

8. Vector Databases

AI systems need efficient ways to store and retrieve information, and that’s where vector databases come in.

Unlike traditional databases that store data in rows and columns, vector databases store information as mathematical vectors – dense numerical representations that capture meaning and relationships.

This allows AI to perform semantic searches, finding results based on similarity of meaning rather than exact keywords. For example, if you search for “holiday by the sea,” a vector database could also return results for “beach vacation” because it understands the conceptual link.

Vector Databases in 5: Vector databases help AI find meaning, not just words.

9. Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Finally, MCP is a framework that helps AI agents connect seamlessly with external systems, APIs, and data sources. Instead of being limited to their own training data, agents using MCP can pull in live information, interact with business tools, and execute workflows across platforms. For example, an MCP-enabled agent could retrieve customer records from a CRM, analyse them, and then trigger a follow-up email campaign—all without human intervention.

MCP makes AI more versatile and practical in enterprise environments.

MCP in 5 : MCP is the bridge that connects AI to other tools.

What next and Getting Started

AI is not a single technology but a constellation of concepts – agents, RAG, XAI, ASI, reasoning models, vector databases, and MCP – that together define its capabilities and potential. Understanding these terms helps demystify AI and highlights both its current applications and future possibilities.

As AI continues to evolve, these building blocks will shape how businesses, governments, and individuals harness its power responsibly.

AI is a toolkit of ideas working together to change the world. When we look at what tool to use when, in reality there is not one better than the other it’s more about context of use, the platform you use it on, what your work provides, what you get included in your other software (for example Copilot in Windows, Office apps etc) and what task you are performing. Some AI’s are better at images, some at research and some at writing and analysis.

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Windows 11 bringing new “Ask Copilot” to the taskbar

Image Describing Windows 11 updates

Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta channels can start testing a new Copilot search experience which is available through the Windows Search bar.

To get started go to Settings > Personalisation > Taskbar > Ask Copilot to enable the experience. You can also manage whether the Copilot app launches automatically at sign-in using the “Auto start on log in” toggle in the Copilot app settings.

This is an opt-in experience, but once enabled gives you one-click access to Copilot Vision and Voice, so you can use what ever interaction style works best for –  text, voice, or guided support with Copilot Vision.

As you type, results appear and are updated instantly, making it easier than ever to find what you are looking for.

New Copilot experience in Windows Toolbar/Search
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No Agenda? No Excuse. Copilot can now help with agenda creation.

Let’s talk about one of my biggest pet peeves: the agenda-less meeting invite.

You know the type. A calendar ping lands in your inbox with a vague title like “Catch-up” or “Project Sync,” zero context, and no prep materials. You’re left guessing: Is this strategic? Tactical? A therapy session? Should I bring data, decisions, or just make a coffee, sit back and relax!?

In a world where time is our most precious resource, this kind of ambiguity isn’t just annoying – it’s inefficient. And now, there’s no excuse for it.

Copilot: Your Agenda Architect

Microsoft Copilot has quietly transformed how we prepare for meetings. It doesn’t just help – it proactively builds structure into your invites.

Copilot Agenda Assistant 🫡

Here’s how it works:

🧠 Context-aware agendas: When you create a meeting in Outlook, Copilot can draft an agenda based on the meeting title, attendees, and your input. It pulls from your Microsoft 365 work graph – emails, chats, previous meetings — to suggest relevant topics.

✍️ Editable and iterative: You’re not stuck with the first draft. You can tweak, refine, or ask Copilot to revise it until it reflects exactly what you need.

🔍 Pre-reads and prep prompts: Copilot now surfaces key insights directly in the meeting form. It can help you locate pre-reads, clarify the meeting’s intended outcome, and even suggest follow-up questions.

👥 Supports all meeting types: Whether it’s a 1:1, a team sync, or a cross-functional war room, Copilot’s meeting prep experience adapts accordingly.

Why This Matters.

We have a been sent meetings with nothing but a title. We’ve all sat through these types of meetings that felt like a waste of time. The truth is, most meetings aren’t inherently bad – they’re just underprepared. Even if someone has called you or IM’d you about it and sent a meeting a day later, a clear agenda is still important, sets expectations, aligns participants, and drives outcomes. It’s the difference between a productive sprint and a meandering chat.

Plus…. With AI tools like Facilitator which can help you manage the in meeting experience, agendas also help here too!

So next time you send a meeting invite, let Copilot help you do it properly. Because in 2025, “no agenda” isn’t just a faux pas — it’s a missed opportunity.

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Microsoft “App Builder” & “Workflow” Agents

Microsoft is expanding its Copilot Frontier Programme with two powerful new agents. These are the App Builder and Workflows Agents.

These put “app creation” and automation directly into the hands of everyday users, with zero coding needed just an idea and an ask. These new agents are designed to further democratise innovation across every person in every organisations, making it possible to build “apps” and streamline processes using nothing more than natural language.

They are rolling out in the US now and will come to UK, Canada and the other regions over the next week or so.

I’ll add a demo to this blog soon!

What are the App Builder and Workflows Agents?

Firstly, these are new, in preview for Frontier (early adopters) and may change. They are not designed to replace Power Apps or Copilot Studio but more about adding value to info workers and non developers. Here is the new agents, which you can get by going to the main Copilot page, agents and get more agents.

App Builder: A no-code agent that enables anyone to design and deploy lightweight apps in minutes. It can generate a Microsoft Lists backend if needed and is grounded in Microsoft 365 content like Word, Excel, and Teams.  These are not full blown apps that can hook into enterprise data or anything but create simple to use, functional and simple agents for things like data input, collection and look up.

Image (c) Microsoft

Workflows: An automation agent that turns everyday requests into flows across Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Planner, and more – without needing Power Automate expertise. Again these are quite simple, but great for simple automation needs when you know what you want to do but don’t have time or want to learn / use Power Automate.

Image (c) Microsoft

Both these new agents are integrated into the Copilot Studio lite experience, ensuring they inherit Microsoft 365’s enterprise-grade security, compliance, and governance. 

How Do They Work?

These agents work like other agents but are specific functional agents. They work by:

  • Using Natural Language Prompts: users can simply describe what they need. For example “Build me a dashboard to track campaign milestones” or “Send a Teams reminder every Friday at 3pm” – and Copilot translates that into a working app or automated flow. 
  • Multi-turn Editing: Once the agent is created it can be modified, updated, refined with additional interactions without having to starting from scratch. 
  • Ensuring Seamless Integration: Outputs are instantly shareable, just like a document link, and respect existing permissions and governance.

These agents lower the barrier to innovation and help spur on what is possible. Instead of relying on IT or developers, any employee can now build tools that fit their needs whether that’s a lightweight app for tracking, or a workflow that eliminates repetitive admin. Since they are built into Microsoft 365, they inherit the same security, compliance, and governance as the rest of the platform. 

App Builder Use examples

  • Create a product launch dashboard to track milestones and assign tasks. 
  • Build a calculator app for quick cost estimates, grounded in Excel data. 
  • Generate interactive lists for project tracking, with Microsoft Lists as the backend.

Workflows agent use examples

  • Automate weekly Teams updates with deadlines pulled from Planner. 
  • Set up email reminders for approval deadlines. 
  • Manage calendar scheduling by automatically blocking time for recurring tasks. 

Current Limitations

  • Frontier Programme Only: Currently limited to participants in the Copilot Frontier Programme and need to be “deployed by IT admin” initially
  • Language Support: Available in English only. 
  • Controls: Access depends on Microsoft 365 app store settings and admin policies. 
  • Governance & Permissions: Agents respect existing role-based access controls. 
  • Scope: Aimed at designing lightweight apps and workflows; complex scenarios will still require Copilot Studio or Power Platform. 
  • Performance Throttling: Heavy usage may trigger throttling.  


Deploying the App Agent and Workflow Agent

These new agents are currently only available for organisations enrolled in the Copilot “Frontier Programme”.To access the agent, you need to go to the M365 Copilot app (or https://m365.cloud.microsoft/chat) and go to Agents. From there you should be able to see the new Agents as shown below.

NOTE: If you can’t see these new agents, you’ll need to chat to your friendly IT team as they may need to enable / deploy these agents whilst they are still in preview state. Again these are only available for organisations enrolled in the Copilot “Frontier Programme”.

Final Thoughts

The App Builder and Workflows agents represents another step forward in Microsoft’s vision of empowering everyone to innovate with AI.

Whilst these agents are far from a replacement for full-scale development or automation platforms, they provide a fast, accessible way to solve everyday problems. For organisations in the Copilot Frontier Programme, these agents are a glimpse into a future where building apps and automations is as easy as describing what you want.

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Teams Mode for Microsoft 365 Copilot is here.

Microsoft Teams continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Known as “Teams Mode for Microsoft 365 Copilot” this essentially means Copilot is coming to Teams Group Chats as a participant in Teams Chat and Channels. This is an example of how quickly new features are landing, and why organisations need to stay on top of change management and user awareness.

This latest feature is rolling out to Frontier firms (early adopters) now and to everyone else over the next month or so.  

Teams Mode:Copilot in Group Chats

Copilot has been available in Teams for a while, but it’s now becoming a member of the chat space itself.

Since most conversations with Copilot happen in a “private, one-on-one setting”, this new feature let’s members of the chat have Copilot inside that chat instance, meaning it can chat and engage in a group setting rather than just one on one.

Note: you need to @ mention Copilot to add it to a chat, you cannot currently add it to the chat roster during chat creation.

Adding “Copilot” to a Teams Group or Meeting chat

When you add Copilot into a chat, you empower it to take care of tasks such as:

  • Summarise past discussions so no one has to repeat themselves. 
  • Highlight decisions made and owners of tasks. 
  • Help new chat or team members get up to speed in seconds. 
  • Act as a knowledge anchor so people don’t have to chase information.

Instead of asking colleagues “where are we with the transfers”, you can now simply ask Copilot directly from the chat

“@Copilot give me an exec summary of where are we with the transfers?”,  to get a clear, actionable answer instantly from Copilot, based on the threads, chats and files in the chat.

The Pace of Tech Change

These latest features show how fast the products we use every day are evolving and being updated. With changes happening across most apps we use every day, it also creates challenges and well as new ways to work.

  • Awareness: Many users don’t even know these features exist. 
  • Adoption: Without guidance, people fall back to old habits. 
  • Consistency: Teams only works well when everyone uses it in the same way and knows how to use all the features well.
  • Confidence: investing in change management and proper training helps users feel confident in using the tools and help prevent shadow IT

This is where change management and ongoing training become critical. It’s not enough to roll out Teams once and assume people will adapt. Organisations need to: 

  • Build awareness campaigns around new features.
  • Provide bite-sized training and “what’s new” updates.
  • Encourage champions to model best practices. 
  • Treat Teams as a living platform, not a one-off deployment. 

Final Thoughts

Copilot in Group Chat is just of the new features coming to Teams this month. But this is not just about new features . This is part of a bigger story about how AI and collaboration tools are being fused together and reshaping teamwork and become one. The organisations and teams that thrive will be the ones that embrace the pace of change, invest in continuous learning, and help their people get the most out of these tools. 

This is less about updates to the  productivity tools we use as change and feature updates will continue to come thick and fast. Change Management is about ensuring you maximise your tech investment, reduce shadow IT and building confidence in the use of the tools you deploy and make available to people to empower them to get things done quicker, faster or better!

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Microsoft introduces Mico – Copilot’s new face and voice

In a live YouTube stream on 24th October, Microsoft unveiled a wave of new consumer features for Copilot (dubbed fall update) – headlined by the official debut of Mico, a new visual character (avatar) designed to give Copilot a voice (and face).

Mico has been in testing for a while, but from today it’s rolling out (USA first) by default in voice interactions. If you prefer the simpler “bouncing orb” interface, you’ll still have the option to switch it off.

The update today also unveiled updates to Copilot Voice including a feature called “real talk,” which is designed to allow Copilot to push back and challenge assumptions made by the humans interacting with it. This is a first on the market for AI chat. This is designed to ensure Copilot remains accurate rather than just trying to please it’s human counterpart.

First Clippy & Cortana, now Mico

It’s impossible not to draw comparisons here. Clippy – now more than 30 years old – is still remembered (fondly or otherwise) as Microsoft’s first attempt at a digital assistant with personality which lived inside Office. Then we had Cortana, which launched with Windows 10 (and for a short time was poised to compete with Amazon Alexa and even had its own “inkoke” speakers. Cortana promised much but never really landed with consumers users, eventually being retired from Windows 10 and 11 just a couple of years back!

Copilot of course has been around for a couple of years now, in a consumer based version and also an enterprise version known as Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot has also had a “voice” for a while but now with Mica it is getting a lot more natural and is also betting a face too, after a few months of testing with Insiders.

Does AI need a voice and a face?

So why is Mico is becoming the face of Copilot? The way it is explained and was showcased today promised a different approach to what we have seen before. There is some physc behind it too in that humans are far more. Likely to engage with something artificial if it appears to us in a way we can be familiar and where expressions can come across in voice voice tone and facial expression.

Mica is about giving Copilot an Identity…

Of course Copilot is true AI (very different to the earlier assistants that were were more trigger based).

Back in July, Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman hinted that Copilot would evolve into something with a “permanent identity… a presence… a room that it lives in… and it will age.” Mico is the first visible step in that direction. 

One of the other things that starts to bring these assistants more to life is memory. Memory allows Copilot to recall facts about us, what we do, where we work and our preferences to how it responds. It can then adapts and that makes it more contextual, more personal, and (hopefully) more useful and that’s where the Mico face (which will also adapt) comes in….

This optional visual presence listens, reacts, and even changes colors to reflect your interactions, making voice conversations feel more natural. Mico shows support through animation and expressions, creating a friendly and engaging experience.

Microsoft

Mica is in essence the personality and personalisation that makes Copilot yours and not just “the same” as the other assistants!

Mica can chat to your friends too..

On of the other annoucements yesterday was group chat mode. Yes…

Called Copilot Groups, you can now invite your friends, family etc to join a Copilot chat too. This means you can be planning a trip then invite others to join the chat with Mica in this mix too. All chatting together with Mica about your trip..

Copilot Group Chat

You can take any chat and share it via a link, email, what’s app, Insta, Snapchat.

To conclude

These new things are not just about features, they are about about brand and identity. Microsoft wants Copilot to feel like a companion, not just a AI chatbot.

Mica is a bold move in an attempt to really make Copilot more human and personal. Copilot is very capable and AI is advancing quickly. The main challenge Microsoft faces is the same as they always do… Getting Copilot / Mica into the hands of consumers and to drive adoption and awareness

Enterprise / commercial users know Copilot but many consumers, teenagers and adults not in tech don’t… They flock to ChatGPT when they could get far far far more value with Copilot.. They just don’t know it!

Q&A

  • I heard Mico can look like Clippy?
    It can, tap Mico repeatedly and you’ll unlock a nostalgic surprise – Clippy, the iconic (and occasionally cheeky) paperclip assistant from Microsoft Office’s past, makes a cameo appearance.
  • What’s Copilot Group Chat all about?
    Copilot now supports real-time group chats with up to 32 participants. It can summarise conversations, suggest options and add up votes, split tasks and track decisions which is good for group chats or classroom work or projects with bigger groups. 
  • What does “Real Talk” mode do? “Real Talk” is Copilot’s honesty engine. When enabled, it gently challenges misinformation or flawed assumptions during chats – especially useful in sensitive or personal discussions. It’s designed to keep conversations grounded, respectful, and genuinely helpful.
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MAKING EVERY WINDOWS PC AN AI PC

On October 14th 2025, Windows 10 officially reached end of support. If you still have a PC/Laptop running Windows 10, it will not suddenly stop working – but unless you have enabled (consumer) or purchased (commercial) extended security updates, there will be no more security updates, no more feature improvements, and no AI innovation.

If your device can support Windows 11, then now is the time to upgrade – after all Windows 10 is more than 10 year olds. That’s like choosing to stick to Apple iOS 9!!!

If your device is too old, or doesnt meet the requirements to run Windows 10, then see this as an opportunity to move forward into the AI revolution of Copilot+ (AI) PCs and Windows 11 25H2.   Its a big change for good and there’s so much more coming. With Windows 11 and Copilot+PCs from Microsoft, Dell, HP, Lenovo etc, every PC becomes an AI PC, ready to embrace the next evolution of IT and computing.

WHY BUY A NEW COPILOT+PC?

Investing in a new Windows 11 PC doesn’t just mean staying secure and compliant and adopting a new Start Menu interface. Think of it like the investment you make in a new phone, TV or other tech appliance. be excited, embrace the new features and I promise you won’t look back…

The changes are huge, 10 years of new innovation in the OS level (Windows 11 is already 5 years mature) and in hardware – which has advanced a long long way in 10 years (as I am sure your phone has!)

WINDOWS 11 ON COPILOT+PC BRINGS AI FRONT AND CENTRE

Fact – Windows 11 devices are signifantly faster, more secure, and designed for the future of how we work, play, create and consume content.

Windows 10 was created way before the World of Generative AI tools was even comprehended. OK – we had early versions of Alexa, Siri and we’d experienced Cortana when Windows 10 came to market…but nothing like the rapid world of Generative AI we find ourselves immersed in today – with tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot, and AI “baked” into almost every app or service we consume. Like it or not, we are in the age of AI – and it’s advancing quickly!

Windows 11 is at the forefront of the new era of computing where AI is built into the Operating System (and not layered on). With Windows 11, AI is being infused deeper and deeper, securley into the OS. Context aware, application aware, personalised, secure and ready to help (or not if you choose), right out of the box. Unlike some of the other free products out there, Microsoft runs and adheres to trust and privacy and user choice. As the user you control what Copilot can do, see, interact and work.

With Copilot in Windows, every device is an AI PC . Any new device you buy today, whether Surface, Dell, Lenovo or your other choice (I choose Surface everytime), you get a plethora of new experiences powered by Windows 11, and a mix of local and cloud-based AI models, including:

NATURAL INTERACTION

With Copilot, you can talk or type. Not only does your device understands you, it understands your context, is truly conversational, can work “with” your applications (Copilot Vision) and help with research, creation and far more. You can “invoke” Copilot with the Copilot key or by saying “hey Copilot”. This opens up Copilot in Windows.

Copilot in Windows 11 – invoke from “Hey Copilot” or the Copilot key.

COPILOT VISION

This is clever, but a real game changer once you start to use it. With Copilot Vision, you can allow (user choice always) Copilot to see you screen, browser tab or application and then work with Copilot in many ways as a companion or tech friend! It can help you edit a photo, give feedback on a presentation or email, assist you use an application all in real time with real context. In the example below, I am using Copilot Vision to help me understand how to add a chart to a spreadsheet. You can see how Copilot understands the app I am in, knows how to use it and guides me side by side – pretty awesome!

COPILOT ACTIONS

Another one that take a bit of time to get your head round, but once you do …. “wow“. With Copilot Actions, (which is in preview now so will only get better), Copilot can take control of your device (or app) and take action on your behalf. It can open files, search the web and even (with permission) book hotels, restaurants and extracting data from one document to another. Give this a try – it’s awesome (you need to do this from https://copilot.microsoft.com.)

OPERATING SYSTEM INTEGRATION

Copilot is now deeply integrated into Windows, Office apps and everywhere you choose to use it. The latest Windows 11 25H2 insider update sees Copilot now part of the taskbar experience, Windows Settings, and File Explorer. You can invove it with a voice command, press of the Copilot Key or traditional opening of the app. You can ask Copilot to help with things like “make my screen easier to read” or “turn on focus mode” or “change my screen orientation” and it will guide you directly to the right settings. 

COPILOT HELPS GAMERS

For PC Gamers (and also coming soon to Xbox), Copilot can run along side your game, offering tips, recommendations, and insights without leaving your game. 

You can see with the examples above, as Windows 11 development continues, as AI tools mature and with more AI ready PCs hit the market, AI is being woven into the very fabric of Windows OS.

MAKE SURE YOUR NEW PC IS A COPILOT+PC

What makes a Copilot+ PC different isn’t just the badge on the box, its the significant change in PC design that Windows 11 and Copilot can enable and leverage to take advantage of this new wave of technology shift. Powered by the AI’s brain – the dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) inside every Copilot+ PC.

WHAT THE NPU IN YOUR COPILOT+ PC CAN DO

The NPU in your new Copilot+ PC means your device can not only run cloud based AI tools, but can also run AI models locally.

You might ask why? Well, today, this translates into faster, more private experiences like live captions (for any audio or video playback), the best quality background noise removal, and image editing that happens instantly on your device.

This is just the start though. Copilot+ PCs enable the “what is coming next”. We are seeing increasingly powerful local AI models that will run directly on your device, tailored to your data, your workflows, the application and your preferences without needing to be online, without the need for an “AI subscription” and without worrying about privacy and data sharing.

As the software and local models develop, the near future with Copilot +PCs will bring a future where your Windows 11 device can summarise a day’s worth of meetings, generate creative assets, or even coach you through a presentation – all without sending sensitive information anywhere or while you are offline. This is what the NPU and why Copilot+ PCs matters. This is the infrastructure for the future of personal, school, and work computing. It will innovate and transform just like the Internet did (and has). It is not just about what AI can do today, but about have a device that supports the foundation for the next decade of computing. We are entering the age of AI and more importantly AI at the Edge.

AI AT THE EDGE AND WHY IT MATTERS

This is where things get really exciting—because the shift to local AI isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a fundamental change in how both businesses and consumers will use PCs. 

EDGE AI FOR BUSINESS

  • Data sovereignty & compliance: Running AI models locally means sensitive data never has to leave the device. That’s a huge win for industries like finance, healthcare, and government, where compliance and privacy are non‑negotiable. 
  • Performance at the edge: Instead of waiting for cloud round‑trips, AI workloads can be processed instantly on the device. Think real‑time transcription in meetings, instant document summarisation, or on‑the‑fly image generation—all without latency. 
  • Cost efficiency: Cloud AI is powerful, but it’s also expensive at scale. Local AI shifts some of that compute to the endpoint, reducing dependency on cloud cycles and helping organisations balance cost with capability. 
  • Customisation: Businesses will be able to deploy domain‑specific models tuned to their workflows—legal, medical, engineering—directly onto devices, creating a new layer of productivity that’s both personal and enterprise‑ready. 

EDGE AI FOR CONSUMERS

  • Privacy by default: Your personal notes, photos, and conversations can be processed locally, without being uploaded. That builds trust and makes AI feel less intrusive. 
  • Always‑on intelligence: With NPUs sipping power, AI features like live captions, translation, or accessibility tools can run continuously without draining battery. 
  • Personalised experiences: Local models can adapt to your habits—how you write, what you search for, how you game—without needing to share that data externally. 
  • Offline capability: Imagine Copilot summarising a PDF on a flight, or generating a study guide for your child without an internet connection. That’s the kind of resilience local AI unlocks. 

LOOKING AHEAD

The future of AI PCs is about hybrid intelligence: the best of local and cloud working together. Local NPUs will handle everyday, personal, and privacy‑sensitive tasks, while the cloud will still power massive, general‑purpose models when needed. Over time, we’ll see: 

  • Smaller, more efficient models designed to run entirely on‑device. 
  • App ecosystems that treat the NPU as a key part of the chipset – with AI‑powered creativity, productivity, and accessibility tools baked in. 
  • Consumer‑grade AI assistants that feel more personal, because they’re trained on your device context, not just the cloud. 
  • Enterprise‑ready AI platforms where every employee has a secure, AI‑enabled partner at their fingertips with world class security and privacy.

Copilot+PCs like Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, are designed not just for performance, but for AI. With dedicated NPUs (neural processing units), Copilot+ PCs can run AI workloads locally – faster, more securely, and with less battery drain. Plus, it is built on the most secure version of Windows ever, with Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative ensuring privacy and protection by design. 

MY PERSPECTIVE AS AN MVP

As someone who spends their days working with technology, helping organisations, consumers, creators, educators and young people align technology with work, strategy and life, I see the future of computing with AI PCs as so much more just a product refresh cycle and new Operating System. This is a fundamental shift in how we think about the role of a PC – both in work, in the home and at school. 

As a Microsoft MVP for Surface and for Microsoft 365 Copilot, I’ve had the privilege of seeing these innovations up close, from early previews at MVP Summit to hands-on testing with Copilot+ PCs. The integration of AI into Windows isn’t hype – it’s here, it’s practical, and it’s already changing how people work, learn, and create. 

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Windows 10 End of Support – What it means for Office Apps

WIndows 10 Sunset

As of yesterday, 14 October 2025, Windows 10 has officially reached its end of support. Of course, Windows 10 will not just stop working, but after yesterdays monthly security updates, there will be no more unless….

  1. Commercial Organisations pay for Extended Security Updates (ESU)
  2. Home/Consumers, agree to “cloud back-up” which will give them 12 more months or Security updates until October 2026.

Originally the impact of this deadline also meant that running Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 would also not be supported. Microsoft have now clarified this and confirmed that your Microsoft 365 apps will keep working. There are, however, some important considerations for organisations still running Windows 10.

Windows 10 and Microsoft Apps – What’s Changing?

Microsoft 365 Apps are governed by the Modern Lifecycle Policy, which requires organisations to stay current with supported operating systems. Running Microsoft 365 Apps on an unsupported Operating Systems like Windows 10 can lead to performance degradation, reliability issues, and limited support options.

Microsoft has confirmed an extensive grace period to help organisations that have not yet moved to Windows 11:

  • Feature Updates will continue for Office apps until:
    • August 2026 for Current Channel
    • 13 October 2026 for Monthly Enterprise Channel
    • 12 January 2027 for Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel
  • Security Updates for Microsoft Office apps, will be available until 10 October 2028, delivered through standard update channels – this is defined here.

Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 App – Support Expectations

Any organisation raising a support case for Microsoft 365 Apps running on Windows 10, will find that Microsoft will:

  • Provide troubleshooting assistance only.
  • Recommend migrating to Windows 11 if the issue is isolated to Windows 10.
  • Not offer bug fixes or product updates for issues exclusive to Windows 10 environments (since this is out of support).

Actions if you are still running Windows 10

If your organisation is still using Windows 10:

  • Plan your migration to Windows 11 as soon as possible- this might be new devices, upgrading or a mix of both.
  • Pay for Extended Support Updates – these are available annually or tri-annual via your CSP partner, or direct from Microsoft.
  • Ensure Office update channels are aligned with the extended support timelines.
  • Review your compliance posture — unsupported OS environments may breach regulatory requirements.

Additional Considerations

This guidance also applies to subscription versions of Project and Visio desktop apps. For full lifecycle details across

Microsoft products, refer to the Office and Windows configuration support matrix. [learn.microsoft.com]

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Excel’s new “Agent Mode”

Agent Mode in Excel is a new “preview” feature Excel (online) for Microsoft Copilot Subscribers (Microsoft 365 Commercial, Personal, Family and Premium) that enables users to build and edit workbooks along side Copilot. 

When you’re updating budgets, creating financial models, or analysing data, Agent Mode uses Excel’s most powerful tools like tables, charts, PivotTables, and formulas to help you get the job done. As part of Microsoft’s Frontier program, Agent Mode gives you early access to cutting-edge AI capabilities.

What I love most is you don’t need Excel skills at all (other than knowing how to enable this feature) which you need to do before you can use it!

The new “Agent Mode” transforms Copilot from a one-shot assistant into a collaborative AI partner capable of orchestrating multi-step tasks across your office apps.

Microsoft.

Agent Mode updates your workbook using Excel’s built-in features, so your content stays editable and synced with the latest changes. It works with you and you can see it’s reasoning thinking and what it’s doing in real time!

Enabling the Agent Mode in Excel

Currently, to use Agent Mode in Excel, you need to be using Excel on the Web (and must have a paid Copilot License). To use the agent, you then need to head to “Add-ins”, search form, and then add the “Excel Labs” as shown below.

Adding the “preview” for Excel Labs in Excel on the Web.

The first time you do then, you will be presented with the following message. I’d suggest you have a read and accept. You can then open the agent to get started! You will see there are two options for use – Agent Mode and an Advanced Formula Environment.

Using Agent Mode in Excel

  1. Select the Excel Labs button
  2. In the Excel Labs task pane, choose Agent mode.
  3. Start working with the Agent to create your project.

    An example, Microsoft provide is to “Build a loan calculator that computes monthly payments based on user inputs for loan amount, annual interest rate, and term in years. Generate a schedule showing month, payment, principal, interest, and remaining balance. Present the results in a clear, formatted table“. You can see this in the prompt to the left (you can cut and paste this if you like!).

Watch Agent Mode in Excel in action.

I have built a video to showcase the example above which you can watch at your leisure. You’ll see how I work with it, tweak the calculator and add more functionality as I go… This to be mirrors how most people work. Build, check, reflect, enhance…

Excel Agent in action

How is Agent Mode Different to Copilot Chat in Excel?

Agent Mode is really designed to work for more complex, multi-step tasks such as reshaping data, merging sheets, or creating reports with multiple elements. For simpler, one-step tasks like adding a chart or PivotTable, talking about data, help with formulas etc can be quicker.

Because of the way Agent Mode works, it also takes a little longer to provide an initial response and refine it, particularly for more complex requests. But… It’s leaps ahead of what you can do in Copilot Chat alone..

Remember, for more conversational assistance or tasks that don’t make lots of modifications to your workbook, Copilot Chat is a much more suitable option.

Agent Mode in Excel: Availablility and Limitations

Availability: At time of writing (October 2025), Agent Mode in Excel is available on Excel for the web via the Excel Labs add-in in English. Support for other platforms, and additional languages will be included in the future.

It’s still AI.. You need to work with, but what I love is you can now build quite complex models, calculators or calculations with no code, no formatting experience, no charting skills…

It is still in preview, expect it to get perfected.

You can read more at the Official Microsoft site here: Agent Mode in Excel (Frontier)

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What’s new in OneDrive + Copilot?…. Lots.

This week was Microsoft’s third annual OneDrive digital event (October 8th, 2025), where their key message was that OneDrive is much much more than “just” file storage.

Whether you are looking at this as a consumer or information workers, the theme this year was “Intelligence in every click, inspiration in every memory” .

Yes OneDrive is getting a true AI overhaul the event was about showcasing what is coming (soon) revealing and demoing how Copilot and AI are being woven into the very fabric of OneDrive, transforming it into both a personal and professional productivity and imaging hub.

Perhaps the biggest thing for at the event was the Hero Link… Read on!

The 3rd Annual OneDrive Event

The virtual event itself was led by many familiar with the keynote from Jeff Teper (President, Microsoft 365 Collaboration Apps & Platforms) and Jason Moore (VP of OneDrive Product Management).

The core event was 25-minuts long and included an hour ish live AMA (Ask Microsoft Anything) with the OneDrive engineers and product lead.

You can watch it on YouTube here.

OneDrive and Copilot Key Annoucements

Copilot is being deeply embedded across OneDrive consumer and OneDrive for Business and we will see Copilot now natively integrated into OneDrive across web, desktop (coming soon), and mobile. This includes:

Core OneDrive changes and innovation from everywhere.

  • Natural language file search: you can ask direct from OneDrive “show me the Q3 financials with margin analysis” and Copilot surfaces the right file instantly.
  • File summarisation and insights: With a single click or prompt, Copilot can summarise long documents, extract key points, and even suggest next steps.
  • Actionable collaboration: Instead of static files, OneDrive becomes more of a springboard into actionable steps. It can can draft responses, prep presentations, or analyse data directly from the file context in OneDrive.

Smarter Photos Experience for all

Smarter Photos Experience for personal users with huge updates to ‘rival‘ Google Photos especially around memories and search.

  • AI-powered photo organisation: new AI powered auto tagging, grouping, and contextual search. For example simply ask “show me photos from our Isle of Wight  trip last summer”.
  • Memory highlights: Curated collections that feel more like a story than a folder, presented a blood and crisp new way with fluid animation and scrolling.

As I said, this is Microsoft’s answer to Google Photos, but with enhanced “enterprise-grade” compliance and privacy baked in.

OneDrive as a  Hub for content.

OneDrive as a Hub for Work + Life
The tagline here is about positioning OneDrive as the “always ready” hub for both professional and personal content.

  • Work content becomes more discoverable and actionable without having to switch context.
  • Personal content (like photos) becomes more meaningful and shareable and ups the standard for AI management and organisation.
  • Photos Agent: allows users to use Copilot to find all your  best shots from anytime anywhere or anytime and Copilot will help find the best photos. Soon it will also help build albums too.  It is coming soon to  Microsoft 365 Copilot Windows and Web experience for Microsoft 365 Premium subscribers.
  • IT leaders retain control, with governance and compliance intact along with powerful new sharing controls known as the hero link.

The new Hero Link.

This for me was this big one. Microsoft say that after a decade of feedback and innovation, the biggest update to sharing in Microsoft 365 is here – the hero link!

Having seen this at MVP Summit last year at the early testing phases, I am uber excited by this.

This  marks a major evolution in file sharing within Microsoft 365, designed to simplify and streamline collaboration.

  • Single, primary URL: identical to the address bar link, it governs access to shared content without multiple links. This means users can update permissions (e.g., expand access to their organisation) without needing to resend or regenerate links, significantly reducing the risk of “access denied” errors. It means you can change permissions without resharing links.
  • Copilot summaries when sharing: enhances this experience, ensuring recipients open files with immediate context. This update reflects over a decade of user feedback and aims to make sharing more predictable, secure, and efficient.
  • Simple for sharers and collaborators: With the hero link, content sharers distribute a single, permanent URL to all stakeholders, adjusting access levels as needed without worrying about outdated links. This not only improves continuity and reduces complexity but also supports seamless collaboration across teams, especially in dynamic environments where content and contributors frequently change.
New OneDrive Hero Link

Timeline and Availability

Many of the new features showcased are already in preview for Microsoft 365 Copilot users, with general availability expected in early 2026.

The new Photos experience updates will start rolling out to consumer (personal) OneDrive accounts over the next few months.

New OneDrive native app for Windows in preview now for Windows Insiders using Copilot Plus PCs.

My Take

Who would have thought a few years ago that OneDrive would have its own special annual event!

This year (the third year) it wasn’t just about new features it was about deepening the role of OneDrive as the connective fabric that binds Microsoft 365 together. Personally it think the focus was more on consumer to compete in the Google Photo Space with AI packaging features powered by Copilot (which ties in nicely with the new Microsoft 365 Premium SKUs for home, personal and family users.

For corporate IT, the message was for around OneDrive becoming the AI-first content hub (like they have done with SharePoint (after all it’s the same plafrom). With Copilot in OneDrive there are less clicks, it feels more native rather than an after thought and positions their AI in more places.

Sources

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What is ‘Bring Your Own Copilot’ to Work (BYO-Copilot) ?

AI tools being used in the workplace is no longer a question of if but how and what. The question is what if you could allow this in a safe and controlled way without compromising security and compliance and without leaking copirate data.?

What is BYO-Copilot to Work?

Whether your organisation invests and has deployed AI tools for employees or not, your people are already experimenting or using daily AI tools to boost their productivity, search and get things done at home but also at work, often outside the guardrails of IT.  This is bad for IT and organisational security and privacy of a few levels.

  • Free AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude etc that are consumer products do not have the data protection in place that organisations need to ensure corporate data is not used to train the AI models.
  • When we use free tools, the user “is the product” and many employees (and some organisations) simply don’t know the risk of using unsanctioned AI tools especially when with corporate data.

Microsoft introduces “bring your own Copilot to work”

Microsoft’s latest announcement delivers a way to address (some of) these challenges by enabling a secure, and safe way employees who don’t have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license at work to use their personal Copilot from their personal Microsoft 365 subscriptions (Personal, Family, or Premium) directly at work and with work documents – with enterprise-grade data protections organisations demand and expect.

This “bring your own Copilot” (BYO-Copilot) model provides a safe way (if permitted) for individuals to use AI at work without compromising organisational security, while giving IT the levers to stay firmly in control.

So how does it work?

How does Bring Your Own Copilot Work?

It’s simple really..

  • Employees can sign into so Microsoft 365 apps with both work and personal accounts (similar to work and personal profiles in Edge).
  • All Copilot features from a the employees personal subscription can be used on work files – even if the employee’s work account doesn’t have a Copilot licence. 
  • Microsoft’s Enterprise data protection remains intact since Copilot only works within the permissions of the user’s work identity so identity, data protection and governance remains in tact.
  • IT remains in control. Admins can enable or disable this capability via policy, and all Copilot interactions are auditable.

In short: BYO-Copilot provides a safe and secure way for employees to get access to Copilot, whilst IT keeps governance, and organisational data protected.

This provides a much better method than just saying no. This of course needs the user to be using Copilot and not other non Microsoft AI tools.

Empowering employees

From an employee’s perspective, the process is straightforward (they will of course need a personal Microsoft 365 subscription with Copilot) first.  

  1. Sign into their work Microsoft 365 apps with both business and personal accounts. 
  2. Open Word, Excel, or another Microsoft 365 app. 
  3. Use the account switcher to add your personal Microsoft 365 account alongside your work account. 
  4. Open a work file from Word, PowerPoint, Excel etc which could be a document stored in OneDrive for Business or SharePoint that they have access too.
  5. Invoke Copilot and use it as they normally would – for example, ask it to summarise a document, draft a response, or analyse some excel data. 

Copilot will of course only work with the content you can access through your work identity,but Microsoft will not use the data to train their models, learn or share anything with the wider Microsoft environment. Organisations remain protected by Microsoft’s Responsible AI and Enterprise Data Protection.

Limitations of BYO Copilot at work?

It is worth noting that this is not the full Microsoft 365 Copilot so their are limitations.

  • The employees personal Copilot subscription only works on the open document or explicitly referenced file.
  •  Broader capabilities (like querying across multiple files or your organisational data) still require a corporate Microsoft 365 Copilot licence. 

How can organisations enable or block BYO Copilot?

Microsoft has of course designed this capability with IT control at the centre and no need for additional tools or controls. Here are the key considerations: 

  • Policy Control 
    •  A tenant-level setting called “Multiple account access to Copilot for work documents” determines whether personal Copilot can be used on work files. 
    • IT can enable or disable this capability for all users or specific groups. 
  • Identity and Permissions 
    • Copilot always respects the user’s work account permissions and data, identity and compliance settings on your tenant.
    • The employees personal account provides the Copilot entitlement, but it does not gain access to organisational data.  You still control this as always.
  • Data Protection 
    • All interactions remain within the Microsoft 365 service boundary. 
    • Prompts and responses are encrypted, governed by existing compliance commitments, and never used to train the underlying AI models or shared for advertising etc.
  • Auditing and Monitoring
    • Copilot actions are logged and auditable, just like other user activities and can be surfaced via SEIM, audit logs and the Copilot Control System.
    • Other settings such as retention policies and compliance tools (such as Purview and DLP) apply to Copilot interactions. 
  • Governance of Web Access 
    •  If Copilot’s web search grounding is disabled in your tenant, that restriction still applies – even when using a personal subscription. 

Why

For IT leaders, this is a pragmatic response to the reality of AI adoption. Employees want (and often demand) to use AI, and many already have personal subscriptions to Microsoft Copilot at home. Rather than pushing this activity into the shadows, Microsoft has created a safe and protected way for employees to use their own “Microsoft” AI tools that: 

  • Empowers employees to use AI productively. 
  • Keeps IT in control with clear policy levers. 
  • Protects organisational data with enterprise-grade safeguards. 
  • Ensures IT are in the know, providing IT teams the ability to safely allow shadow IT on their copirate environment.

Of course, IT should take the time to review their policies, communicate the boundaries, and decide whether to enable or restrict BYO-Copilot in their environment. 

What about other AI Tools like ChatGPT personal and Perplexity?

No (well not yet anyway). Since Microsoft have control over the Copilot experience across commercial, enterprise and personal/family experiences this is something they can do whilst guaranteeing nothing compromises or impacts their existing security and data goverance.

Whilst this won’t stop a poorly configured and governed Microsoft 365 environment allowing third party apps and AI tools on their network, it provides a safe way to empower many more unlicensed Microsoft 365 Copilot users to bring their Copilot to work without organisational expense.

Organisations can then use existing controls to block scan and block the use of  unsanctioned AI tools and give employees a viable “self funded” option to BYO Copilot AI to work.

What do you think of BYO Copilot?

Personally I think this is great.  Unless your controls are strong, personal AI is already at coming to work, whether sanctioned or not.

With BYO-Copilot, at least IT can provide a way of safely allowing it  with the right guardrails in place.

Of course it’s also a clever approach as it gets more people (potentially) paying for Copilot themselves and then convincing their work to buy them a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

What do you think?

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It’s Agent Mode the new way to do human-agent collaboration?

Microsoft Copilot development just doesn’t sleep… This time they have just announced “agent mode” which they claim could be game changer in the way we (humans) work with AI agents (Copilot). Called “Agent Mode” this latest update marks is not just about new features, but a significant shift in how we interact with Office apps through Copilot.

Agent Mode in Excel

What is Agent mode?

Agent Mode is Microsoft’s answer to the growing demand for intelligent, iterative workflows without needing to craft lengthy prompts. Agent Mode brings agentic reasoning into Excel and Word, (others will follow), allowing users to work along side Copilot through multi-step tasks ranging from data analysis to document creation – with a level of depth and refinement that feels like working alongside an expert.

“In the same way vibe coding has transformed software development, the latest reasoning models in Copilot unlock agentic productivity for Office artefacts.”

Sumit Chauhan |CVP |Microsoft Product Group

These are both application and context aware. As an example:

  • In Excel, Agent Mode “speaks spreadsheet” language. Whether you need to build financial models, loan calculators, resource calculators or budgets, Agent Mode in Excel means Copilot now understands the nuances of formulas, formatting, and validation. Rather than just generating outputs, it can evaluate your work, suggest fixes, and works with you until you get the result you need.
  • In Word, Agent Mode will be able to transform writing into a dialogue. Users can prompt, Copilot drafts, user can then asks clarifying questions, and Copilot will refines the content with native styling and formatting. Microsoft say this is vibe writing in action — fast, fluid, and focused.

Chat first creation…

Then, there is the new “Office Agent”, which will live inside Copilot chat. This is designed for when discussions start in a Copilot Chat, rather from within document or spreadsheet. In this context, the Office Agent will have the ability to create “proper” documents directly from your chat, using deep reasoning and live previews to guide the process and creation. These will be powered by Anthropic models and not OpenAI.

Microsoft have given (in their official article) some examples we can use.

In Excel

Financial Analysis Prompt: “Create a financial monthly close report for a bike shop business, including a breakdown of product lines across VTB, VTF, sequential, and year-over-year growth. Use standard financial formatting and best practices.”


Loan Calculator Prompt: “Build a loan calculator that computes monthly payments based on user inputs for loan amount, annual interest rate, and term in years. Generate a schedule showing month, payment, principal, interest, and remaining balance. Present the results in a clear, formatted table.”

Monthly Report Update Prompt: “Help me update this monthly report for September. Update the data table with the latest numbers from the /Sept Data Pull email. Summarise the key highlights including insights compared to last month’s /August monthly report.doc.”

In Word


Project Update Prompt: “Update the executive summary for clarity, bold all key findings, and insert a bulleted list of next steps based on the /Project update meeting. Make sure to add a conclusion“.


Document Style Prompt: “Can you clean up this document? Title case for section headers, branding updates per the ‘/Latest brand guidelines’ email, and italicize all external partner mentions. Feel free to ask if you need help identifying partners or guidelines.”

In Powerpoint (coming later)

Interestingly, Microsoft say that Copilot can now (finally) create good presentations in PowerPoint!

“PowerPoint is one of the most used tools for creating presentations, but over the last two years, AI (Copilot) has often fallen short when creating slides. Office Agent changes that. Office Agent creates tasteful, well-structured PowerPoint decks and well-researched Word documents. ”

Microsoft say that now… When you work with Copilot to create presentations you will get a totally transformed experience. It will

  • Clarify your intent
  • Conduct deep research
  • Produce high-quality content.

How to use “Agent Mode”

First thing first….. Not everyone can yet and it’s not available day one… OK now read on…

Currently, Agent Mode is available for organisations (and users) enrolled in the Frontier program for Microsoft 365 Copilot who have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license or that have Microsoft 365 Personal or Family with a Copilot Pro license.

Agent Mode works in Excel on the web but will be coming soon to desktop. Word is also coming soon.

For Excel, you will also need to install the Excel Labs add-in and choose “Agent Mode”.

Oddly, from what I have read, the Office Agent is only available for Copilot Pro subscribers on Microsoft 365 Personal or Family or Premium and not (yet) Microsoft 365 Commercial. It’s also limited to USA currently! 🙁

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Beyond OpenAI: Microsoft Copilot add Claude support

Microsoft has started to broaden their AI horizons by adding their first (not Open AI) model into Copilot.

Microsoft are integrating Anthropic’s Claude models into Microsoft 365 Copilot which marks a significant pivot from their exclusive OpenAI-centric approach. Microsoft are also working on their models which we already see on Copilot Plus PCs which will at some point make their way to Copilot.

This move is more than just a new menu option or toggle, it is part of their strategic play to diversify AI capabilities and reduce dependency on a single vendor.

Claude Opus and Sonnet in Copilot.

Claude Opus 4.1 and Sonnet 4 are now available to commercial Frontier Copilot users, (Corporate early adoptors) offering, for the first time, alternatives to Open AI’s GPT models for agents in Copilot Studio and also for their Researcher Agent.

Copilot Studio Model Selector (preview)

It’s worth noting that enabling access does require admin approval. See later.

In the formal annoucement, Microsoft said that Anthropic’s models will unlock “more powerful experiences” for users.

Using Claude in Microsoft Researcher Agent – Via Copilot Chat.

Claude is not new to Copilot, but not new to Copilot AI. Claude is already available (along with other AI models) are already embedded in Visual Studio and Azure AI alongside Google’s AI and Elon Musk’s Grok. This is, however the first time Copilot launch that we have seen non-OpenAI models powering Copilot.

Why This Matters

Microsoft’s shift to leveraging different models reflects a broader trend. Microsoft’s message here is that Copilot is no longer about a single model or even vendor, bit more about orchestration, choice, and adaptability.

Different models have different areas of excellence and this sets the foundations for Microsoft to give flexibilityto tailor and tune AI experiences to specific business needs  using the most appropriate model for the task.

It does, however, raise questions around governance, model performance, and cost. With multiple models in play, we don’t really know how the future of pricing will work if multi model is the future for Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Data Sovereignty and Multi-Model Concerns?

One question I’m already seeing is around Microsoft’s boundary of trust and responsibility, something Microsoft boast around with their Microsoft 365 portfolio.

While the flexibility of multi-model AI is compelling, the question is does it introduce new considerations around data residency and compliance when multi models are being used?

To address that, Microsoft has confirmed that these Claude models run within its Azure AI infrastructure, but states that are not Microsoft-owned. This means that when users “opt to” use Claude, their prompts and responses may be processed by Anthropic’s models hosted within Microsoft’s environment.

This means that when organisations choose to use Anthropic models, they are using these under Anthropic’s Commercial Terms of Service, not the consumer user terms.

For regulated industries or organisations with strict data governance policies, this is likely to raises a few red flags or at least questions that Microsoft will need to be able to answer.

  • Data Boundary Clarity: Is the data staying within Microsoft’s compliance boundary, or is it crossing into Anthropic’s operational domain? If so what does this mean for data compliance and security?
  • Model-Specific Logging: Are logs and telemetry handled differently across models? Can organisations audit usage per model? How is encrypted data handled?
  • Privacy and Consent: Are users aware when their data is being processed by a non-Microsoft model? Is consent granular enough? Will users understand even if Microsoft tell them?

Again, Microsoft has stated that Claude models are “fully integrated” into the Microsoft 365 compliance framework, but organisations will still want to (and should) validate this against their own risk posture – especially where sensitive or regulated data is involved.

Enabling Claude models in Copilot.

To enable the models, your Microsoft 365 Admin needs to head over to the Microsoft 365 Admin Centre and enable access to the other models. Instructions for this are shown in the link below.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/microsoft-365/connect-to-ai-models?s=09

Microsoft Message Centre annoucement: https://admin.cloud.microsoft/?#/MessageCenter/:/messages/MC1158765?MCLinkSource=DigestMail

Thoughts.

This is a smart move I think. Microsoft is playing the long game — moving their eggs out of one basket and looking a different models that made most economic and performance sense and brining more choice to agent builders.

For those of us partners like us at Cisilion, advising clients on AI adoption, this reinforces the need to think modularly. When building agents, don’t just pick a model – pick a framework that allows you to evolve. Microsoft’s Copilot is becoming that framework and that should be good for business.

I do expect this is just the start. We know Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI is “less properpous” that it once was. As such I do expect more models, more integrations, and more choice and I do think we will see Microsoft’s own models making their way to Copilot soon.

But with choice comes complexity. We need to ensure that governance, transparency, and user education keep pace with innovation. Again partners will need to help customers navigate this.

What do you think. Is this a good move for Microsoft and their customers?

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Microsoft Power Platform Licensing Guide

Microsoft have made their monthly-updated Power Platform Licensing Deck publicly available. Now, you might think this is not worthy of a blog post, but for many organisations, this information has always been hidden away meaning organisations had to talk to Microsoft or their licensing / support partner to “understand” how Power Platform is licensed against a bunch of different scenarios.

The guides (see below) include a couple of slides on each of the Power Platform products which gives a nice overview of the products, licensing, and comparisons between the different ways of using, consuming, and purchasing.

Links to these are below for your consumption.

Click to access Power-Platform-Licensing-Deck-September-2025.pdf

Click to access Power-Platform-Licensing-Guide-September-2025-PUB-V2.pdf

What is Microsoft Power Platform?

Power Platform refers to a suite of “Low-Code” Microsoft Products aimed to help “builders” create integrated and autonomous workflows, build apps, create agents and web-pages, as well as create adn manage data sets and AI powered applications etc.

What is Low Code?

Low code is a way of building business applications and automations using simple, visual tools -like drag-and-drop interfaces – instead of traditional, complex computer programming. Low Code development allows people who aren’t professional software developers to create apps, automate processes, and solve business problems quickly, often just by clicking, selecting, and configuring options or (with Copilot) by using “prompts”, rather than writing lots of code. It can help make digital transformation faster and more accessible for everyone within in the organisation – not just IT.

The products that make up Microsoft Power Platform portolio include this up include Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, Dataverse and AI Builder. There is also Power BI for data visualisation and manipulation.

Power Apps

Is a “low-code platform” to build custom business apps quickly, with flexible licensing for single or unlimited apps per user. Ideal for modernising processes and enabling app development across teams.

Power Automate

Enables automation of workflows across apps and services using cloud flows and robotic process automation (RPA). It offers user-based, flow-based, and bot-based licensing for attended and unattended scenarios.

Power Pages

Is a secure, low-code platform for building external-facing websites with authenticated or anonymous access. Licensing is based on user volume, with both subscription and pay-as-you-go options.

AI Builder

Empowers users and developers to build, train, and deploy AI models without coding, using a credit-based system. Integrated with Power Apps and Power Automate; it supports scenarios like document processing and prediction.

Dataverse

Is a scalable, secure data platform that underpins the Power Platform, enabling structured data storage and management. Offers default and accrued capacity, with add-ons for database, file, and log storage.

Copilot Studio

A low-code conversational AI platform to design, build, and deploy custom copilots and chatbots. Integrates with Microsoft 365 and external data sources, with licensing based on usage and capacity.

Microsoft Support Pages

The link here, gives the formal pages from Microsoft for you to book mark:

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Teams in Microsoft 365 is back for good (but it’s your choice)

It’s back!  Starting November 1, 2025, Microsoft Teams is officially “back” in the Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Enterprise suites globally, but the choice to have it not sit with organisations and not Microsoft!

After years of regulatory issues, stalls, conceats and negotiations as well as regional licensing inconsistencies, Microsoft has reached a landmark agreement with the European Commission that reshapes how Microsoft Teams is packaged, priced, bundled and positioned across their modern work and productivity suites.

This agreement has spared Microsoft the potential antitrust fine and reputation damage.

The EU Commission decision makes Microsoft’s commitments (which were agreed) binding for seven years and for ten years regarding interoperability and data portability between platform.

Why This Matters

This isn’t just a licensing update it’s a fundamental “win” and global reset for Teams in Microsoft 365 and Office. After being forced to u bundle Teams from Office last year, causing cost increases, confusion and frustration for customers and partners, the change in decision actually follows a multi-year antitrust investigation originally triggered by Slack and Alfaview, who argued that bundling Teams with Microsoft 365 gave Microsoft an “unfair market advantage”. The European Commission had agreed, citing violations of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

To resolve the issue, Microsoft agreed and committed to:

  • Offering Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites with or without Teams globally, not just in Europe.
  • Introducing new pricing tiers that reflect organisations choice of whether to have teams or not have teams included, with clearer cost differentiation.
  • Enhancing interoperability and data portability, which will allow customers  more transparent ways to migrate Teams data to other and competing platforms.
  • Providing APIs and developer tools to support third-party integrations to further promote a more open and fair ecosystem.

In short. The decision is “do you want Microsoft 365 with Teams or without“.

What’s Changing for Customers

Whether you’re an enterprise, medium or small business, the change is synonymous and ultimately gives organisations more choice and control:

  • Choice: in whether you want to have Microsoft Teams included as part of your Microsoft 365 or Office 365 suite. No more default bundling.
  • Transparency: with clearer pricing including reduced rates for suites without Teams Included.
  • Flexibility: Long-term license holders can switch to the “Teams-free” versions should they wish.
  • Consistency: The same options and pricing structures apply globally for every organisation across every region, meaning and end to regional licensing differences and rules.

In short. The decision is “do you want Microsoft 365 with Teams or without“.

Strategic Implications.

For organisations globally, this is a opportunity to reassess their productivity and collaboration strategy.

The global unbundling option opens the door to hybrid environments where Teams coexists across the business or departments meaning it’s more cost effective (IT integrations and support aside) to have multiple collaboration platforms such as to Slack, Zoom, or Webex for example.

Microsoft’s commitment to interoperability means third-party tools can now also fully embed Office Web Apps and access Teams-like functionality without being locked into the Microsoft stack or needed cumberson plug-ins which break the user interface and confuse users.

From a licensing perspective, this should also simplify procurement and renewals. There will be no more navigating region-specific bundles or opaque pricing.

For developers, the expanded API access is also a win and should help with line of business integration and interoperability across the board.

In short. The decision is “do you want Microsoft 365 with Teams or without“.

Talk to your Microsoft Partner

If you’re navigating Microsoft licensing or wondering how this impacts can positively impact your business come talk to your Microsoft Partner.

Whether you’re rethinking your collaboration  strategy, looking to better understand and optimise your licensing or need help with technology deployment, adoption or training, we can help.

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Microsoft Copilot Consumer brings Memory Management and Google Drive Integration

Microsoft Copilot is adding with two new major updates (this time for the consumer experience) that bring it closer to the more personalised AI experience users have been asking and waiting for.

Copilot Memory Management

One of the biggest asks for the consumer version of  Copilot has been its lack of persistent memory, something that ChatGPT and Microsoft 365 Copilot have both had for a little while.

Memory is one of the key features helps makes AI feel much more personal and it’s finally coming to the Copilot Consumer experience that you use via the Windows App, mobile app and at https://copilot.microsoft.com.

A new Manage Memory feature within the Copilot profile tab is now starting to roll out which allows users to tell Copilot to specifically “remember this.”

Copilot Memory

Right now, unlike the Microsoft 365 Copilot version, there is not a way to view or edit your saved memories, but there is an option, via Privacy settings, to delete them and essentially “start over”.

Copilot Memory Management in Copilot Consumer

Think of this as resetting your TV and having to add all your favourite apps and channels again!

Microsoft have confirmed however that full memory management interface is coming soon, similar to what Microsoft 365 Copilot and ChatGPT has. This will eventually allow users to add, edit

Personally, Memory Management will make a huge different to how we work with Copilot and helps ensure greater user control and transparency.

Third Party App Integration.

Microsoft is also expanding their Connectors Ecosystem, which is what is used to connect and integrate third-party services. Support for Microsoft apps and services such as OneDrive is already supported, but they are now testing with Insiders Google Drive integration.

Integration into OneDrive and *soon* Google Drive means users will be able to do such things as:

  • Ask Copilot to read files or folders from users OneDrive or  Google Drive
  • Generate summaries, create reports and other content on your data stored in cloud drive
  • Access and leverage OneDrive and soon Google Drive data in workflows across the web, Windows 11 app and mobile.

This builds on the existing ChatGPT-style connectors framework and opens the door for broader integrations in future. Microsoft is not new to having extensive open API connection to their apps and services so watch out for more native connectors coming your way soon!

Great for Consumers

These updates signal Microsoft’s continued innovation in their AI services and commitment to make Copilot a more intelligent, connected, and user-centric assistant.

For professionals, students and general users alike, the ability to manage memory and connect to third party cloud services like Google Drive will unlock new productivity scenarios.

As someone who’s personally deeply invested and embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem, I see this as a positive move – but one that must be backed by clear user controls, privacy safeguards, and cross-platform consistency.

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