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The Cost of Not Migrating to Windows 11

As Microsoft prepares to end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, users have a critical decision to make. They must either migrate to Windows 11 or pay for extended security updates (ESU). Microsoft will offer distinct options for consumer (home) customers. They will also offer options for commercial customers who want or need to continue using Windows 10 after this date.

Consumer Pricing for ESU

We know that commercial enterprises were going to have the “cost” option of paying for extended updates while they “complete” they migration / move to Windows 11, but in the first time in history, Microsoft have also announced that consumers can will also have the option to purchase a single year of Extended Security Updates (ESU) for a one off $30 (£25) cost.

Commercial Pricing for ESU

Pricing to commercial customers will be based on tiered pricing options with pricing set-out at

  • $61 per device per year for the first year
  • $122 per device for the second year, and
  • $244 per device for the third year.

Organisations needed or wishing to pay for ESU for their devices for 3 years will therefore incur costs of $427 per device.

Extended Security Updates: A Temporary Solution

Microsoft’s ESU program will provide a lifeline in helping any organisation or consumer unable or unwilling to upgrade to Windows 11 before October 14th, 2025, (when Windows 10 enters end of support).

Bear in mind though that these ESU updates are just security and zero-day updates. There will be no new features, bug fixes, or technical support included.

These are, of course, optional, but there are huge risks for continuing to use Windows 10 devices without protection from security exploits or newly discovered vulnerabilities.

This is especially true for commercial organisations. They lack protection from security and vulnerability updates.

The Risks of Running an Unsupported OS

Running an operating system without security updates poses significant risks, both for consumers and businesses including:

  • Increased Vulnerability to Cyber Attacks: Without regular security patches, systems become prime targets for hackers. Vulnerabilities that are discovered post-support will remain unpatched, leaving systems exposed to malware, ransomware, and other cyber threats.
  • Compliance Issues: For businesses, using unsupported software can lead to non-compliance with industry regulations. It can also lead to non-compliance with standards. This may result in hefty fines and legal repercussions. This can also affect security certifications. These include Cyber Security and Cyber Security Plus. It also impacts trust from customers and business partners.
  • Operational Disruptions: Security breaches can cause significant downtime, disrupting business operations and leading to financial losses. For consumers, this could mean losing access to important personal data and services.
  • Higher Long-Term Costs: While the initial cost of ESU might seem manageable, the long-term financial impact of a security breach can be devastating.

The best approach is to start planning the move to Windows 11 now. There are just over eleven months to do this. For consumers, this could mean upgrading. It could also mean replacing their devices with ones capable of running Windows 11. Windows 11 was released and started shipping on new devices in 2021.

Will my device run Windows 11?

Microsoft have a useful website which show the minimum system specifications for Windows 11 which you can access –> here <-

In reality any device newer that 4-5 years old should have no problem running Windows 11, , but in short, you need a device with at least:

  • Processor: 1 GHz or faster and min of 2 core.
  • RAM: 4 GB or more.
  • Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device / HDD / SDRAM – you’ll much more in reality.
  • System Firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable.
  • TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0. (this is important)
  • Graphics Card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver.
  • Display: High definition (720p) – must be greater than 9” diagonally.

Tools to check compatibility

Another really easy way to check your device (if you are a consumer of want to check a couple of devices) is to the use the PC HealthCheck App. This can be downloaded from https://aka.ms/GetPCHealthCheckApp if it’s not already installed on your Windows 10 device.

When you run the tool, you get one of three outcomes. If you device passes, you’ll see a “meets requirements” message, and if it fails, you’ll receive a “doesn’t currently meet”. Coprate devices may see a message stating that “your organisation manages updates” and as such check with IT department (though I suspect they are already on it!)

Commercial Customers IT departments can easily check Windows 11 eligibility using Microsoft Intune or System Centre.

Conclusion

The decision to stick with Windows 10 and not migrate to Windows 11 should not be taken lightly. While ESU provides a temporary solution, the risks associated with running an unsupported OS far outweigh the benefits.

The risks of not updating (or paying for extended security updates) are too high. It is only acceptable if your device is never connected to the internet. Additionally, you should avoid using external sources such as USB devices.

Upgrading to Windows 11 ensures continued security. It also provides access to the latest features and support. This makes it a wise investment for both consumers and businesses.

Q&A

  1. What about my anti-virus applications? In reality these will still work as will any application you are running on your machine. You will need to check with the antivirus provider to check that they will still support Windows 10, but as long as they do and you pay the subscription to them, it shouldn’t impact these anti-virus signature updates.
  2. What about other software like Office Apps? Well Office 2016 and Office 2019 also go end of support in October 2025. You’ll need to upgrade these too if you want to get feature updates and security updates and fixes. You will likely find other software vendors like Adobe will also stop supporting Windows 10 (as many did with Windows 7). You’ll need to check with the software provider.
  3. Can I upgrade the hardware in my device to get compliant? That is also an option. After running the compatibility checker, you may find that upgrading your hard drive, adding more memory or swapping other components may “get your device compliant”. In most cases this isn’t cost effective.

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Why Microsoft is updating Chat and Channels Experience in Teams

Microsoft Teams has long been a cornerstone for collaboration, and now, with its new chat and channels experience, it’s set to transform how we connect and collaborate even further, makimg it easier to stay in the flow and work with multiple chats and teams channels.

Video (c) Microsoft

Streamlined Communication for Enhanced Productivity

The redesigned interface prioritises ease of use, allowing users to effortlessly triage conversations and stay on top of their most important communications. Whether managing projects, coordinating with teams, or engaging in spontaneous brainstorming sessions, the new experience (which has been in testing for some time) has been designed to ensure that every interaction is seamless and impactful.

Key Features and Enhancements

Intuitive Design: The new layout is simple by default, yet powerful on demand. It’s designed to help users quickly find and respond to messages, reducing the time spent navigating through conversations.

New chat design interface in Teams

The @Mention View: This view in chat gathers all messages directed at you into a single interactive list, making it easier to prioritise and respond to important communications.

The new @ mention view in Teams Chat

Why these changes Matter

These updates are not just about aesthetics; they are about creating a more dynamic and intuitive user experience. By simplifying the interface and enhancing key functionalities, Microsoft Teams aims to boost productivity and ensure that users can collaborate more efficiently and effectively.

New Drag and drop chat and channels in Teams desktop and mobile apps.

User education and readiness

To support users and support staff on the adoption of these new features, Microsoft has provided a wealth of resources, including detailed blogs, instructional videos, and a dedicated microsite on the Microsoft Adoption Center.

These resources are designed to help IT leaders, IT pros, and end users understand and leverage the new capabilities to their fullest potential.


Microsoft is also hosting a live Ask Microsoft Anything (AMA) session on November 12, 2024, where users can see the new features in action and get their questions answered by Teams product experts.

Jeff Tepers’ blog goes into more detail, highlighting the new experience and how it will improve user experience and efficiency Jeff calls it “simple by default, powerful on demand.”

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2024/10/28/streamline-collaboration-with-the-new-chat-and-channels-experience-in-microsoft-teams/



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AI-PCs vs Copilot+ PCs: Understanding the Difference

As technology advances, the distinction between AI-PCs and Copilot+ PCs becomes increasingly important. Both types of devices leverage dedicated AI chip sets to enhance the user experience. They support new and upcoming software features. These devices prepare us for the continual wave of AI innovation. Under the name, what are the differences between the specifications and ability of these two types of “next generation” devices?

This blog aims to summarize the similarities and differences between the AI-PC, as dubbed by Intel. It also discusses the Copilot + range of PCs powered by Snapdragon ARM based chip sets.

The AI-PC

AI-PCs, like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6, are powered by Intel chipsets and are the first of their next generation of personal computers designed to handle complex AI tasks efficiently. These PCs are equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors which also include a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which accelerates AI and machine learning workloads directly on the device, providing up to 10 TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second) of AI performance.

This means faster performance for tasks like real-time language translation, image creation, and enhanced multimedia experiences such as object removal, blur and audio isolation without relying heavily on cloud services or throttling the PCs CPU.

For the average user, this translates to a smoother, more responsive computing experience with smarter features. For IT professionals, it means robust performance for data-intensive applications and improved security through local processing and devices which will perform in a more unified way without “subtle” tasks like back-ground blur in video calls, hammering the CPU or consuming more internet bandwidth.

The Copilot + PC

Copilot+ PCs represent the pinnacle of AI-enhanced computing, designed to deliver unparalleled performance and support for AI-infused applications and extensions. These PCs are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Series processors. They feature a turbocharged Neural Processing Uni (NPU). This NPU is capable of performing over 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). This advanced hardware allows real-time AI functionalities. These include language translation, image generation, and intelligent task management directly on the device. For the average user, this means a seamless, responsive experience with smarter, more intuitive features. For IT pro’s Copilot+ PCs provide more robust performance for data-intensive and AI applications. They enhance security through local processing.

This can also reduce reliance on cloud services with the ability run “some” AI workloads locally depending on what has been coded of course by the software vendor. Examples of this might be background blur which as trivial as it may sound it network and compute intensive and can be performed on an NPU far better and with far less compute power.. This combination of powerful hardware and specialized software makes Copilot+ PCs a significant change in both personal and professional settings.

Copilot+ PCs, on the other hand, take this AI integration a step further. Some examples are the recently released Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 devices from Microsoft. There are also devices from all other major manufacturers. These devices feature powerful and dedicated NPUs. They also come with Windows 11 – Copilot “exclusive” software and services enabled. These devices need Copilot+PCs to use them.

Interactions like “click-to-do” and Microsoft’s Recall leverage the advanced NPU’s capabilities. They provide enhanced AI features directly on the device. These interactions reduce CPU and GPU workloads. They allow local AI compute, which will in the long term support local language models.

These devices are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series chips, which offer at least 45 TOPS of AI performance. This provides advanced functionalities such as real-time language translation and intelligent task management. It also enables more efficient multitasking. All of these features are included in the Windows 11 24H2 update.

Despite the differences, both AI-PCs and Copilot+ PCs bring enhanced performance for handling AI workloads. These devices provide a more integrated and advanced AI experience, thanks to the combination of powerful hardware and specialised software. At the time of writing the Copilot+ PC range deliver more AI-grunt than AI-PCs. However, the Intel-based AI-PCs will likely be more adopted by large enterprise organisations. These organisations still need to run older legacy applications. These applications have not yet been compiled to run on Windows on Arm (WoA). WoA is needed for Copilot+ PCs which are built on ARM chipsets and not Intel.

Spotting the Difference

The subtle differences between AI PCs and Copilot+ PCs. As endpoint technology continues to evolve, the gaps will most likely close. The 2025 edition of these technologies will continue to evolve. There is also new AI “optimised” PCs from AMD but I have not reviewed these here.

The main way to spot a Copilot+ PC or AI-PC vs an older generation device is the presence of a dedicated “Copilot key”.

The list below highlights the key things found on Copilot + PCs

  • AI Integration: Copilot+ PCs (currently) offer a more integrated AI experience. They include specialised software and features designed to enhance productivity. On the other hand, AI-PCs provide general AI capabilities without the specialized software. Copilot+ PCs are needed to run new Windows features like recall and Click-To-Do.
  • Dedicated AI Key: Copilot+ PCs include a dedicated Copilot key for quick access to AI-powered assistance. This key is not available in “some” AI-PCs. Older generation PCs also lack this feature.
  • Connectivity: Some Copilot+ PCs feature advanced connectivity options. These options include 5G, which is not typically found in AI-PCs or older generation devices.
  • Exclusive Software Features: Copilot+ PCs come with enhanced productivity tools like Recall and Click-To-Do. They also include other third-party features from Adobe, for example.

Conclusion

These new generation of AI-PCs and Copilot+ PCs bring more than just an annual chip set refresh. They are the ennoblement for the current and next wave of creativity. They drive productivity and innovation with the increasing number of AI-powered or AI-enhanced applications.

As always, Surface sets the standard – with their innovative anti reflective and HDR display technology, elegant and sleek design, sustainable and repairable design and unique features like the versatile kickstand along with fluidity of the Slim Pen 2 on Surface Pro, they empower users to achieve more and create without limits.

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Windows 365 could be your saviour in the move from Windows 10 to Windows 11

Using Cloud PCs, like Windows 365, could be a strategic move as you plan and migrate from Windows 10 to Windows 11 (which you need to do by October 14th, 2025, if you want to avoid paying for Extended Support Updates (ESU).

Here I discuss a use of Windows 365 as a way to delay the migration to Windows 11, whilst also. Enhancing the migration readienaa, testing and user experience in the Shift to Windows 11 as well as, of course the other benefits that Cloud technology can bring to businesses of all sizes, geographies and sectors.

Why Windows 365?

Windows 365 is a cloud-based service that brings the power and security of a Windows operating system to any device including mobile devices and some modern smart TVs.

Windows 365 streams a full (dedicated) Windows desktop from the cloud, providing highest levels of security, application compatibility and bandwidth optimisation.

It allows users to access their desktop and personalised settings, apps, and data from anywhere with an internet connection and without the need for VPN (though access over VPN or secure remote access is supported).

Image (c) Microsoft

This flexibility makes it an alternative choice for using legacy or older hardware. It is also ideal for bring your own device scenarios and contractors.

Additionally, it supports testing and dual running different operating systems. Benefits around flexibility and accessibility are huge for both users and IT.

Flexibility and Accessibility

  1. Device Independence: Windows 365 lets users access your Windows environment from any device. This includes a PC, tablet, smartphone, and even some smart TVs. This means helps support you can continue using older hardware while still benefiting from the latest Windows 11 features. BYOPC (Bring Your Own PC) is also a key use case.
  2. Secure Remote Work Enablement: Windows 365, helps support hybrid and remote work models. Employees can access their Cloud PCs from anywhere, ensuring productivity and continuity and secure remote access which levergage key Microsoft zero trust security principles include password less, MFA and risk based conditional access.

Management is also super simple with Cloud PC with everything managed from Intune. This includes.

Simplified Management and deployment.

  1. Centralised Management: Windows 365 integrates with Microsoft’s Endpoint Management service (Intune). IT administrators can manage all devices and Cloud PCs from a single console. This simplifies updates, security policies, and compliance management. Cloud PCs can also leverage update technologies such as Windows AutoPatch. For more complex deployments or mixed AVD, Citrix and Windows365 you can also use third party tools such as Nerdio.
  2. Fast Onboarding: Employees (new and existing) can be onboarded quickly by provisioning Cloud PCs within minutes. This reduces the time and effort needed to set up new devices. They can also be accessed across multiple devices for maximum flexibility and agility…
  3. Seamless OS Switching – Windows 365 includes Windows 365 Switch. This feature allows users to easily switch between a local PC and a Cloud PC. Users can be assigned multiple Cloud PCs, for example Windows 10 and Windows 11. This setup is great for testing and learning a new OS like Windows 11.

As you’d imagine, Security is paramount and there’s no shortage of enhanced security for Cloud PCs.

Enhanced Security

  1. Built-in Security Features: Windows 365 includes advanced security features like multi-factor authentication, conditional access, password-less authentication and advanced data encryption. These features help protect sensitive information and reduce the risk of security breaches.
  2. Always Up to Date: Cloud PCs are automatically updated with the latest security patches and updates. This ensures that your systems are always protected against the latest threats. Cloud PCs also support full cloud management technologies include Auto Pilot and Windows Auto Patch.

What about pricing… after all, Cloud PCs require a license subscription to use with pricing for Windows 365 varying based on the specification of the Cloud PC needed.

Costs efficiencies and advoidance

  1. Reduced Hardware Costs: Leverage Windows 365 can help can extend the life of existing hardware (for example hardware that cannot run Windows 11) and reduce the need for frequent hardware upgrades since they can be upgraded with just a change of license key!
  2. Frontline worker efficiencies. Windows 365 Frontline provides the same feature stack and benefits of Windows 365 with the added flexibility to provide Cloud PCs for up to three users with the purchase of a single Windows 365 license, making it ideal for frontline and shift workers as well as seasonal staff.
  3. Scalable and Upgradable: Windows 365 offers flexible subscription plans. These plans can be scaled up or down based on your organization’s needs. This enables businesses to manage costs more effectively. You can choose the right sized Cloud PC for the right task and the right user.
  4. Device Management: Since there is no physical device to manage, management of devices is available remotely around the globe with employee devices being able to be provisioned, updated and recovered 100% remotely.
  5. Support for Windows 10 Extended Security updates are also included with the Windows 365 license which not only helps extend the life of older (but perfectly working devices) and is also great to sustainability!

Seamless Transition and Extensibility

  1. Extended Security Updates (ESU): For organisations that need more time to transition to Windows 11, Windows 365 subscriptions include Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 at no additional cost. This provides critical security updates while you plan your migration.
  2. Smooth Migration: Migrating to Windows 365 can be straightforward. Tools and support are available. They help transfer user profiles, documents, and settings seamlessly.

Conclusion

Windows 365 can not only be a physical device alternative for any organisation, but also be used to help ensure a smooth transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Windows 365 can help organisations maintain productivity. It enhances security and breathes more life into legacy or older hardware.

It also supports Windows 10 Operating Systems, with Windows 10 Extended Security Updates included at no additional cost helping to extend the life of older devices that can’t run Windows 11 for up to another three years!

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Why Windows 11 24H2 could have been called Windows 12

Most of the time, security and annual and semi annual feature updates in Windows are built on the same core OS platform. This means that the changes and new features in these updates are / updated on top of that particular OS build. 

This is not the case with the latest Windows 11 24H2 Update which is starting to roll out now.

Why is the Windows 11 24H2 update different?

Unlike previous updates to Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2 is delivered as an update to existing devices with Windows 11 installed. This update is essentially a whole new version of Windows and yes, some have dubbed it Windows 12 – because it is, in all purposes a new OS version that is installed over (OS Swap) on the top of the existing OS – making it a new version.

This approach is the same as when Windows 11 was released back in 2021 and was (of course) an OS upgrade on-top of Windows 10. Many saw Windows 11 as “just a UI refresh.” But it was actually a totally new build of Windows. It had major architectural and security changes throughout the OS. Updates like Windows 11 version 22H2 and version 23H2 introduced many new features, but these updates were fundamentally built on the same underlying Windows 11 OS platform.

Windows 24H2 is a new OS

Windows 11 24H2 update is built on a totally new platform (codenamed Germanium) which brings fundamental under-the-hood changes to the core of the Windows 11 Operating System. Many of these updates and changes will not be obvious or event visible to a typical user, but many of them are fundamental changes. For example, one significant improvement with this release is much better optimisation for ARM based devices such as the new Snapdragon Powered Copilot+ PC devices like the Surface Laptop 7.

This is also why this update launched preinstalled on Snapdragon X series PCs. The feature set wasn’t completely finished when they launched, but the code base was needed to take advantage of the new features which are now rolling out.

The question asked by many is – “Is Windows 11 24H2 really Windows 12 then“?

So why isn’t it called Windows 12?

Good question. Well, whilst this is a major update under the hood the UI does look the same as before, and in terms of new features for existing PCs, many of the new things are subtle and reflective of the ongoing tweaks and changes such as finally moving those legacy “Control Panel” updates to Settings. As such there is nothing in 24H2 that really says “hey – this is a brand-new operating system” – and that’s a good thing I think (right now anyway).

In the past, we typically received a “new version” of Windows release every three or so years, and as such it was possible to “upgrade” from one to the next if you were willing to buy a new Windows license (or a new device with a new license).

Of course, most people did not want to do that, which meant that most of us (consumers anyway), only got a new OS update when they bought a new PC/Laptop – which included the latest license you needed. for the “current OS”. That’s how Windows upgrades worked for most people anyway!

Windows 11 version 24H2, it is basically the same thing. Whilst this update is available for existing PCs (it’s also free) there’s very little that is new and shiny for existing devices.

All the big news and new features are part of the new generation of devices – the Copilot+ PCs and AI PCs – and most of those new AI features will only work (be activated) on these new devices – since they need a PC with a chipset that includes an NPU with over 40TOPS of performance – this is basically new devices launched after June 18, 2024 (or even later, if you want to get an AI PC based on the AMD or Intel PC).

So back to the point, yes Copilot+ and AI PCs are essentially Windows 12 with all the features it introduces but still under then branding (as the UI has not changed) as Windows 11.

What does a Copilot+ PC and Windows 11 24H2 Bring then?

Right now, what Copilot+ devices do add some cool new AI features which I would say currently appeal to tech enthusiasts and those that run AI workloads (or plan too). You do get live captions with real-time translation in any app, have the ability to use new AI features in apps like Paint using a “cached” LLM on the device and new you’ll soon get features like Recall, Click-To-Do, and generative fill which are also huge new features that are all exclusive to those new Copilot+ and AI PCs devices.

Will there be a Windows 12?

We don’t know to be honest – not yet anyway. It is clear to me that Microsoft are working to ensure they don’t abandon or upset their existing users and create confusion.

With Windows 10 going end of support in October 2025 (that’s a year from now), creating a Windows 12 brand will likely up-set many businesses that are in a transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

This version of Windows 11, will include a whole load of features that will be exclusive to the newer AI PC hardware such as the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11. This still creates an incentive for people to buy new PC with shiny features (that makes PC companies like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Microsoft happy) whilst still ensuring the Windows 11 OS is modern and fresh. Existing devices can still upgrade to Windows 24H2, but they won’t get these new AI features (you need that NPU remember).

Will Microsoft ever unveil plans to release a formal Windows 12? I really don’t know at the moment. I think a new “branded” version will come at some point in the next couple of years. They may just call it Windows – something we thought Microsoft were going to do when Windows 10 was released.

What do you think – should Windows just be called Windows 25H1 for example, or do we prefer a version number. I’m a Windows / Surface MVP and I don’t know any more than you right now (of course if I did, I couldn’t tell you – but I honestly do not know!)

There are lots of rumours on social about Windows 12 – tell me your thoughts?

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Cisco Webex One 2024 Keynote: “Experiences Amplified”

Webex One 24 Logo

The Webex One 24 opening keynote was a showcase of Cisco’s commitment to revolutionising the way organisations collaborate and connect. It highlighted several new announcements, renewed partnerships and AI innovation across their portfolio which will continue to innovate the “future of work”.

This blog summarises my key highlights from Cisco’s fifth annual Webex One event. This year’s theme focussed on the transformative power of AI and human connection. Senior Cisco execs, including Aruna Ravichandran and Jeetu Patel, opened by discussing the latest AI innovations and their impact on customer and employee experiences and of course used the event to showcase new technologies and products from Cisco as well as new and extended partnerships with key vendors including Apple and Microsoft.

Cisco emphasised the integration of AI into (all) their products, the importance of secure and smart workplaces, and the future of seamless collaboration. They also introduced new technologies like the autonomous Webex AI agent and Cisco spatial meetings for Apple Vision Pro, showcasing their commitment to enhancing productivity and connectivity.

“Don’t worry about AI taking away your jobs, but worry about people who use AI effectively” | Jitu Patel

Aruna Ravichandran, Cisco’s Senior Vice President emphasised the importance of human connection and creativity in the transformative world of AI, highlighting the event’s focus on groundbreaking AI innovations and customer experience.

Jeetu Patel, Cisco’s Executive Vice President, talked about the “seismic shift in AI“, noting that while AI has brought significant momentum and pockets of impactful change, for the most, our lives have not yet materially changed. He said that he sees a dramatic change in the next decade, emphasizing the potential of agent-based technologies to redefine and reshape jobs and workflows fundamentally.

Let’s look at a few of these in more detail.

Cisco’s AI Strategy

Cisco’s AI strategy is focussed on integrating AI natively into their products, providing AI infrastructure, and ensuring AI security. Jeetu Patel talked passionately about the importance of AI-ready data centers, modern networks and AI aware security as well as what he called “future-proof workplaces”, and resilience in operations, driven by AI and data. Cisco unveiled new AI-driven features across their Webex collaboration suite, designed to make virtual meetings more intuitive and productive. These enhancements included real-time language translation, advanced noise cancellation, and AI-powered meeting summaries, ensuring that every participant can stay engaged and informed as well as work with Apple and Microsoft integration and connectivity.

Building Future Proofed Workspaces

Cisco talked about the importance of seamless integration across various platforms. They said they are introducing new APIs and partnerships that will better enable Webex and their meeting spaces technologies to integrate more effortlessly with other tools and applications, providing a unified and streamlined user experience, including with Microsoft Teams. Cisco aims to continue to raise the standard of what the workplace with secure campus and branch networking, smart building technology, workplace security, and seamless collaboration should look like something they see themselves having a unique industry advantage of.

“Our goal is to make every meeting as productive and engaging as possible, no matter where you are in the world.” | Jeetu Patel | Cisco VP

Cisco said the focus is on creating productive, automated, and secure environments for employees to work from anywhere. Cisco also showcases its advancements in spatial meetings, emphasizing the importance of human connection in AI-driven interactions – with a differentiated focus on creating immersive and engaging meeting experiences that feel as intimate and effective as in-person interactions.

Autonomous Agents in Webex Contact Centre

Cisco also introduced their upcoming autonomous Webex AI agent, designed to enhance self-service in contact centers. This AI agent combines conversational intelligence with generative AI and integrates with back-office systems to deliver personalized outcomes, reducing the need for human agents. The demo showed some advanced autonomous (AI Agents) enhancing customer self-service – combining conversational AI with generative AI along with integrates with back-office systems and processes like HR and Finance.

Extended Partnerships

Cisco discussed extended partnerships with both Apple and Microsoft, emphasizing their collaborative efforts to enhance technology and user experience and to meet customers where they are. These partnerships emphasize Cisco’s commitment to interoperability and enhancing user experiences across different (in some cases, competitive) platforms.

Cisco said that their Cisco Room devices for Microsoft Teams have become the fastest-growing Microsoft Teams Room solution in the world with over 3,000 customers now leveraging Cisco technology to power their Microsoft Teams investment.

Cisco’s long-term relationship with Apple was discussed and references made to Cisco technology being integral to Apple’s product development. The keynote highlighted the collaboration between the two including the development of the Apple Vision Pro, which integrates Cisco’s Webex for immersive 3D meetings

An AI powered Sustainable Future

High on the agenda was Cisco’s commitment to sustainability which was a key theme through the keynote. Cisco introduced new features aimed at reducing the environmental impact of virtual meetings, such as energy-efficient data centres and tools to measure and offset carbon footprints.

Did you attend Webex One or watch it remotely, what did you find of interest and what did you hope you’d see but didn’t?

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Understanding the EU AI Act and Microsoft’s Commitment to Compliance..

TL:DR

The EU AI Act, effective from August 2024, regulates AI systems within theEU, categorizing them into prohibited, high-risk, and limited or minimal risk. Microsoft is committed to compliance through tools like Purview Compliance Manager, continuous monitoring, data privacy measures, bias mitigation, and transparency initiatives.

Understanding the EU AI Act

The EU AI Act, effective from August 2024, is a comprehensive regulation designed to govern the development, deployment, and use of AI systems within the European Union. It categorises AI systems into three risk levels: prohibited, high-risk, and limited or minimal risk.

  • Prohibited AI Systems: These are AI applications that pose unacceptable risks, such as those that manipulate human behavior or exploit vulnerabilities of specific groups. Organisations must decommission such systems by February 2025.
  • High-Risk AI Systems: These include applications used in biometric identification, critical infrastructure, education, and law enforcement. High-risk systems are permitted but must undergo stringent compliance checks, including conformity assessments by accredited third parties or through self-assessment.
  • Limited or Minimal Risk AI Systems: These cover applications like chatbots and AI-generated content, which are generally permitted but require transparency and informed consent from users.

Key Challenges in AI Compliance

Organisations will likely face several challenges in navigating AI compliance:

  • Ensuring Continuous Compliance: AI regulations are dynamic, and organisations must continuously update their systems to remain compliant. This involves tracking regulatory changes and implementing necessary updates promptly.
  • Managing Data and Privacy: AI systems often process vast amounts of data, including sensitive information. Ensuring that AI applications do not inadvertently access or misuse sensitive data is a significant concern.
  • Addressing Bias and Inaccuracy: AI systems must be trained on diverse and representative data sets to avoid biases. Inaccurate or biased AI outputs can lead to ethical and legal issues.
  • Maintaining Transparency: Organisations must ensure that their AI systems operate transparently, providing clear information on how data is used and decisions are made.

Microsoft’s Commitment to AI Compliance

Microsoft is at the forefront of ensuring AI compliance and ethical use. Here are some key initiatives and tools that demonstrate Microsoft’s commitment:

  • Purview Compliance Manager: Part of the Microsoft Purview family, this tool helps organizations manage compliance with various regulations, including the EU AI Act. It offers templates for different regulatory requirements, enabling organizations to streamline their compliance processes.
  • Continuous Monitoring and Updates: Microsoft ensures that its AI applications, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, are continuously monitored and updated to comply with evolving regulations. This proactive approach helps organisations stay ahead of compliance requirements.
  • Data Privacy and Security: Microsoft emphasizes robust data privacy and security measures. AI applications are designed to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data, and tools like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies help safeguard information.
  • Bias Mitigation: Microsoft is committed to reducing bias in AI systems. By using diverse data sets and implementing rigorous testing protocols, Microsoft aims to ensure that its AI applications provide fair and accurate results.
  • Transparency and Accountability: Microsoft promotes transparency in AI operations. Users are informed about how their data is used, and AI systems are designed to provide clear explanations for their decisions.

Conclusion

The EU AI Act represents a significant step towards ensuring the ethical and responsible use of AI. As organisations navigate this complex regulatory landscape, Microsoft’s tools and initiatives provide valuable support in achieving compliance. By prioritising continuous monitoring, data privacy, bias mitigation, and transparency, Microsoft is helping organisations harness the power of AI while adhering to the highest standards of ethical conduct.

What organisations can do

As we move forward in this AI-driven future, it’s crucial for every organisation large and small, private and public to stay informed and proactive about regulatory compliance in this space.

If you are invested in Microsoft Technology, be that Microsoft 365 or Azure, ensure to further explore Microsoft’s extensive and comprehensive suite of tools and resources to ensure your organisation and AI connected systems are not only compliant but also ethical and transparent.

1. You can check out Microsoft AI Compliance Hub

2. Check out their YouTube video https://youtu.be/briI9LdiZuc

3. Speak to your Microsoft Partner.

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How Surface Pro and Pen improves memory and cognitive function

Writing by hand (on paper or digitally), remains a crucial skill even in the world of speech to text, AI, the keyboard and the smart phone. It is a proven scientific fact that writing provides significant cognitive benefits when compared to typing.

In this blog, I combine valuable insights from a research post on the cognitive benefits of handwriting and its vitality in education and learning in later years. I’ll also share my personal experiences on the use of Microsoft Surface Pro and “digital ink” which again summarises in my opinion, the importance of of writing (outside shopping lists!)

Proven Cognitive Benefits of Handwriting.

Handwriting, as opposed to typing, activates multiple brain regions. This leads to improved memory retention and cognitive function. Here are some key points:

Memory Retention

Writing by hand engages the brain in a way that typing does not, leading to better memory retention. This is because handwriting activates multiple brain regions, including those involved in thinking, language, and working memory.

Holding a pen with our fingers, pressing it on a surface, and moving our hands to create letters and words is a complex cognitive-motor skill that requires a lot of our attention… This deeper level of processing, which involves mapping sounds to letter formations, has been shown to support retention, reading, spelling and comprehension in children.

Mellissa Prunty | Occupational Therapy | Brunel University London

Enhanced Learning

Handwriting supports reading and spelling, especially in children and those with delayed learning conditions. It engages multiple senses, which helps in the learning process. When people write by hand, they are more likely to remember the information and understand it better. This is also one of the reasons hand-written flash cards work so well in revision or when preparing for a speech or presentation.

Brain Activation

Studies have shown that handwriting activates more areas of the brain compared to typing. This increased brain activity leads to better learning and memorization.

Cited from the article (reference link below) Researchers analysed brain scans of university students while they completed writing tasks. The study used electroencephalogram (EEG) techniques. It compared brain activity when students wrote Pictionary words with a digital pen on a touchscreen. This was contrasted with typing them on a keyboard.

“The most surprising thing was that the whole brain was active when they were writing by hand, [while] much smaller areas were active when they were typewriting. This suggests that when you are writing by hand you are using most of your brain to get the job done.”

The study further revealed that the brain regions engaged in handwriting communicated through brain waves linked with learning. Van der Meer adds, “There is a whole body of research that talks about alfa and theta oscillations in the brain that are beneficial for learning and remembering. We found those oscillations were active during handwriting but not during typewriting.”

Consequently, researchers are advocating for the preservation of handwriting skills (even writing with a digital pen) for modern note taking

Link: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/benefits-of-handwriting

Typing vs paper vs Digitial Ink

Researchers advocate for maintaining handwriting in school due to its benefits for brain development. They argue that despite the rise of digital technology, handwriting should not be neglected in education – Digital ink on devices like Microsoft Surface devices (popular in education) make a huge difference.

It’s not just education either – using pen and ink, in interviews, meeting notes and idea generation also improves cognitive ability, improves memory and is said to increase imagination. Digital notes can also be stored and shared securely (unlike meeting notes in books or scraps of paper) and can even be converted to text or even read by your favourite AI tool 🙂

Surface Pro to the rescue?

I have covered this before in a previous blog post – link at the end. I firmly believe that organisations can leverage these findings and research. They can do this by deploying and using Microsoft Surface for their employees. Ok, so Microsoft are not the only manufacturer to offer pen support, but Microsoft Surface does it better than most. Ink support is built right into the Windows operating system and Surface Pen (the later generations) make inking natural and powerful with Surface Slim Pen 2 even providing haptic feedback when you write.

The use of digital inking with Windows 11 and Surface revolutionised the way we can take and share notes and collaborate in meetings.

Here are some key points from my previous blog post on this topic which I think are directly relevant here.

  1. Efficiency and Flexibility: Digital ink allows for quick and efficient note-taking. Users can easily edit, organize, and share their notes. This flexibility is particularly useful in meetings where information needs to be captured and disseminated quickly.
  2. Enhanced Collaboration: Using digital ink enables real-time collaboration (think digital whiteboards in meetings) and are more inclusive, since multiple users can contribute to a document or canvass at the same time, making it easier to brainstorm and share ideas. This collaborative approach enhances productivity and fosters creativity. The canvas is also shared in the meeting and doesn’t result in organisers taking photos of paper whiteboard and sharing in Teams Chats!
  3. Integration with Other Tools: By investing and using Surface Pro devices with Surface Slim Pen 2 for digital ink, employees and students can integrate ink seamlessly with their other digital tools and platforms like Office apps like OneNote, Whiteboard and many many more. This integration allows users to incorporate multimedia elements into their notes, such as images, videos, and hyperlinks, making the notes more comprehensive and engaging.
  4. Accessibility and Portability: Digital notes are easily accessible and can be stored in the cloud, allowing users to access them from any device, anywhere. This portability ensures that important information is always at hand, whether in the office or on the go.
  5. Security: Writing customer notes, revision notes or research in paper books is fine – until you lose then, spill coffee (or beer) over them, or leave them on a train. Not only do you lose them, risk them getting in to the wrong hands or worse, you have no access to them. Using OneNote and Surface (with Pen and Ink) means your notes are always available to you in any app and any device – security and always!
  6. Meeting Experience: Taking typed notes in meetings, often appears that we are “doing our emails” or not paying attention even if we are taking notes and actions. On the flip side, when we use a Surface Pro to take notes with digital ink, it’s less intrusive and it’s obvious we are taking notes. With the Surface in “mode”, other meeting participants don’t get a view of the back of our laptops and can see we are paying attention and just jotting down notes.
  7. Copilot can help: Assuming your notes are eligible and can be read, Copilot can help summarise your notes, identify actions and even draft your follow up email using the notes your took in the meeting – try doing that when you write in a notebook!



### Conclusion
Both handwriting and digital ink offer unique benefits that are essential in different contexts. Handwriting enhances cognitive function and learning, making it a valuable skill that should be preserved in education. On the other hand, digital ink provides efficiency, flexibility, and enhanced collaboration, making it an indispensable tool in modern meetings and professional settings. By combining the strengths of both methods, individuals can maximize their productivity and cognitive abilities.

“Statistically most studies on the relationship between handwriting and memory [including ones conducted in Japan, Norway, UK and US show that people are better at remembering things that they have written down, manually than typing on a keyboard.”

Naomi Susan Baron | Professor of linguistics| American University in Washington DC

Credits: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/benefits-of-handwriting

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Hands-on with Copilot Voice: An almost human conversation

Copilot Voice Cover


The recent Copilot update is a Game-Changer in AI Voice Technology. In the recent announcements, Microsoft unveiled a new version of its Copilot app for iPhone and Android. The update brings a fresh look and new features. It also includes an impressive voice mode that rivals OpenAI’s ChatGPT Advanced Voice – especially since Microsoft make this available for free – yes free

I have tested both recently. I can confidently say that the new Copilot is a significant upgrade. What’s more, it is totally free to use. This is best read while/after you have watched my hands-on video below.

Hands on with Copilot Voice

User-Friendly Interface and Enhanced Voice Mode

The updated Copilot app boasts a more “consumer-friendly” interface. I do wish they would bring some of the advanced customisations back. The standout feature in this update is most definitely the new voice mode, which on first look (a few app updates before it worked), I thought would be a bit of a fad – but it is absolutely brilliant.

Voice mode offers speech-to-speech functionality, allowing for more natural and engaging conversations. While it may not interrupt as fluidly as OpenAI’s offering (though it’s still in early stages), it feels more casual and less stilted, making interactions feel more like chatting with a friend.

A Conversation That Feels Real

During my testing, I found myself deeply starting to actually forget that I was talking to an AI as the conversation felt natural and real (there was the odd delay. In my hands-on example (see the video below), I participated in a discussion. We talked about “if and when AI could ever become self-aware”. We also considered what the implications might be. Unlike a text-based discussion, this level of engagement goes to show just how fast and how rapid the advancement of natural conversation is becoming.

Copilot appears to adapt its vocal tones and pace during conversations. It emphasizes certain words as we speak.

Perhaps the biggest (pleasant) surprise I found was how Copilot adapted to use slang terms the more I used them too. If I swore or spoke more loudly, it also seemed to detect the change in my tone and adjust its output. I’ll be testing this more to see just how far it can go.

Spoiler: I did find the occasional limitation as the conversation continued, such as occasional delays when I interrupted it and seconds of silence.

Customisation and Accessibility

Copilot offers four voice options: Grove, Canyon, Wave, and Meadow. Unlike ChatGPT, you can modify the speed and tone of these voices, making them sound more natural and suited to your preferences. This feature, combined with the app’s inclination to use slang and short-hand words, makes it easy to forget you’re interacting with a machine. I’m not a fan of all the voices though and they are not currently that localised – with most very American (which is fine for now).

Gemini Live (yes, all the chat bots are discovering their voice) currently gives users a choice of 10, but Microsoft say more voice options will be coming “soon”.

What I also like is that you can customise the speed at which each of the voices speaks. Personally, I find the standard setting is too slow and find that a speed of 1.1x sounds most natural. I also discovered that you can also ask Copilot to speak differently by explaining how you want it to sound – for example, applying a slightly different accent, changing its tone of voice or to be more empathetic but I’d like to think eventually Copilot will do this natively without me asking (after all it’s unlikely you’d ask a human to speak in a different tone!).

Copilot Voice is free

One of the most significant advantages of Copilot is that it’s free to use. Today, OpenAI’s ChatGPT Advanced Voice feature currently requires a $20 monthly subscription, whilst Microsoft makes this feature available to all Copilot users, regardless of their subscription status.

Conclusion

Copilot is now under the leadership of Mustafa Suleyman [Microsoft CEO for AI]. It seems poised to make a significant impact in the AI voice technology market. It builds on its partner OpenAI. Its user-friendly design, natural voice interactions, and accessibility make it a strong competitor against other AI voice models.

The best thing – this is totally free

Try this out. Let me know how in depth you feel during a conversation is and can be with Copilot. How “close” do you think this is in becoming a natural, almost human conversation.

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Expanded Controls for Managing Transcription and Copilot in Teams Meetings

Microsoft is rolling out new controls to better manage the availability of Copilot in Teams meetings. These expanded controls offer greater flexibility and customisation for managing Copilot and transcription settings in meetings. This ensures it aligns with the specific needs and policies of organisations and meeting organisers.

IT admins can find the new setting in the Teams Admin Center and have a few options when it comes to the control Scope with options to set  Copilot in meetings to be ‘Off’ at different levels including “per Tenant” Per User” and “Both”

Meeting Organisers also get controls which are accessible in the meeting options under “Allow Copilot“. From here there are three choices around how Copilot can be used in “their” meetings:

  •   Only during the meeting: Copilot is available only while the meeting is in progress.
  •   During and after the meeting: Copilot is available during and post-meeting.
  •   Off: Completely disables Copilot for the meeting.

Meeting organisers can choose who has access to the recording. They can also decide who can see the meeting transcript after a meeting. This adds a huge amount of control and privacy.

Image (c) Microsoft

Auto meeting Summaries

After a meeting ends, users can open the meeting event in Microsoft Outlook. This allows them to view a summary of everything that happened in the meeting. Here you will see a summary. It includes a link to the recap page, transcript, recording, notes, shared files, whiteboard, and meeting details.

Auto meeting Summarisation in Outlook.

Users with a Copilot License or Teams Premium license will also see highlights. These include the number of speakers. They will see the number of times you were mentioned. Additionally, they will see the number of AI-generated tasks.

Rollout Timeline

Both features are being rolled out this month (October 2024).

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Click-to-Do and new “AI Search” coming to Copilot+ PCs

Microsoft (off the back of Windows 11 24H2 release this week) have unveiled a series of updates to their AI infused Copilot+ PCs, aimed at enhancing the user experience with innovative features.

Copilot+PCs are a new category of PCs released this year by leading OEMs including and debuted by Microsoft and are equipped with NPUs. These devices come in Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm-powered Windows on Arm configurations. Microsoft introduced several new features for both types of these advanced PCs. The newly launched Windows 11 2024 Update (version 24H2) brings new functionalities for all Windows 11 users, with some exclusive enhancements specifically for Copilot+ PC owners.

These updates further demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to baking AI assistance into more and more manual or semi manual tasks, and are designed to make everyday tasks more intuitive and efficient, leveraging the power of AI to transform how we interact with our new shiny devices.

New AI experiences in Copilot Plus PCs

These new features are summarised in an extensive Copilot / Windows Blog but the key ones I have summarised below.

Enhanced Search: Find stuff faster and easier.

One of the standout features in this update is the new Enhanced Search. Here, Microsoft has integrated AI-driven improvements deep into Windows search, making it significantly more powerful and user-friendly.

With these enhancements, users can now find files, images, and emails with ease, even if they don’t remember the exact names. Better than a simple search index (you know, that thing that used to grind your PC to a halt), this AI search understands context and can retrieve relevant results based on partial information or related keywords.

Image (c) Microsoft.

For instance, if you’re looking for a presentation you worked on last month but can’t recall the title, simply typing in related terms like “presentation” and “last month” will bring up the correct file. This feature is huge change for how we find and retrieve information and is more human connected in terms of how we think and ask. Plus, if you are anything like me, it should reduce the time spent searching for documents and allowing users to focus on their work.

“AI-powered search makes it dramatically easier to find virtually anything,” says Yusuf Mehdi, executive vice president and consumer chief marketing officer at Microsoft. “You no longer need to remember file names and document locations, nor even specific names of words. Windows will better understand your intent and match the right document, image, file, or email”.

Yusuf Mehdi |Executive VP and CMO | Microsoft.

For images this will work extremely well as you won’t need to know the file name and can search for pictures using words, even if the search word isn’t part of the file name!

The improved Windows search will first show up in File Explorer on Copilot Plus PCs from November.

This improved search will also be available “in the coming months” in the main Windows search interface and through the search box that appears in the Settings interface. You can type things like “duplicate my screen” into the Settings search box and it will help you find the right settings.

Click to Do: Interacting directly with your screen.

This feature really caught my attention and is definitely one I think I will use.

Click to Do will allows users to interact directly with images and text on their screen to perform quick actions. As an example you might be viewing a webpage or a pdf and see a phone number. You’ll be able to click on it to initiate a call, or clicking on an address to open it in your maps application. This feature streamlines workflows by reducing the number of steps needed to complete tasks.

Image (c) Microsoft

Click to Do works by understanding everything you’ve seen on your screen and enabling useful shortcuts to actions to help you more quickly search, learn, edit, shop, or act on those items… It works on any windows, document, image, or even video”

Yusuf Mehdi |Executive VP and CMO | Microsoft.

As an example, you could use Click to Do to perform a visual search on an item that appears in a YouTube video you’re watching or a page you are viewing in a browser. Click to Do is also context-aware, assisting with text-related actions like rewriting, summarising documents, explaining text, and sending emails.

Microsoft have said Click to Do will begin testing with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs in October, with a gradual rollout planned for November.

The previously announced Recall feature will also be available to Windows Insiders in October on Qualcomm-powered devices, before being rolled out to Windows Insiders on Intel- or AMD-powered Copilot Plus PCs in November.

I think this could be a real time saver for me and for anyone who does a lot of research, works with high volumes of information and has lots of open windows on their screen(s). By enabling direct interaction with on-screen content, it should help minimise interruptions and keeps the focus on what your are doing without having to open other tools.

Generative AI in Paint: Bringing modern tech to a staple app.

Microsoft Paint is also getting another significant upgrade (which has been in testing with Windows Insiders for a few months) with the introduction of new generative AI tools. These new tools ncluding generative fill, image generation (using Designer) and generative erase, that bring capabilities similar to those found in advanced photo editing software like Photoshop. Layers was also introduced to Paint earlier this year.

Copilot UI : The human touch.

Finally, Microsoft are revamping the general Copilot experience. This is not just about adding new features (though there are some) but are more about a total overhaul and part of their vision to make AI a more human-centric experience.

Their goal is to differentiate Copilot from other AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemin, by focusing on usability and user satisfaction. This approach ensures that the technology adapts to the user’s needs, rather than the other way around.

I covered this in more detail in another blog post below.

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Microsoft release huge Copilot (consumer) update…

In a blog post yesterday, Microsoft unveiled a huge overhaul. They also introduced new features which are rolling out “now” to the consumer version of Microsoft Copilot. These updates set out to help them differentiate Copilot from ChatGPT. They aim to bring a more human-centric approach to the user experience.

These experiences are coming to Apple iOS, Android, the Copilot web experience at copilot.microsoft.com and in Copilot in Windows. Microsoft have also announced that Copilot is coming to WhatsApp. It will “help users there experience natural and engaging interactions with Copilot”. Interesting.

This is not available for me yet (I have a Copilot Pro license). Microsoft says that until this rolls out, users will see a message like below. This message pre-advertises the new Copilot experience that is coming “soon”.

In this blog, I’ll cover the key changes, the reasons for change and some of the coolest new features. I’ll also share my take on this and what they mean for users.

New Microsoft Copilot Video

Oh yes, there’s also a Microsoft “sizzle” video below if you don’t want to read my ramblings:

The Human Side of Gen AI?

At the heart of Microsoft’s vision is the belief that technology should enhance human well-being and support our unique qualities. Microsoft say that the revamped Copilot has been designed with this philosophy in mind. It ensures that every interaction is intuitive, personalised, and ultimately beneficial to the user.

Now, this is kind of the part of Copilot that was missing in my view. Other Gen AI tools now do this. They are essentially giving Copilot (for consumer – not Microsoft 365 Copilot) to “get to know you” – this is how they describe it:

“Copilot will be there for you, in your corner, by your side and always strongly aligned with your interests. It understands the context of your life, while safeguarding your privacy, data and security, remembering the details that are most helpful in any situation. It gives you access to a universe of knowledge, simplifying and decluttering the daily barrage of information, and offering support and encouragement when you want it. …..Over time it’ll adapt to your mannerisms and develop capabilities built around your preferences and needs. We are not creating a static tool so much as establishing a dynamic, emergent and evolving interaction. It will provide you with unwavering support to help you show up the way you really want in your everyday life, a new means of facilitating human connections and accomplishments alike.”
Mustafa Suleyman, Executive Vice President and CEO of Microsoft AI

New Copilot Features

The new Copilot experience will be far more than an UI facelift when it arrives. (I don’t have it yet.) It will come with brand new features that promise to re-innovate the ways in which we can use Copilot in our daily lives. The new features include:

  • Copilot Voice: This allows users to interact with their devices using natural language, making technology more accessible and user-friendly. This means you will be able ro engage in natural conversations with Copilot. The current method is more just speech to text and doesn’t really feel like a conversation. This is rolling out “now” for initially available in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the US with more regions and languages coming soon.
  • Copilot Daily: Delivered as “cards”, this will provide personalised insights and recommendations to help users manage their day-to-day tasks more efficiently. Microsoft say this content will only be served by trusted news sources – the cite: Reuters, Axel Springer, Hearst Magazines, USA TODAY Network and Financial Times, with more “local sources” coming soon. As Copilot gets to know you, it will bring personalsed feeds and also allow users to have controls over what is served up. This starts rolling out now in the US and UK with other countries following soon.
  • Copilot Vision: which looks so cool, will leverage Microsoft’s vision and seeing AI tools to offer enhanced visual recognition capabilities, making it easier to organise and find information. Microsoft say that this work on all websites and documents. They have taken steps to put “boundaries” on the types of websites Copilot Vision can engage. It also won’t work on pay-walled content initially. It won’t work on sensitive content initially either. This is to protect “users’ and creators’ interests” and copyright. This will be a Copilot Pro Feature and will roll out to US customers first…
  • Think Deeper: This is similar to Deep Search in Bing, whereby Copilot will be able to reason through more complex questions. As such it will take longer to respond and may ask for clarifications before responding. This is really designed to allow Copilot to go beyond basic responses. It will help with more in-depth discussions. It will also aid in challenging questions and research. This is in experimental phase and will more details will come.

Wrap up

The new and enhanced Copilot user experience is all about making Copilot easier to use. It feels more natural (less techy). It brings some new capabilities and personalisation. This makes the experience far more “personal”. It’s great to see more work being done to create a more seamless and up-to-date experience. This allows them to compete better with Google, Meta and Apple in this fast paced Gen AI development.

This is great to see and needed as update and adoption of Copilot for consumers is nowhere near the adoption of Chat GPT. Part of Microsoft’s “problem” is they are not great at consumer marketing. Copilot (IMO) offers far more value than ChatGPT and includes many features (as standard) that you need to pay for in ChatGPT.

Will this make you revisit and retry Copilot? Let me know your thoughts?


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Windows Recall: Enhanced Security& Privacy ahead of October Launch

As Windows 11 24H2 gets ready to release, Microsoft has announced major security and privacy upgrades to its (yet to be released) Windows Recall feature which was the flagship new AI powered feature announced on the back of the Copilot Plus PC announcements back in May.

Recall, which was initially met with scepticism and concerns around security and privacy, has now be significantly updated with stronger and more granular protections for privacy, encryption and identity access to make it ready for its “delayed” release next month.

What is Recall?

Recall takes screenshots of active windows on your PC every few seconds, analyses them on-device using a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) and an AI model, and adds the information to an SQLite database. You can later search for this data using natural language to prompt Windows Recall to retrieve relevant screenshots.

I covered Recall in more detail in an earlier blog

Responding to Customer Feedback


Microsoft’s decision to enhance Windows Recall comes after considerable feedback from customers and privacy advocates. The company initially delayed the public release of Recall, opting to make it available for preview with Windows Insiders. This cautious approach allowed Microsoft to refine the feature based on real-world usage and analysis of how it was used whilst they review ways to address the concerns and enhance security and privacy controls.

Putting Users in control of Recall

One of the most significant changes is that Windows Recall is now strictly opt-in. Users must proactively activate the feature, ensuring that no screenshots are taken or saved without explicit consent. This addresses a major concern about privacy and data security. Additionally, users can remove Recall entirely through the optional features settings in Windows, providing total control over its usage.

Advanced Security and Privacy Measures

Windows Recall now includes several advanced security measures designed to protect sensitive information after feedback, development and testing since it was announced in May this year.

Firstly – Recall is an optional feature and can also be removed entirely from the Windows Installation. If a user doesn’t proactively choose to turn it on, recall is off by default, meaning snapshots will not be taken or saved.

If Recall is enabled, all snapshots and associated data are encrypted, with encryption keys protected by the device’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM). This module is tied to the user’s Windows Hello login information and biometric identity, ensuring that no data leaves the computer without the user’s explicit request. Recall snapshots are also only accessible after users authenticate using Windows Hello credentials. This enhanced sign-in security ensures privacy and actively authenticates users before allowing access to their data

Recall also comes with a sensitive information filter designed to protect confidential data, like passwords, credit card numbers, and personal identification details, by automatically applying filters over this content. This uses AI and pattern matching to look for such information adding another level of privacy protection.

Additionally, Recall includes malware protection features like rate-limiting and anti-hammering measures, which prevent unauthorized access attempts.

Recall: Four Principles of Operation

Microsoft has redesigned Recall to function on four core principles:

  1. User control
  2. Encryption of sensitive data
  3. Isolation of services, and
  4. Intentional use.

Recall is always opt-in. Snapshots are not saved unless you choose to use Recall, and everything is stored locally……Recall does not share snapshots or data with Microsoft or third parties, nor between different Windows users on the same device. Windows will ask for permission before saving any snapshots.

David Weston – VP Enterprise and OS Security, Microsoft.

These principles will ensure that users can keep complete control over their data, with the ability to remove snapshots, pause them, or turn them off at any time. Any future choice to share data will need fully informed and explicit action by the user.

    Image (c) Microsoft.

    Conclusion

    In short, the enhanced Windows Recall feature represents a significant step forward in balancing functionality with security and privacy which show Microsoft are licensing to their users and take privacy and security seriously. By addressing key concerns and implementing robust protections, I believe Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to user trust and data security. As Recall rolls out to Insiders with Copilot+ PCs in October, it will be interesting to see how these enhancements are received and what further innovations Microsoft will bring to the table. What do you think? Will you be trying this out or uninstalling it?

    When will Windows Recall be released?

    Microsoft announced last month that Recall will start rolling out to Insiders with Copilot+ PCs in October as part of the 24H2 release of Windows 11.

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    Microsoft looking to remove security vendor access to it’s Windows Kernel following CrowdStrike incident.

    Microsoft is building new Windows security features to prevent another CrowdStrike incident and are in talks to enable them to do to more to allow them to better protect the core of their OS to prevent outages and widespread impact like the CrowdStrike incident which impacted more then 8.5 million devices and is estimated to have caused more than $10b financial impact.

    Fighting against the anti monopolies commissions.

    In an ideal world, Microsoft would have right to protect their core kernel code and prevent any third parties interfering or accessing it.

    Today, however, law is preventing them from doing this to ensure they adhere to the anti monopolies and anti compete laws in many parts of globe. Instead Microsoft are doing all they can to further harden security around the kernel and Windows security in general.

    Their goal is of course to find a comprised way to protect Windows from software issues caused by security vendors to ensure OS integrity without killing third party security vendors but to avoid them needed kernel level access in the first place…

    Enhancing Security without Kernel Access

    Since July, Microsoft has been in talks with leading security vendors, including CrowdStrike, Broadcom and Sophos, to develop a new security  platform in Windows that still allows security vendors to do their thing, but without Microsoft having to expose full kernel access.

    Then last week ( September 10th, 2024), Microsoft, CrowdStrike, and many other security  partners who provide endpoint security technologies got together to discuss ways to boost resiliency and protect our mutual customers’ critical infrastructure.  Aidan Marcuss, Corporate VP of Microsoft Windows and Devices said  “Our objective is to discuss concrete steps we will all take to improve security and resiliency for our joint customers.”

    The goal is to  prevent incidents similar to the CrowdStrike outage and enhance the overall security framework of Windows without monopolosing the endpoint and XDR markets.

    Benefits to Consumers

    For everyday users, this would promises a more secure and stable computing experience in a world where attacks on identity and data theft are increasing at pace. By further reducing the risk of security breaches and system outages, whilst reducing the risk of third party apps and services causing system failures, Microsoft is ensuring that consumers continue to trust them to protect their personal data and maintain smooth operation. Enhanced security measures mean fewer disruptions and a safer online environment, which is crucial in an era where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated.

    Benefits to Business Users

    For commerciall/business users, they of course would gain significantly from these new security measures. With sensitive corporate data and identity consistency at risk from attack or breach, Microsoft’s enhanced security framework will provide businesses with greater peace of mind and further increase the trust they already have with Microsoft to protect their data, applications and emails.

    Of course, reduced risk of breaches and downtime caused by third party apps and services also translates to increased choice (without fear), and lower costs associated with security incidents and system outages incidents.

    Whilst this should enable businesses to  focus more on their core operations, knowing that their IT infrastructure is robust and secure, it doesn’t remove the need for full business continuity planning….

    Microsoft’s Perspective and Benefit

    For Microsoft, this move is a strategic step to reinforce its commitment to security and reliability. Arguably, Microsoft is the biggest security company in the world and with over a billion devices running the Windows operating system, they have a duty to continue to protect their products from outages caused by, well things out of their control, such as the CrowdStrike update fail!

    By working closely with security vendors and regulatory bodies, Microsoft is not only positioning itself as a leader in the cybersecurity space, but also as a partner that works with its software houses (ISVs) and customers to ensure they still have choice over the aspects of Windows they use (or subscribe too) and the third party vendors they choose to work with.

    So what about the third party security vendors then?

    Security vendors like CrowdStrike, Broadcom, Sophos, Cisco, and Trend Micro also benefit from this collaboration by being part of a more secure and standardised platform. This partnership allows them to continue to innovate and develop advanced security solutions without the complexities and risks associated with kernel access..it also. Means they will continue to get support and help from Microsoft (as a Isv partner) in developing and supporting their products. 

    Potential Concerns and Regulatory Involvement

    Naturally, there are concerns about potential monopolistic practices. Vendors (and those less. Involved in their initiative) may fear that Microsoft might restrict kernel access for third-party products while retaining it for its own, which could limit their ability to compete effectively, pushing customers to jump. Ship and just adopt Microsoft security products and services.

    To address such concerns and ensure transparency, Microsoft has involved US and European government officials in discussions. This move is aimed at addressing regulatory concerns and demonstrating Microsoft’s commitment to a fair and secure computing environment. While the initiative is largely seen as positive, it is crucial for Microsoft to maintain an open and competitive landscape for all security vendors.

    Conclusion

    Microsoft’s new security measures would represent a significant step towards a safer Windows environment. By working closely with security vendors and involving regulatory bodies, Microsoft is striving to create a secure and fair platform for all users making kernel acess more controlled than it is today. This promises numerous benefits for consumers, business users, and security vendors alike, while also addressing potential concerns about competition and transparency.

    Read more. The Register has also covered this story in depth of you want to read more here.

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    The “Windows App” now has mobile app support

    Microsoft has given the Windows App “GA” status and released to the masses along with long awaited mobile app support which will open more doors and use cases for Windows Cloud PCs and Virtual Desktops. This will allow businesses to bring the power of Windows to virtually any device. Whether you’re using macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, or even another Windows PC, you can now stream a copy of Windows seamlessly.

    You can read the full Microsoft Blog on this > here <

    What’s so good about the Windows App?

    Havig been in preview for some time (previously there were multiple apps to use for different virtualised experiences on Windows such as Remote Desktop app, different websites and third-party apps etc) but now we have a new single experience 🙂 This provides:

    • Unified Experience: The Windows App serves as a single place to streaming all your corporate and development Windows desktops including Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Remote Desktop services.
    • Customisable Home screen: Which allows users to tailor the app to suit their needs by pinning specific desktops, configuring the join experience and even simple configuration of things like multi-tasking and app switching with Windows 11 (known as Windows 365 Switch).
    • Multi-Screen Support: The Windows App lets users customise and extend their experience (just like a traditional / physical desktop) with multiple display support.
    • USB Redirection: Windows App allows full support of local USB devices including speakers, mics, webcams, storage devices, and printers as if they are directly connected to your Cloud PC.
    • Single Sign On – The Windows App supports single sign on with Windows 365 and AVD with Entra ID.

    Who can use the Windows App?

    Presently, the app is limited to Microsoft work and school accounts, making it ideal for professionals and students who need to access their work PCs remotely. It’s not available for consumers, but it does make Windows 365 and AVD simple to use on personal BYOD devices that need to access work devices. Something I do often.

    Downloading the Windows App

    The Windows app is available for download from the Microsoft Store and the Apple App Store. It is also available on the Google Play store but is now in public preview.

    User Experience

    The user experience is fantastic and shows the attention to detail, listening to user feedback and alignment with the core Windows Development team. Microsoft have said that the Windows App will start shipping as standard out of box app on Coporate Devices running Windows 11 too.

    Windows 365 Desktop on Samsung S24 via TV

    Windows App on Samsung S24 through TV

    The image above (which is pretty cool) is Windows 365 Running on my Samsung S24 displayed through a TV (using Samsung Dex) – and yes, I am using Copilot on PowerPoint.

    Windows 11 Experience below

    The Future

    I’d love to see Windows App come to more devices like high-end TVs and tablets in the future just like Microsoft have done with Xbox Game Streaming.

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    Microsoft fixes hardware glitches across Surface Pro 8, Pro X, and Laptop 6.

    Microsoft has released a bunch of firmware updates which should fix some annoying issues.

    One of the great things about Microsoft owning the hardware and software eco system (in the realm of Surface and Windows), is the telemetry data they have across the board and the ownership they take across hardware and software.

    According to Microsoft there’s been some issues affecting Surface Pro 8, Pro X and Laptop 6 which have (hopefully) been fixes with this latest update.  Let’s dive into the specifics of what these updates address for each device.

    Surface Pro 8 (Intel)

    Some or the reported issues with Surface Pro 8 include issues with Surface Slim Pen, flickering screen issues when using the Surface Dock 2, and even issues with the built in USB-C ports.  This update should fix all those ensuring a smoother and more reliable experience.

    Surface Pro X (Qualcomm / ARM)

    One of my favourite devices (big fan of Windows on ARM), but many users have reported camera issues with the camera app hanging or the camera locking and showing as not working until a reboot. There has also been issues regarding the keyboard when using in Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) or Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE). This firmware update addresses these issues.

    Surface Laptop 6 (Intel)

    A stable for many businesses, the Surface Laptop 6 has seen a number of odd issues particular with the fan and cooling system with reports of the laptop’s fans running excessively (and not turning off), even when the device isn’t under heavy load. This not only affects battery life but can also be quite distracting. This latest update should fix this issue by optimising the fan behavior and improving the system’s response to internal temperature changes, especially when connected to an external monitor and peripherals.

    How to get the firmware updates

    If you’ve been experiencing any of these issues with your Surface device, then updating your device is simple. In most cases these updates will be deployed as part of the regular patch schedule across your business, but if you need to check and deploy manually, then simply head over to Windows Update and download and install any pending updates for your device.

    Windows OS and Surface firmware updates  are essential for maintaining the performance and reliability of your Surface devices even if you are not experiencing any of the issues above.

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    What are Copilot Pages?

    Microsoft yesterday, announced the next stage of the evolution of Microsoft 365 Copilot with Wave 2. Amongst the many new features was the launch of Copilot Pages. This innovative feature is the first step into the new evolution of Copilot which is set transforming how employees interact with Microsoft AI in a new collaborative environment.

    What are Copilot Pages?

    Copilot Pages is a dynamic, persistent canvas integrated into Copilot chat, designed to facilitate what Microsoft call “multiplayer AI collaboration”. It allows users to turn insightful Copilot responses into durable, editable content that can be shared with teams for further collaboration.

    “This is an entirely new work pattern – multiplayer, human to AI to human collaboration”.
    | Jared Spataro | VP of AI at Work | Microsoft.

    Copilot Pages -Key Features

    • Dynamic Collaboration: With Copilot Pages, employees can work directly with Copilot on a shared page, prompting and refining responses together as a team rather than individually in silos.
    • Persistent Canvas: The pages are persistent, meaning collaborative efforts are saved and can be revisited and edited at any time by anyone.
    • Team Learning: This feature encourages learning from each other’s prompts, enhancing the overall quality and depth of the information gathered.

    Getting Started with Copilot Pages in 5 Steps

    1. Access Copilot Pages: Open your Copilot chat and look for the new “Pages” tab. Click on it to create a new page or access existing ones.
    2. Create a New Page: Click on “New Page” to start a fresh canvas. You can name your page to keep your projects organized.
    3. Collaborate with Your Team: Invite team members to your page by sharing the link. Everyone can contribute by adding prompts, refining responses, and editing content.
    4. Save and Revisit: Your pages are automatically saved. You can revisit and edit them anytime, ensuring your collaborative efforts are always up-to-date.
    5. Share and Export: Once your page is finished, you can share it with others outside your team or export it for presentations, reports, or further analysis.

    Check out the Microsoft Video for more.

    Where are Copilot Pages Stored?

    Copilot Pages are .loop files stored in a new user-owned SharePoint Embedded container. IT Admins can manage these files using Loop admin switches and other governance tools. The feature supports various compliance and manageability capabilities, including GDPR compliance, Intune device management, and data loss prevention. IT admins manage these .loop files just like any other files (.docx, .pptx, .xlsx, etc.). They support all the features of the SharePoint file system, including everything detailed here. 

    Additional capabilities, such as programmatic API access for third-party tools, are expected in Q4 CY2024.

    Read more in the Copilot Admin Support Pages:

    Availability

    Copilot Pages is rolling out “later this month” for Microsoft 365 Copilot subscribers and will soon be available to all Microsoft 365 subscribers. Loop must be enabled in your environment.

    Do you have it in your Tennant yet?

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    Announcing Copilot Wave 2: Exciting New Features and Enhancements

    This afternoon (16th September 2024), Microsoft passionately announced (almost 9 months after Copilot was officially available to any organisation) the latest updates coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot as part of what they are calling “Wave 2”. The 30-minute-long session, hosted by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Jared- Spataro, unveiled a heap of new features, capabilities and performance enhancements were announced across the entire experience.

    Microsoft 365 Copilot (THIS IS NOW IT’S NEW OFFICIAL NAME) provides enterprise data protection, ensuring the same level of security and compliance protection as other services like files, SharePoint, and emails. Microsoft said that significant improvements have also been made to PowerPoint and Excel based on feedback, including the introduction of Python integration in Excel.

    Some of these things are “generally available” from today and others are coming in the next few weeks and months. – See the end.

    Evolving the purpose and role of Microsoft 365 Copilot

    Microsoft told today, how Copilot is evolving from an individual productivity assistant to a collaborative partner at work. Copilot can utilise various content sources such as files, chats, calendar invites, and emails to generate rich outputs based on the needs of the user and teams of people. You will have seen in the various demos how the product demos now showcase how Copilot facilitates collaboration and achieves outcomes, making both personal and teamwork more efficient and effective.

    They have also focussed lots on performance and stability enhancements with huge investments in their Azure Data Centres.

    Microsoft also wanted to ensure organisations know just how much they focus on providing the same level of enterprise data protection to Copilot as they have with files, email, SharePoint etc.

    So, here’s my pick of what’s new and most cool!

    1. Copilot Agents

    Microsoft is also broadening the definition of “agents“, ranging from personal AI assistants to fully autonomous agents. These agents span across a spectrum, from human-in-the-loop to fully autonomous.

    This is the top announcement for me, I think. Agents (aka Custom GPTs,) have been a very popular discussion with my customers. When Microsoft talks about agents, they use it in its broadest term with an agent being anything from an AI assistant helping you retrieve information right (a foundational agent capability), all the way to autonomous support agent, meaning the agent does not need a human to intervene for it or for it to be able to do its work. Wow Right!

    You will see Microsoft focusing on agents across the entire spectrum – giving organisations the ability to create agents using natural language to “support whatever custom business process you are trying to automate“. This will be going into public preview later this month Copilot Agent Builder will be part of Copilot Studio as I understand it.

    As an example, say an issue out in the field required further research and follow-up and the team keeps all their customer records from deployment info to maintenance reports on a SharePoint site. Like many organisations, there’s loads of valuable information stored here, but it takes ages to sift through it and find what is needed. Now with Copilot Agents, an agent can be built from any SharePoint site library or folder. It’s possible to create an agent with a single clip and in just a few seconds, your agent is ready to be used and shared with your team and it can be simply added to the department’s team’s chat.

    Once created, created agents can be customised and things like topics and knowledge can be enhanced as well as the actions it can take. These can be connected to third party apps such as Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management.

    2. Copilot Pages – Powered by Loop

    This is the second biggest announcement and combines two of my favourite parts of Microsoft 365 – Copilot and Loop.

    Accessed through BizChat, Copilot Pages, allows users to create side-by-side pages for real-time collaboration. Built on Loop components, these pages enable multiple users to work together and update data simultaneously, enhancing teamwork and productivity.

    This can be used when you are working in BizChat – pulling Copilot’s response into a sharable canvas (Loop spaces) built for real-time multiplayer collaboration with Al. Copilot can then be used to improve and expand upon subject matter, build visualizations, and bring in additional content.

    Copilot Pages.

    Biz Chat will be the place where you can start and finish most of your work before you transition it to your format of choice. Within Biz Chat, you’ll also soon see a button to move the output to the final experience – says move to Outlook, move to Word, move to PowerPoint etc., but you can do all of the pre-work in Bizchat which Microsoft’s customers say is where they spend “most” of their time.

    3. Biz Chat Enhancements

    Copilot Biz Chat, will, as I discussed above have the ability to send output to the final app for you to finish your work. You’ll see a send to button making workflow faster and just feel smoother and more integrated.

    4. Utilising Email and Bizchat for Business Insights

    Copilot can now use email and Bizchat to identify patterns and information, recall similar situations, and access relevant content from various sources. This feature is designed to help discover strategies such as price reduction, promotional offers, and ad campaigns as example by reasoning over email and chat threads to help solve business challenges.

    5. Copilot in PowerPoint Improvements

    Copilot democratizes advanced features in Excel by allowing users to use natural language to access them. PowerPoint improvements include the ability to easily build custom narratives, sections, and flow within presentations. Branding options ensure consistency with company logos, fonts, colours, and styles. PowerPoint’s new narrative builder, with creative control over the flow, reordering topics, deleting unwanted ones, and adding new ones.

    Copilot helps create presentation outlines quickly, offering image suggestions from approved sources or AI-generated options. It designs slides in company branding with various layout choices.

    PowerPoint’s new features include adding picture notes to slides, built-in slide transitions, and animated text. These features help users create professional-looking presentations quickly and easily, using their own corporate-branded content.

    Leveraging corporate templates requires that marketing teams integrate their organisations branded assets into a SharePoint OAL (Organization Asset Library) in order to be able to create presentations with organisational images. This is scheduled for release in Q4 2024.

    6. Copilot in Word

    Copilot in Word has new features including (finally) allowing it to reason over more document sources including emails, chat, meeting content and files etc making this much easier to get documents created while referencing multiple sources of information.

    7. Copilot Enhancements in Teams

    Improvements are coming to Teams based on user feedback. Copilot can now reason over chat in addition to meeting transcriptions. This entered public preview today.

    8. Copilot in Outlook Improvements

    Outlook’s new Copilot feature, ‘Prioritise my inbox’, organises emails based on topics, keywords, and important people. It identifies important contacts like your boss and their boss, enhancing email organisation and efficiency.

    Since Copilot can reference emails, meetings and attachments as well as knowing who your colleagues are when you are drafting it can save a huge amount of time as it understands the context in which you are working. This new feature is rolling out now, with early access for some insider rings.

    Summary

    As I am sure you are, I am excited about these new features (and there’s still more to come) and improvements and look forward to your feedback on the announcements.

    In summary, here’s what was announced again and when it will be available (according to Microsoft).

    Image/Table – (C) Microsoft.

    Are there things you were expecting to hear about but didn’t?
    Oh and if I missed anything, let me know!!!

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    Copilot: Good habit forming tips to see value every day.

    What’s one of the biggest stumbling blocks to incorporating AI tools like ChatGPT and of course Microsoft Copilot into daily work? Well, I can tell you that from first-hand experience is it not knowing how or when to use it. In this blog I’ll explore a few scenarios where I believe anyone with a Copilot License can start seeing real tangible value from GenAI today.

    What is Copilot in Microsoft 365?

    I’m hoping by now that I don’t actually need to answer that one, but… In short Copilot for Microsoft 365 is Microsoft’s Generative AI chat bot, that is grounded (meaning it has access to) your Microsoft email, chat, documents and more and is also integrated (natively) into all your Microsoft 365 apps and services like Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, Loop etc.

    The goal of Microsoft 365 Copilot is to make us all more productive and creative what ever job we do and results from many of the customers we have been working with this past 12 months is impressive.

    Overcoming the adoption hurdle

    The biggest hurdle to getting regular and good results with Copilot is actually not what the tool can do or can’t, the expertise around ‘good prompting‘, as important as it is, but is in fact, realising the benefits of making Copilot part of everything you do through habit forming.

    To do this, we need to get into the habit of using Copilot every day to really see the value we get from it little by little. many of our customers have this same problem and it’s not a Copilot thing, it’s a new technology thing. We are all so busy doing our jobs that many don’t have time to learn new things or try new ways of working.

    Good adoption and successful use of any technology requires some input and perseverance from us as users. As we realise the value, we use these technologies more and the value we get from increases exponentially. Think about the first time a company introduced a word processor in place of a typewriter for example!

    Adoption and Change Management, whether run internally (as part of any technology deployment) makes a huge difference to successful deployment and Copilot is a big change in how people work and what it can do, so it does need to be handled that way. Stats show that technology projects that have a proper adoption and change programme linked to them are significantly more likely to deliver the desired return on investment. According to Microsoft, proper change management can lead to 85% of users finding tools like Copilot helpful in getting to a good first draft faster.

    Adoption and change management is not just training (though that is of course part of it). Its about helping people learn the tools within their roles, to see the benefits and to tell/show other team members so they learn and benefit together. At Cisilion, we know (first hand) and through the dozens of customers we are working with that one of the primary blockers to adoption of Microsoft Copilot is simply not knowing how or when to use it and so simply “forgetting about it”.

    My Copilot Hero Scenarios

    What follows next is 3 (three) Copilot for Microsoft scenarios that I use all the time that I can honestly say have become habit forming for me and many of my team.

    1. Goodbye Internet Search: Firstly, I very rarely now ever use internet search to find information. Both in work and personal life, whenever I need to find information about something I turn to Copilot. Whether I’m looking at finding out about a new product, event, news story or whether it’s in my personal life, Copilot just gives me the details I need in seconds rather than giving me a page of search results which I have to sift through manually to see what is relevant. If you use SharePoint at work – this becomes even more powerful!
    2. Email and Meetings (and calls): These are definitely the biggest use cases for Copilot in my daily routine. I simply don’t work or handle email and meetings in the same way anymore. One of the things Copilot can do really well is summarise what’s in my inbox and prioritise requests and things that need my attention – especially If I have been away for a few days. The same goes for meetings. I can pay more attention “in” meetings and have Copilot tackle notes for me, summarise things or even check things for me.

      Copilot can summarise actions, clarify points, and what is really cool is that it can do this for me even if I can’t actually attend the meeting (through a new feature called “Follow a Meeting“. Copilot in Outlook can summarise long email threads and can even draft replies for me in a professional manner so all I have to do is edit and refine before clicking send. Copilot also works on phone calls if you have Teams Phone by the way!
    3. My Goto First: Copilot is the first place I go when I have a document, presentation or other document to read or reference. What do I mean by that?

    Like us all, I get sent a lot of documents to read, review and comment on. I am now in a habit (I think it’s a good one) of using Copilot as my assistant as my first point of call every time. I always ask Copilot to summarise the document (Word does this automatically now when you open a document) so I can quickly understand the key points of the document before I read it more deeply. This is useful for getting up to speed quickly, determining if I need to read it (guess what – sometimes I don’t) or to help me understand the theme as I do read it. I also use Copilot to ask questions about a document (PDF, Word, PowerPoint etc).

    I can also ask Copilot questions about the document such as, “does this business case make a clear and strong argument“, or “what is the financial impact of this proposal“, or “what risks have been identified in this project plan“, etc. I can use Copilot to help me spot gaps, or areas that the author might have overlooked or omitted. I can also ask Copilot to summarise things I do not understand in a simpler language or to help me get a new perspective on something.

    Summary

    Using any new tool, like Copilot sometimes takes time to realise the true value and power of what it can do. Working with Gen AI like Copilot is as revolutionary as the internet was back in the 90s. Many doubted it and now the world would stop without it.

    If you are lucky enough to have a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license, then I suggest you try the above. Use it every day and share your successes with your peers. If you don’t have an adoption and training team in house, then reach out to a partner for help, check out the adoption hub at Microsoft or get some ideas from my other blogs, or from YouTube 🙂

    Remember, think about and push Copilot to help you get more value at work and at home. Before starting any task, such as a presentation, meeting minutes or follow-up or research, think “Can Copilot help me here?“

    Yes – there’s a bit of a learning curve, but the effort you in will be worth it (IMO).

    Some video links…

    I have a growing handful of use case and scenario videos I am happy to share below… Hope you find the useful. If you do.. Let me know.

    https://youtube.com/@robquickendenmvp?si=8s9NGjjwfGEkLPSZ

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    Navigating the Aftermath of the CrowdStrike Cybersecurity Outage: Insights and Strategies

    I run a monthly fireside chat panel discussion with IT and Business leaders from a handful of our Cisilion customers. Today, we talked about the outage and reflected on if, can and what we, the industry and our vendors need to do to minimise/prevent this vast impact happening again. 

    If you missed the "show" - you can watch it below.
    September 2024 – Cisilion Fireside Chat

    In our September 2024, fireside chat, our panel and I delved into the significant impact and lessons that can be learned from the CrowdStrike outage in July which is estimated to have cost more than $10B US and affected more than 8.5 million Windows devices when CrowdStrike distributed a faulty configuration update for its Falcon sensor software running on Windows PCs and servers.

    This update featured a “modification” to a configuration file which was responsible for screening named pipes [Channel File 291]. The faulty update caused an out-of-bounds memory read in the Windows sensor client that resulted in an invalid page fault. The update caused machines to either enter into a bootloop or boot into recovery mode.

    Today’s fireside chat conversation covered a range of topics, from the immediate effects of the outage to long-term strategies for enhancing cybersecurity resilience.

    The Immediate Impact of the CrowdStrike Outage

    The panel began by addressing the widespread disruption caused by the CrowdStrike outage. We discussed the outage’s extensive reach, affecting millions of devices and various sectors, including healthcare, finance, and transportation. In my intro to the episode, I mentioned that “It was really hard to believe…such a small relatively trivial and small update could impact so many people, devices and organisations“. This set the stage for a deeper exploration of the outage’s implications on cybersecurity practices.

    As we kicked off, I praised the collaboration between Microsoft and CrowdStrike in addressing the outage. He mentioned that despite initial blame-shifting in the media, there was a concerted effort to resolve the issue, showcasing the importance of vendor cooperation in crisis management. The panel in short didn’t think there was much more Microsoft could have done – the key was updates and openness which is so critical in a global issue like this – as people and businesses need updates and answers as well as help in restoring systems which both Microsoft and CrowdStrike did in drones.

    Vendor Reliance and Preparedness

    Ken Dickie (Chief Information and Transformation Officer at Leathwaite), emphasised the importance of incident management and the worlds’ reliance on third-party and cloud providers. He shared his insights into the challenges of controlling the fix and the revelation of technology’s utility nature to leadership teams stating that it can be hard to explain to “IT” on “how little control we had over the actual fix“. Matthew Wallbridge (Chief Digital and Information Officer at Hillingdon Council) echoed the sentiment, stressing the need for preparedness and the role of people in cybersecurity, stating, “It’s less about the technology, it’s more about people.”

    Supply Chain Risks

    Matthew raised concerns about supply chain risks, highlighting recent attacks on media and the need for better understanding and mitigation strategies. This part of the discussion underscored the interconnected nature of cybersecurity and the potential vulnerabilities within the supply chain.

    Goher Mohammed (Group Head of InfoSec at L&Q Group.) mentioned the impact on their ITSM due to vendor reliance in the supply chain, which degraded their service, emphasising the need for resilience and contingency plans. This led to further discussions about how important understanding the importance of the Supply Chain validation is in our security and disaster recovery planning and co-ordination. Matt talked frequently about “control the controllable” but ask the right questions to the ones (vendors) you can’t control. Goher said that whilst L&Q were not directly affected, they did experience “degraded service due to supply chain impacts“, emphasising the need for resilience and contingency plans and review of that of their supply chain(s).

    Resilience and Disaster Recovery Planning

    The conversation then shifted to strategies for enhancing resilience. Here I discussed how we at Cisilion are revisiting our own disaster recovery plans to include scenarios like the Crowdstrike outage.

    We discussed a lot about the cost of resilience and that there is a “limit” to what you can mitigate against before the cost skyrockets out of control with very little reduction in risk. It was agreed there are many things that can’t “easily” be mitigated in this particular scenario, but that we can be better prepared.

    The panel talked about various strategies that “could be considered” including recovering to “on-prem”, re-visiting the considerations around multi-cloud strategies and the potential benefits of edge computing in mitigating risks associated with device reliance.

    We also discussed whether leveraging technologies such as Cloud PCs, and Virtual Desktops have a part to play in recovery and preparation as well as whether using Bring Your Own Devices would/could/should be a bigger part of our IT and desktop strategy, along with, of course SASE technology to secure access.

    Goher advised “do a real audit, understand the most critical assets, the impact they have further down the line and whether there is more that can be done to mitigate against outage/failure/issue“. This led us into an interesting side discussion around Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) – emphasising the “importance of not relying on trusted devices alone”.

    The Human Aspect of IT Incidents

    David Maskell (Head of IT and Information Security at Thatcham Research) brought a crucial perspective to the discussion, focusing on the human aspect of IT incidents. He reminded the audience of the importance of supporting IT teams during crises, highlighting the stress and pressure they face. The panel agreed with David, all of whom emphasised the importance of ensuring teams are looked after, highlighting the human aspect of managing IT incidents especially when things are not directly controllable (such with Cloud outages) and the need for good, solid communications to the business.

    Ken also reflected on leadership’s reaction to the outage, emphasising the “gap in understanding the reliance on technology” that many business leaders (especially those not from a techy background) have”. The days of “it’s with IT to fix” are clearly not as simple as they once were!

    Conclusion: The Path Forward

    As we concluded the discussion, the panel dwelled over the lessons and tips to offer viewers, each other and the industry.

    In general the guidance acoss the panel were around

    1. The importance of regular security reviews, external audits, and business continuity testing.
    2. The need to adopt a proactive stance around cyber security and technology outages, ensuring that their teams are prepared (they run testing and attack/outage simulations).
    3. Ask more questions of your supply chains – they may be your weakest link. Are they secure, and are their recovery plans robust?
    4. Map your critical systems and know the impact on an outage – what is the continuity plan – if devices are affected, how can people access your technology – look at Cloud PCs (such as Windows 365), can you support the use of personal devices (look at SASE technologies such as Cisco Secure Connect)
    5. Review your technology dependencies. It’s not necessarily about multi-vendor but this might be a consideration – even for backup.

    In summary, the CrowdStrike outage serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our reliance on technology and the critical need for comprehensive cybersecurity strategies.

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