Ep 34 - Ignite roundup on Copilot

Send us a textIn this episode of Copilot Connection, Kevin McDonnell and Garry Trinder discuss the latest developments from the Ignite Conference. They delve into the renaming of Azure AI Foundry to Microsoft Foundry, the new features of the Foundry portal, and the integration of Claude models. The conversation also covers the importance of experimentation with language models, updates on the Teams SDK, and the nuances of the Agent 365 SDK. In this conversation, Garry and Kevin delve into the latest advancements in Microsoft 365, focusing on Agent 365, MCP servers, and the integration of low-code solutions. They discuss the potential of natural language processing in enhancing user interactions, the significance of declarative agents, and the importance of responsible AI practices, particularly in the context of red teaming. They may also chuckle at renames more than they should...TakeawaysRenaming products often indicates a broader vision beyond their original scope.The new Microsoft Foundry portal simplifies the process of managing AI agents.Publishing agents to Teams and Copilot has become more streamlined and user-friendly.Claude models are now integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem, enhancing AI capabilities.Experimentation with different language models is crucial for optimizing performance.Understanding the purpose of each tool in the Microsoft ecosystem is key to effective use.The Teams SDK has been rebranded, reflecting its expanded functionality.The Agent 365 SDK builds on existing frameworks to enhance agent capabilities.MCP servers need to be exposed for use.Low code options are available for MCP management.Declarative agents are evolving with TypeSpec innovations.Red teaming is essential for testing AI agents.Responsible AI practices are crucial in agent development.User feedback is vital for improving Microsoft technologies.MCP is becoming a standard for data interaction.LinksIgnite Book of News Azure AI Foundry is now Microsoft FoundryDeploy and use Claude models in Microsoft Foundry - Microsoft Foundry | Microsoft Learn Teams AI Library is now Microsoft Teams SDKMicrosoft Graph is Work IQ....Agent 365 SDK MCP Management ServerKevin's example of MCP in Copilot Studio Type spec GA Connected agents Red Teaming agent  Copilot APIs

Send us a textAfter last week's Ignite conference in San Francisco, Zoe and Kevin run through the key updates around the different areas of Copilot, covering topics like:- Microsoft Agent 365- Work IQ- Microsoft 365 Copilot updates- Thoughts on the location and keynotePlus we highlight a few of the upcoming ESPC sessions to keep an eye out for.Ignite Book of News 2025Microsoft Agent 365Work IQ and other Microsoft 365 Copilot updatesAgent Mode in Office

Send us a textWith Ignite just a week away, Zoe and Kevin got together to pick out some interesting sessions as well as several chats about what the key themes coming across are. Naturally, Copilot and agents were our main focus but there were also a couple of other areas that caught our eye.See the sessions at https://ignite.microsoft.com.Sessions mentioned (or that we ran out of time to mention):- BRK402 Our Agentic Era: Building Accessible and Responsible AI for Everyone Low code- BRK1742 Advanced Agent Development with Copilot Studio- BRK 314 -Building agents with Copilot Studio and Azure AI Foundry Pro code - lots about scaling- BRK1706 - Innovation Session: Your AI Apps and Agent Factory- BRK189 AI agents in Azure AI Foundry, ship fast, scale fearlessly- BRK411 Beyond Models: What No One's Telling you about Scaling Agents Securing and managing agents- BRK306 Innovation Session: Latest AI agent innovation in security, control and productivity- BRK265  Secure access for AI agents with Microsoft EntraIn-person- THR821 Copilot for Physical AI- THR763 Copilot & agent intelligence: Reporting for frontier firms- THR759 Copilot Trust & Safety: Controls to manage AI riskOne for fun- BRK 432 Scott & Mark learn to connect the dotsNot mentioned but still interesting- BRK292 Fireside chat: How customers are unlocking value & growth with Copilot- BRK319 Build Agents for Copilot with the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit- BRK167 Maintain regulatory compliance with the Microsoft Sovereign Cloud- BRK288 SharePoint: The Knowledge Platform for Copilot and Agents- BRK281 Unlocking the all-in-one AI Advantage of Microsoft 365 Copilot

Send us a textIt has been a little while since the last episode with Zoe and Kevin so they share some of their own news on why things have been a little quieter over the summer and then discuss the latest updates and news from Microsoft 365 Copilot. We recap recent events, including the Collab Summit North America, Experts Live UK conference, and share our upcoming events. On the news side we delve into significant announcements from lasast couple of months, including the introduction of the Knowledge Agent to "Frontier Firms", licensing changes, and the implications of GPT-5. Plus, Zoe pulls off some awesome dance moves without even realising it.AI powered TakeawaysThe Knowledge Agent aims to enhance knowledge management within organizations.Licensing changes are designed to encourage broader adoption of Copilot features.AI's role in the workplace is becoming increasingly significant.Organizations must address foundational knowledge management issues to leverage AI effectively.The conversation highlights the need for ongoing discussions about AI's impact on work and society.Useful linksAgentsIntroducing Knowledge Agent in SharePoint | Microsoft Community Hubhttps://demos.microsoft.com/microsoft/play/5140/knowledge-agents#/0/0 Microsoft 365 Copilot: Enabling human-agent teams | Microsoft 365 BlogMoving sales, service, and finance to the Frontier with Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 BlogLicensinghttps://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot-studio/billing-licensingGPT 5https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/08/07/available-today-gpt-5-in-microsoft-365-copilot/Copilot Chat in Office Appshttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/copilot-chat-comes-to-the-microsoft-365-apps/4453349Viva Engage in Copilot Viva Engage Public Content is Now Available in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft Community HubCopilot Mode in Edgehttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/blog/2025/08/07/release-notes-august-7-2025/Deal with US GovernmentAccelerating AI adoption for the US government - The Official Microsoft BlogCopilot Memoryhttps://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/introducing-copilot-memory-a-more-productive-and-personalized-ai-

Send us a textKevin McDonnell and Garry Trinder delve into the world of Model Context Protocol (MCP) and its implications for developers. We start with a starter overview of functionality of MCP and why it is important. However, we wanted to get beyond that initial view that is covered elsewhere and look at some of the challenges associated with using MCP and broader considerations that you need to be looking at. The conversation covers the importance of optimizing documentation for language models, governance in MCP usage, and strategies for getting started with MCP and then scaling. TakeawaysMCP is a universal approach to context in AI.MCP servers can execute actions beyond API calls.Optimizing documentation for LLMs is essential for effective AI integration.Trust and governance are critical in using MCP servers.MCP can significantly enhance productivity in software development.Building an MCP server can be straightforward and quick.MCP allows for local execution of actions, enhancing flexibility.The future of MCP involves more robust governance and control mechanisms.Organizations should develop a strategy for managing MCP servers.Experimentation with MCP can lead to unexpected benefits and insights.Useful linksIntroduction - Model Context ProtocolGetting started with Local MCP Servers on Claude Desktop | Anthropic Help Center and For Claude Desktop Users – Model Context Protocol （MCP）Use MCP servers in VS Code Community built Graph MCP Server - GitHub - merill/lokka: MCP (Model Context Protocol) for Microsoft 365. Azure AI Search:Full text search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft LearnVector search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft LearnHybrid search - Azure AI Search | Microsoft LearnMCP for beginners course - GitHub - microsoft/mcp-for-beginnersMCP Dev Days 29th/30th July (and available on demand after) - MCP Dev Days | Microsoft ReactorMicrosoft MCP Lab - GitHub - microsoft/mcsmcp: Lab for creating an MCP Server and using it in Microsoft Copilot Studio.Microsoft's MCP Server collection - GitHub - microsoft/mcp: Catalog of official Microsoft MCP (Model Context Protocol) server implementations for AI-powered data access and tool integrationCLI for m365 MCP server - GitHub - pnp/cli-microsoft365-mcp-server: Manage Microsoft 365 using MCP serverGitHub - dotnet/dev-proxy: Simulate API failures, throttling, and chaos — all from your command line.

Send us a textWelcome to a brand new way of hearing about the latest Copilot extensibility news! In this episode of the Copilot Connection, Kevin swaps out Zoe for Garry Trinder in the first of a spin-off of episodes where we dig deeper into the extensibility side of Copilot.In this first episode, we go into an overview of the options that you have for extending Copilot. We talk cover why you would need to extend Copilot, the different ways you can do that (whether by end user, maker or specialist) and touch a little on how you can actually get started with doing it.Is there a specific topic that you'd like to see us cover? Let us know!TakeawaysExtensibility in Copilot allows developers to create tailored solutions.Understanding AI maturity is crucial for effective implementation.Personalization of AI tools enhances user experience and productivity.Scoping and context are essential for effective use of Copilot.Integrating external knowledge sources can enhance AI capabilities.Balancing deterministic and non-deterministic approaches is key in AI applications.Declarative agents simplify the process of building AI solutions.Responsible AI practices are necessary when developing custom solutions.Continuous learning and adaptation are vital in the evolving AI landscape.Related linksCopilot extensibility learning pathsCopilot camp - no actual camping requiredCommunity samplesPro dev community samples

Send us a textWith the post Build lull in Microsoft news, Zoe and Kevin decided to take a look at some of the upcoming conferences and recommend a few sessions that stood out in the Copilot and agents space. Firstly though, we couldn't resist talking a bit about the collapse of Builder.ai and the re-org of some of the Engineering management teams at Microsoft.We also covered our next Copilot Fireside Chat where Daniel Laskewitz will be joining us to answer your questions on Copilot Studio, MCP and whatever else takes your fancy.News:Microsoft-backed AI startup chatbots revealed to be human employees | MashableMicrosoft’s LinkedIn chief is now running Office as part of an AI reorg | The VergeConferences covered:European Power Platform Conference | Austria | Jun 16-19, 2025Commsverse 2025 - The Microsoft Teams Conference - Jun 18-19 2025Tech Con 365 Seattle - June 23-27 2025Collab Summit North America - Sep 7-9 2025ESPC25 | Conference | Ireland | Dec 1-4, 2025Other ones we mentioned:Collab Days Netherlands - June 21 2025CollabDays Hamburg 2025 - June 28 2025CollabDays Finland 2025 - 11 Sep 2025Experts Live UK 2025 - 16 Sep 2025CollabDays Bletchley Park 2025 - 24 Sep 2025South Coast Summit - 17-18 Sep 2025Check out other conferences at Community Days.TakeawaysInvestors need to scrutinize AI startups more closely.The importance of responsible AI practices is paramount.Microsoft's leadership changes signal a new direction.AI's impact on employment is a growing concern.Community conferences are vital for networking and learning.AI literacy is essential for effective use of technology.Clothespilot demonstrates practical AI applications.Engaging with the community enhances knowledge sharing.Fireside chats provide valuable insights from industry experts.

Send us a textIn this episode of Copilot Connection, hosts Zoe and Kevin discuss the latest updates and insights from the Microsoft Copilot ecosystem from Build as well as a slight detour to the Chelsea Flower Show. We cover topics like M365 Copilot tuning, notebooks, researcher and analyst agents, and SRE agents. We also explore the implications of AI Foundry and the natural language web, while wrapping up with a look at upcoming events and the importance of community engagement.TakeawaysThe Chelsea Flower Show showcased innovative AI applications in gardening.M365 Copilot tuning can transform industries like legal with tailored solutions.Notebooks in Copilot provide a flexible way to organize and query content.Researcher and Analyst agents enhance data analysis and decision-making processes.AI Foundry allows for local model integration, expanding AI capabilities.SRE agents automate software reliability tasks, improving efficiency.Natural language web features enable more intuitive website interactions.Community-driven initiatives are crucial for the development of AI tools.Microsoft's Build conference highlighted significant advancements in AI technology.The importance of ethical considerations in AI deployment is paramount.LinksAvanade Intelligent Garden Book of News - https://news.microsoft.com/build-2025-book-of-news/Copilot TuningIntroducing Microsoft 365 Copilot APIsAnnouncing Microsoft Entra Agent ID: Secure and manage your AI agents | Microsoft Community Hubmicrosoft/AI-Red-Teaming-Playground-Labs: AI Red Teaming playground labs to run AI Red Teaming trainings including infrastructure.NL Web Introducing NLWeb: Bringing conversational interfaces directly to the web - Source and Debugging GenAI with CAPs + NLWeb + OpenTelemetry: A Real-Time Visibility Unlock | LinkedInIntroducing Microsoft 365 Copilot APIsReddit post on SRE agent being used in the dotnet repo My new hobby: watching AI slowly drive Microsoft employees insane : r/ExperiencedDevsPower Apps Studio with Agent FeedReimagining human-agent collaboration for a new era of app development with Microsoft Power Apps - Microsoft Power Platform BlogWalkthrough of agent feed in Power Apps - users and ma

Send us a textNews, news, news - we have lots of new news! Zoe and Kevin discuss the latest announcements from Microsoft about Copilot Wave 2 Spring Release. We delve into the significance of the Work Trend Index, the new user interface and search experience, and the introduction of memory and notebooks features. Then we dig into the management and reporting of agents, the concept of the human-agent ratio (including some extreme reactions to some new phrases from Microsoft...) and the importance of leadership in leveraging AI capabilities. Finally, we cover some of the magical events coming up.TakeawaysWave 2 announcements from Microsoft include significant updates and features.The Work Trend Index is crucial for understanding productivity trends.A new user interface is being introduced for a better user experience.Memory features will enhance user interactions with Copilot.Notebooks will allow users to group and summarize conversations.The Create Experience will simplify content creation across platforms.Agent management is becoming more streamlined with the Frontier Program.Understanding the human-agent ratio is essential for effective delegation.Upcoming conferences will provide opportunities for community engagement.Sound Bites"The skill of delegation is something that everyone wanted to get.""Minutes saved isn't cashable.""It definitely feels like conference season is in full swing."

Send us a textIn this episode of Copilot Connection, Zoe and Kevin are joined by Gary Raife to discuss the transformative potential of AI and Microsoft Copilot in the healthcare sector. We explore the challenges of interoperability, the role of AI in enhancing patient care, and the exciting developments of Dragon Copilot. The conversation also touches on the integration of personal health data, the importance of trust and transparency in AI applications, and the future of healthcare driven by data and technology.TakeawaysHealthcare presents a significant opportunity for AI integration.Interoperability remains a critical challenge in healthcare systems.AI can enhance patient experiences and streamline workflows.Dragon Copilot introduces ambient listening capabilities for clinicians.Wearable technology can provide valuable health data for monitoring.Trust and transparency are essential for AI adoption in healthcare.Personal health data integration can improve patient outcomes.AI should support clinicians rather than replace them.The future of healthcare will be increasingly data-driven.Collaboration between technology and healthcare professionals is vital. Key linksGary's blogNewsIntroducing Researcher and Analyst in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 BlogCopilot Consumer Updates - Your AI Companion - The Official Microsoft BlogNew capabilities in Azure AI Foundry to build advanced agentic applications  | Microsoft Azure BlogInterpreter AgentInterpreter in Microsoft Teams meetings - Microsoft SupportKevin's view of Interpreter AgentCopilot Studio Toolkit updates announcedmicrosoft/Power-CAT-Copilot-Studio-KitIntroduction - Model Context ProtocolAnnouncing the Agent2Agent Protocol (A2A) - Google Developers BlogHealthcare relatedMeet Microsoft Dragon Copilot: Your new AI assistant for clinical workflow - Microsoft Industry BlogsMicrosoft Cloud for Healthcare | Microsoft