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In this episode I cover the latest Microsoft news, including Office moving into the new Copilot app, the new Copilot with Home, Code and Autopilot, usage-based Copilot billing for partners starting 1 December (initially not available in Australia), new partner margin and a Business Premium security promotion, Entra ID blocking script injection at sign-in, Outlook blocking MSIX attachments, deepfake detection coming to Teams, an Exchange Server security update, the 2027 Windows Update certificate expiry and the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2026. In my editorial I look at agent autopilots like Grok Bot, Microsoft Autopilot (formerly Scout) and Meta Muse, and how I'm using a team of Grok Bot bots to post to social media, monitor my Microsoft 365 tenant with a read-only global admin reader, make phone calls and even produce the intro and news segment of this episode in a clone of my voice. Did you notice? Love your feedback. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS AI Dojo  CIAOPS weekly news update - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Join my email list A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   Copilot Introducing Office in the new Microsoft Copilot app Microsoft is bringing Word, Excel and PowerPoint into the Copilot app so you can create, edit and collaborate on documents without leaving Chat or Cowork. It is rolling out to Frontier customers from 9 October, so think pilots rather than mass rollout. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-copilot-blog/introducing-office-in-the-new-microsoft-copilot-app/4561230  Microsoft 365 Copilot release notes The latest release notes, covering 22 September to 6 October, show Copilot Search now embeds chat so users can search and then ask follow-up questions in the same place.https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/release-notes  Introducing the new Copilot with Home, Code and Autopilot Microsoft's 25 September announcement of the new Copilot: Home brings Chat and Cowork together, Code lets people build small apps and automations in a sandbox hosted in your tenant, and Autopilot (previously Scout) is a persistent agent with its own identity, in private preview. Also covers the plugin registry, Copilot Managed Runtime and spend controls in Agent 365. https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2026/09/25/introducing-the-new-copilot-with-home-code-and-autopilot/ Money and partners Partner Center announcements: October 2026 Usage-based billing becomes default-on for new Microsoft 365 Copilot Business licences bought through CSP from 1 December 2026, with a default cap of 4,000 Copilot Credits per user per month. It is initially not available in Australia. Also from 1 October, a 7.5% promotional pricing offer on Defender Suite and Purview Suite for Business Premium (customers under 300 seats) and new growth margin for Copilot, Microsoft 365 E5/E7, Defender Suite, Purview Suite and Windows 365 Enterprise. Link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/announcements/2026-october Security and admin changes Microsoft to block Entra ID script injection attacks starting in October Entra ID browser sign-in will enforce a Content Security Policy so only scripts from trusted Microsoft CDN domains run on the sign-in page. Rolling out mid to late October, on by default. Some browser extensions and helper tools that inject code may stop working, so test now. Link: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-to-block-entra-id-script-injection-attacks-starting-october/  Microsoft Outlook to block MSIX attachments used in attacks MSIX and MSIXBUNDLE attachments are being added to the blocked file types in OWA mailbox policies, starting early November. Admins can allow them via the AllowedFileTypes property if needed.  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-outlook-to-block-msix-attachments-used-in-attacks/  Microsoft Teams to add third-party deepfake detection and impersonation protection New Microsoft 365 Roadmap entries show Teams integrating third-party deepfake detection signals and impersonation protection that warns about suspicious meeting organisers or participants, targeted for November. Roadmap dates can shift and third-party providers may mean extra cost.  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/microsoft-teams-to-add-third-party-deepfake-detection-impersonation-protection/  MSRC October 2026 security update release notes (CVE-2026-96940) On-premises Exchange Server security update released 5 October for CVE-2026-96940, CVSS 8.8, rated Exploitation More Likely, with no workarounds listed. Read the CVE page for impact details before briefing customers. https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2026-Oct  Exchange Server SE security update KB5129955 The fix is in Exchange Server SE security update KB5129955 (SU10 V2). If you still run on-premises or hybrid Exchange, patch promptly. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/servicing/exchange/server/update/2026/5129955  Microsoft: Outdated Windows devices will lose security protection next year Certificates used to connect to Windows Update expire on 17 May 2027 and 19 June 2027. Devices on unsupported Windows versions will lose Windows Update services, so audit old PCs and servers now. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-outdated-windows-devices-will-lose-security-protection-next-year/ Threat landscape Insights from the 2026 Microsoft Digital Defense Report Microsoft's 2026 report says threat actors are using AI across reconnaissance, social engineering, malware development and post-compromise activity, mostly within existing attack workflows. The fundamentals still apply: identity, least privilege and monitoring. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/10/01/insights-from-the-2026-microsoft-digital-defense-report/ Editorial: agent autopilots Grok Bot overview The agent platform I use for my bots: persistent cloud computer per user, skills and routines. https://docs.x.ai/grok-bot/overview Introducing Muse, Meta's personal AI agent Meta's consumer personal agent announced in September 2026.  https://about.fb.com/news/2026/09/introducing-muse-personal-ai-agent/

In this episode I ask the question about whether privacy is becoming and optional and take a deep dive into creating better data structures in places like SharePoint and Teams that help users and AI generate better results. There is also the usual look at recent cloud news from Microsoft and thoughts on how even all this is become about AI. Love your feedback. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS AI Dojo  CIAOPS weekly news update - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Join my email list A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   Updates Take control of your EWSAllowedAppIDs list before EWS access changes Microsoft is changing how Exchange Web Services (EWS) access is managed. Organizations should review and manage their EWSAllowedAppIDs list now to ensure approved applications retain access and to avoid disruptions when the new controls take effect. Link: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/take-control-of-your-ewsallowedappids-list-before-ews-access-changes/4553534 Understanding the new 100 GB mailbox entitlement for Microsoft 365 Business suites Microsoft explains the introduction of 100 GB mailbox storage for eligible Microsoft 365 Business plans, outlining entitlement requirements and how organizations can benefit from increased mailbox capacity. Link: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/understanding-the-new-100-gb-mailbox-entitlement-for-microsoft-365-business-suit/4548243 AI Available today: OpenAI GPT-6 Astra in Microsoft Copilot Microsoft has added OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra model to Copilot, giving users access to an advanced foundation model designed to improve reasoning, content generation, and productivity experiences across Microsoft 365. Link: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-copilot-blog/available-today-openai-gpt-6-astra-in-microsoft-copilot/4552808 Available today: Anthropic Claude Fable 5.1 in Microsoft Copilot Anthropic's Claude Fable 5.1 model is now available in Microsoft Copilot, expanding the range of AI models users can leverage for research, analysis, content creation, and complex business tasks. Link: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-copilot-blog/available-today-anthropic-claude-fable-5-1-in-microsoft-copilot/4551974 Expanding model choice in Copilot with Grok Access to Grok models is rolling out through the Microsoft Frontier Program in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. We are starting with a focused release to gather customer feedback and learn how customers use the model across common productivity scenarios. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-copilot-blog/expanding-model-choice-in-copilot-with-grok/4555749 What’s New in Microsoft Copilot | August 2026 A monthly roundup of new Copilot capabilities, including model updates, workflow enhancements, productivity improvements, and new AI-powered features designed to help users work more effectively. Link: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-copilot-blog/what%25E2%2580%2599s-new-in-microsoft-copilot--august-2026/4551960 Security What’s new in Microsoft Security: August 2026 Microsoft's monthly security update covering new capabilities across Defender, Sentinel, Entra, Security Copilot, and other security products, along with recent security announcements and enhancements. Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/08/27/whats-new-in-microsoft-security-august-2026/ Passkey-themed social engineering leads to identity and cloud compromise Microsoft details a campaign where attackers used passkey-related social engineering techniques to trick users into compromising credentials and cloud identities, while also providing mitigation guidance. Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/09/09/passkey-themed-social-engineering-leads-identity-cloud-compromise/ Protecting organizations from AI-assisted executive impersonation and invoice fraud This security guidance examines how attackers are using AI to impersonate executives and conduct invoice fraud, alongside recommendations to help organizations detect and prevent these attacks. Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/09/10/protecting-organizations-ai-assisted-executive-impersonation-invoice-fraud/ Impersonating IT support: how threat actors turn a remote session into enterprise-wide access Microsoft analyzes how attackers impersonate IT support staff to gain remote access and expand their foothold within organizations, highlighting attack techniques and defensive measures. Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/09/02/impersonating-it-support-threat-actors-turn-remote-session-into-enterprise-wide-access/ From CIAOPS Image Model Comparison A practical comparison of image generation models, reviewing differences in output quality, style, and effectiveness to help users evaluate which AI image generation model best suits their needs. Link: https://directorcia.github.io/Office365/image-comparison.html   September webinar - local AI https://blog.ciaops.com/2026/09/10/ciaops-need-to-know-microsoft-365-webinar-september-5/

In this episode of the Need to Know Podcast, I cover recent Microsoft news, including strong financial results, continued Azure growth, rising Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption, and major security updates. Key security stories include supply chain compromise, cybercrime disruption, hotel Wi-Fi credential theft, and Project Perception, which points toward a future where security is increasingly managed by AI agents rather than manual review. The episode also highlights new Microsoft 365 Copilot capabilities, web grounding domain controls, Copilot in SharePoint improvements, plus two new CIAOPS simulators for Exchange/Defender policy flow and Microsoft 365 sign-in/Conditional Access testing.   The broader discussion focuses on how AI is changing software, security, and business productivity. I argue that cheaper open-weight AI models, Microsoft’s MAI models, and tools like GitHub Copilot make it easier for businesses to build their own dashboards, simulators, and lightweight applications instead of relying only on traditional software. He also introduces the idea of a “SharePoint gardener” to keep SharePoint information organised for AI use, and explains how AI loops can continuously test, improve, and refine code or business processes with human oversight where needed.   Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS AI Dojo  CIAOPS weekly news update - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Join my email list A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   Security & Threat Intelligence ChainDrop supply chain compromise: Anatomy of a self-propagating worm Five takedowns, one infrastructure: How Microsoft is tackling the cybercrime economy CaptiveCrunch: Midnight Blizzard targets travellers worldwide for malware delivery and credential theft Introducing Project Perception: The Next Evolution of Agentic Security Microsoft 365 Copilot & AI What's New in Microsoft 365 Copilot | July 2026 More control over web grounding with Domain Exclusion for Microsoft 365 Copilot Looking back on Microsoft's FY26: From AI experimentation to Frontier Transformation SharePoint & Content Management What's New in Copilot in SharePoint: August 2026 Microsoft Corporate News & Strategy Microsoft Cloud and AI strength fuels fourth quarter results CIAOPS:   Exchange Online + Defender for Office 365 Policy Flow Simulator   M365 Sign-In and Conditional Access Flow Simulator

Latest news and updates from the Microsoft cloud from security, to copilot and beyond. I also  share my thoughts on recent changes at Microsoft, Cowork costs, security challenges with agents and my experiences configuring local AI. Always keen to hear your thoughts and feedback on the content in this episode. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS AI Dojo  CIAOPS weekly news update - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Join my email list A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com Security & Threat Intelligence GigaWiper: Anatomy of a destructive backdoor assembled from multiple malware Defending the Inbox Against Prompt Injection Attacks Chromium extension uses AI-related branding to redirect browser search Microsoft 365 Copilot & AI Available today: OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 in Microsoft 365 Copilot Built for Business: How Microsoft 365 Copilot Connects the Tools That Power Your Business What’s New in Microsoft 365 Copilot | June 2026 Microsoft Frontier Company: AI engineering that amplifies and protects your intelligence SharePoint & Content Management Microsoft SharePoint site lifecycle management SharePoint Advanced Management overview Move from insight to action with the SharePoint Admin Agent Admins: Migrating user data during mergers and restructurings just got easier Microsoft Corporate News Microsoft cuts 4,800 employees in new layoffs

This episode ultimately reflects on how organisations must adapt to an environment where solutions are no longer neatly balanced between simplicity and capability. Instead, businesses need to reassess priorities, stay informed, and make deliberate choices about which innovations deliver real value. For SMBs, the challenge is not just keeping up—but identifying what’s truly “good enough” in an increasingly complex cloud-first world. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS AI Dojo  CIAOPS weekly news update - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Join my email list A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   AutoJack: How a single page can RCE the host running your AI agent   Azure Sets a New Performance Record for LLM Training Benchmark at Extreme Scale   Forrester names Microsoft a Leader in the 2026 Extended Detection and Response Platforms Wave report   Copilot Cowork is now generally available   Microsoft Defender email security benchmarking: Key insights from one year of data   Stay productive in new Outlook for Windows with these 5 features   What’s new in Power Platform: June 2026 feature update   What’s New in Notebooks | June 2026   Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team responds to the intensity of race weekends with Microsoft   AI brands as bait: How threat actors are using the AI hype in social engineering

Join me as I unpack the most impactful Microsoft Build 2026 announcements for SMBs, including Work IQ’s general availability, new autopilot and Scout agent features, enhanced agent security with Microsoft Execution Containers, and the latest MAI models for code, image, and voice. Discover how upcoming Work IQ APIs, OpenClaw integration with Windows, and the shift toward hybrid AI solutions are shaping the future of business technology, with practical insights on cost control, disaster recovery, and agentic security. Don’t miss this episode for actionable takeaways and expert analysis on the evolving AI landscape. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS AI Dojo  CIAOPS weekly news update - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Join my email list A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   Microsoft Build 2026 blog – Be yourself at work Developer-Tech – AI agents, Copilot, Windows developer tools VentureBeat – AI agents and enterprise use cases Thurrott – Scout personal work agent and AI models VentureBeat – Data silos and Microsoft IQ Windows Report – Securing code agents and AI models Engadget – Build 2026 live blog Microsoft Learn – Work IQ in Azure Foundry Firstpost – MXC, OpenClaw, and OpenShell

In this episode, we dig into Cowork Skills and why they represent a genuine shift from “AI as a novelty” to “AI as part of how work actually gets done.” Not more prompts. Not more tools. But fewer decisions, less friction, and more consistency across the business.  If you’ve ever thought “Copilot is interesting, but it’s not really embedded yet”, this episode is for you. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog - CIAOPS – Information about SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Azure, Mobility and Productivity from the Computer Information Agency Join my Teams shared channel - Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron - CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS Brief - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs - CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS - Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Please fill out this form A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com CIAOPS MSP Skills Microsoft Build Choose how OneNote opens Microsoft 365 file links How Storm-2949 turned a compromised identity into a cloud-wide breach Disrupting Fox Tempest: A cybercrime service that turned “verified” software into a pathway for ransomware Exposing Fox Tempest: A malware-signing service operation A faster, more efficient Editor experience with Narrator in Word Launched: Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption Hub Redesign

A weekly roundup of Microsoft Cloud news with a focus on SMBs. Key topics include Microsoft's internal testing of an always-on AI assistant, major security threats such as Russian state-sponsored router hijacking and advanced phishing attacks, updates to Microsoft Teams, and a retrospective on SharePoint's evolution. Robert also discusses the challenges and strategies for adopting AI in business, emphasizing the need for a unified, collaborative approach to AI usage within organizations. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog - CIAOPS – Information about SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Azure, Mobility and Productivity from the Computer Information Agency Join my Teams shared channel - Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron - CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS Brief - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs - CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS - Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Please fill out this form A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   Microsoft tests 'ClawPilot' AI agent for 3,000 staff SOHO router compromise leads to DNS hijacking and adversary-in-the-middle attacks What’s New in Microsoft Teams | April 2026 ClickFix campaign uses fake macOS utilities lures to deliver infostealers The Future of SharePoint Breaking the code: Multi-stage ‘code of conduct’ phishing campaign leads to AiTM token compromise

I reflect on the significance of the day before diving into the week’s major developments, including the arrival of the Microsoft AI Tour in Sydney. The episode covers both partner and public events, with a focus on enterprise-level AI advancements and networking opportunities. The podcast features a comprehensive weekly news roundup: The general availability of Copilot Agent capabilities in Microsoft 365 apps. New data security tools for AI in Microsoft Purview. Innovations in identity resilience and backup with Microsoft Entra. Microsoft’s $25 billion investment in Australian AI infrastructure and training. Practical security playbooks for tenant protection and device analytics. Updates on decluttering promotional mail with Microsoft Defender. Guidance on preventing oversharing in Copilot, deploying Defender, and enforcing data security with Purview. I also share my workflow for automating podcast production using Copilot Cowork, including narration scripts and link management. I discuss experimenting with AI-driven voice narration and invites listener feedback on pacing and voice options. The episode concludes with reflections on the Microsoft AI Tour’s enterprise focus, the importance of networking, and the challenges SMBs face in accessing relevant content. Listeners are encouraged to reach out with questions or feedback and to stay tuned for upcoming events like Microsoft Build and Ignite. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog - CIAOPS – Information about SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Azure, Mobility and Productivity from the Computer Information Agency Join my Teams shared channel - Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron - CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS Brief - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs - CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS - Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Please fill out this form A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   Microsoft 365 Insider Round-Up — April 2026 Declutter and Defend: Reducing Promotional Mail Noise with Microsoft Defender Prevent Oversharing in Microsoft 365 Copilot Microsoft Defender Deployment Tool From Oversharing to Enforcement: A Practical Guide to AI Data Security with Microsoft Purview Investing in Australia's AI Future Copilot's Agentic Capabilities in Word, Excel and PowerPoint Are Generally Available Predictive Shielding: Just-in-Time Tamper Protection Threat Hunting Agent in Advanced Hunting Bringing Transparency to AI-Generated Content with Watermarks in Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 Copilot Readiness and Resiliency with SharePoint and Microsoft 365 Backup Introducing the Microsoft Sentinel Training Lab A Practical Look at Device Analytics and Risk Signals with Microsoft Intune Innovations in OneDrive for Collaboration, Intelligence and Control Strengthening Identity Resilience: A Deep Dive Into Microsoft Entra Backup and Recovery Detection Strategies for Cloud Identities Against Infiltrating IT Workers (Jasper Sleet) Safeguarding Sensitive Data in Microsoft 365 Copilot Interactions: DLP for Microsoft 365 Copilot Detecting Plain-Text Password Exposure Using Custom Regex in Microsoft Purview Cross-Tenant Helpdesk Impersonation to Data Exfiltration: A Human-Operated Intrusion Playbook

In this episode of the CIAOPS Need to Know podcast, we take an AI‑first look at what’s happening across the Microsoft Cloud and what it really means for small and medium businesses. Episode 362 cuts through the noise to focus on the practical, real‑world impact of artificial intelligence as Microsoft continues to embed AI across Microsoft 365, Azure, and everyday productivity tools. We discuss how an AI‑first mindset is changing the way SMBs should think about security, productivity, and operational efficiency, along with what partners and IT professionals need to pay attention to right now. Expect clear explanations, informed opinions, and actionable insights designed to help you make sense of rapid change without the hype. Resources CIAOPS Need to Know podcast - CIAOPS - Need to Know podcasts | CIAOPS X - https://www.twitter.com/directorcia [email protected] CIAOPS Blog - CIAOPS – Information about SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Azure, Mobility and Productivity from the Computer Information Agency Join my Teams shared channel - Join my Teams Shared Channel – CIAOPS CIAOPS Merch store - CIAOPS Become a CIAOPS Patron - CIAOPS Patron CIAOPS Brief - CIA Brief – CIAOPS CIAOPS Labs - CIAOPS Labs – The Special Activities Division of the CIAOPS Support CIAOPS - Support CIAOPS Get your M365 questions answered via email Please fill out this form A special thanks to the CIAOPS Patron community for making this podcast possible. You can find the benefits of a subscription to the community and become a member at https://www.ciaopspatron.com   🔹 Microsoft 365 Copilot & AI in the Workplace Product updates and new Copilot experiences What’s new in Microsoft 365 Copilot – March 2026 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-365-copilot--march-2026/4506322 Copilot Cowork now available in Frontier https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2026/03/30/copilot-cowork-now-available-in-frontier/   https://playground.microsoft.ai/chat   🔹 AI Security, Threats & Protection How Microsoft is addressing AI as both a tool and an attack surface Defending the AI era: New Microsoft capabilities to protect AI https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/MicrosoftDefenderCloudBlog/defending-the-ai-era-new-microsoft-capabilities-to-protect-ai/4503885 Threat actor abuse of AI accelerates from tool to cyberattack surface https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/04/02/threat-actor-abuse-of-ai-accelerates-from-tool-to-cyberattack-surface/   🔹 Endpoint & Device Management (Intune) Modern management platform updates What’s new in Microsoft Intune – March 2026 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftintuneblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-intune-%E2%80%93-march/4493136   🔹 Power Platform Low‑code and automation platform updates What’s new in Power Platform – March 2026 feature update https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/blog/power-apps/whats-new-in-power-platform-march-2026-feature-update/   🔹 Microsoft 365 Data, Storage & Compliance Archiving and information lifecycle management File‑level archiving comes to Microsoft 365 Archive (Public Preview) https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft_365blog/file-level-archiving-comes-to-microsoft-365-archive-public-preview/4506886   🔹 Microsoft 365 Platform Milestones Product anniversaries and platform evolution Microsoft SharePoint turns 25 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/microsoft-sharepoint-turns-25/4505368 Celebrating 30 years of Microsoft Exchange https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/celebrating-30-years-of-microsoft-exchange/4503439

In this episode I speak with Phil Meyer about the current state and future of the technical community in SMB around the Microsoft products and services. Things are changing, demographics, technology as well as customers are impacting the concept of 'community'. Phil and I dive deep and share our opinions. Plenty of news and update from the Microsoft Cloud as well to dig into for you. Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  CIAOPS Publications: https://directorcia.gumroad.com  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email   Achieving SMB1001 publication - https://directorcia.gumroad.com/l/smb10012006  Show Notes Email [email protected] to receive the invitation to Phil’s online meetings   Security, AI & Cloud Updates Introducing Security Dashboard for AI (Public Preview) https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-security-blog/introducing-security-dashboard-for-ai-now-in-public-preview/4494637  Your Data, Your Choices: Microsoft’s Privacy Commitments https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/your-data-your-choices-understanding-microsoft%E2%80%99s-privacy-commitments/4489814  Manipulating AI Memory for Profit: AI Recommendation Poisoning https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/10/ai-recommendation-poisoning/  What’s New in Microsoft Sentinel – February 2026 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftsentinelblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-sentinel-february-2026/4494218  Closing Attack Paths with Identity Intelligence https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftthreatprotectionblog/from-signal-to-strategy-closing-attack-paths-with-identity-intelligence/4491856 ] Exchange Online EWS – End of Life Reminder https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/exchange-online-ews-your-time-is-almost-up/4492361  What’s New in Microsoft Intune — January 2026 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftintuneblog/whats-new-in-microsoft-intune-%E2%80%93-january-2026/4476487  Real‑time Defense: Securing AI Agents https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/01/23/runtime-risk-realtime-defense-securing-ai-agents/  Detecting Backdoored Language Models at Scale https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/04/detecting-backdoored-language-models-at-scale/

In this episode I'm joined by Shervin Shaffie from Microsoft to do a deep dive into Copilot Studio. That's the service from Microsoft that allows you to create agents in a 'low-code' manner right inside the M365 environment. Shervin has some great Youtube content I highly recommend and provides some great insights and tips and tricks in this episode when working with agents in Microsoft 365. I'll also brin you up to date with the latest Microsoft Cloud news. Listen along. Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  CIAOPS Publications: https://directorcia.gumroad.com  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email   Show Notes Shervin Shaffie - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherv/  Principal Copilot Engineer at Microsoft Collaboration Simplified YouTube: https://youtube.com/@collaborationsimplified   All About AI Podcast: https://cosi.pro/aipodcast  FY26 Q2 - Press Releases - Investor Relations - Microsoft   The Microsoft Copilot Data Connector for Microsoft Sentinel is Now in Public Preview | Microsoft Community Hub   Secure Boot playbook for certificates expiring in 2026   SharePoint Showcase highlights: Copilot and agents governance and security essentials for admins   What’s New in Microsoft 365 Copilot | January 2026 | Microsoft Community Hub   Upcoming Conditional Access change: Improved enforcement for policies with resource exclusions

I am joined by Andrew and Tim from Sherpatech to discuss updates and new challenges in the insurance market. If you missed last year's episode you'll find it here Episode 338 - Ensure to Insure. We discuss what impact AI is likely to have and how the insurance market is shaping up for 2026. I also have a few interesting updates and information from the Microsoft cloud for this first episode of 2026. So listen along and enjoy! Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  CIAOPS Publications: https://directorcia.gumroad.com  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email   Show Notes ‘AI adoption is accelerating, but confidence is collapsing’: The more workers use AI, the less they trust it. Baby boomers show a 35% drop   Data Security Posture Management for AI | Microsoft Community Hub   GitHub Copilot CLI   Bringing work context to your code in GitHub Copilot - Microsoft for Developers   PowerShell script to extract M365 security data for your own AI analysis – CIAOPS   Essential 8 AI report via PowerShell – CIAOPS   Unlocking Microsoft 365 Security: How I Automated AI-Powered Risk Analysis with PowerShell   YouTube   Microsoft and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team unite to drive innovation from factory to circuit - Source   Microsoft OneDrive, a year in review: AI-powered file management and smarter collaboration   Demystifying Exchange Online Mailbox Quotas | Microsoft Community Hub   SherpaTech Insurance Health Check MSP/ IT Professional Insurance Quote and Policy portal  Insurance Checklists

Welcome to another podcast episode where I aim to bring you up to date with the latest in the Microsoft Cloud as well as share my knowledge and insights. In this episode I dig into how you need to focus and avoid distractions as well as building your knowledge with products and automations you already have. Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email   Announcements Flight School: Mastering Copilot for IT Pros A new training resource for IT professionals to maximize Copilot capabilities. https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/14/flight-school-mastering-copilot-for-it-pros/    ACSC Essential Eight Maturity Level 3 Guidance on implementing security best practices with Microsoft 365 Business Premium. https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/12/08/implementing-acsc-essential-eight-maturity-level-3-with-microsoft-365-business-premium-publication/  Show Notes Advancing Microsoft 365: New capabilities and pricing update | Microsoft 365 Blog Available today: GPT-5.2 in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 Blog Meet Agents in OneDrive : Your AI assistant built with your own content | Microsoft Community Hub What’s New in Copilot Studio: November 2025 Updates and Features View or restore previous versions of Microsoft 365 Copilot Pages Security and governance innovations for Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents from Ignite 2025 | Microsoft Community Hub New! Centralized Agent Dashboard and Enhanced Reporting | Microsoft Community Hub Security and governance innovations for Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents from Ignite 2025 | Microsoft Community Hub What's new in Microsoft Intune: December 2025 - Microsoft Intune Blog Microsoft 365 adds advanced Microsoft Intune solutions at scale - Microsoft Intune Blog What’s New in Microsoft Sentinel: December 2025 | Microsoft Community Hub What’s new in Microsoft Entra – November 2025 Microsoft Ignite 2025: Top Security Innovations You Need to Know | Microsoft Community Hub

I am joined once again by Phil Meyer to review the most important and relevant announcements from Microsoft Ignite. Plenty around AI but also a few other gems you may have overlooked, so sit back and listen in as we focus on what you should be paying attention to. Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email   Announcements Flight School: Mastering Copilot for IT Pros – https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/14/flight-school-mastering-copilot-for-it-pros/  CIAOPS Academy deprecation notification – https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/10/ciaops-academy-deprecation-notification/  Show Notes Microsoft 365 powered by Work IQ: Built to Support How You Work – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve66gLVYaRw Synced Passkeys in Microsoft Entra for Phishing-resistant MFA – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36nIaSBJ7_U Ignite’25 Spotlight: Announcing Microsoft Baseline security mode – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft_365blog/ignite%E2%80%9925-spotlight-announcing-m… Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot Business: Empowering Small and Medium Businesses with AI – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/introducing-microsoft-365-copilot-… Future-Proofing Your Channel Business: Strategies for Asia Partners - Future-Proofing Your Channel Business: Strategies for Asia Partners | PBRK440 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvwZYUbVW08 Question - https://youtu.be/xvwZYUbVW08?t=2604