FSi at Microsoft Ignite 2023

Microsoft Ignite is an annual conference for industry leaders and experts to learn about new developments in the Microsoft ecosystem. As a Microsoft Partner, FSi Strategies is dedicated to keeping up with the latest developments. With employees attending Ignite in-person and virtually, FSi captured a glimpse of the newest updates and what’s to come in the next year.

With the advent of AI, we are entering a new era of Modern Work, one where enhanced efficiency and productivity are becoming more important. Leveraging Generative AI and other modern tools is central to success, and Microsoft is making it easier than ever.

Here are our highlights from Microsoft Ignite 2023:

Microsoft Copilot

The centerpiece of Ignite 2023 was Copilot, Microsoft’s Generative AI assistant, which is becoming a growing part of the Microsoft ecosystem. Copilot is present in nearly every Microsoft product from Bing to Edge to Microsoft 365.

Since the introduction of Bing Chat (now Copilot) in February of this year, Microsoft has focused on developing and integrating AI into their products and services. Copilot’s integration with Bing and Microsoft Edge is part of Microsoft’s vision to bring AI-driven productivity to everyone, and it has revolutionized the way we think about search engines. Bing’s AI features enable users to quickly find the search results and resources they need without scrolling through pages of links.

But Copilot is bigger than Bing and Edge. Copilot’s new presence in the Microsoft ecosystem encompasses more than we can summarize in one blog, so we will soon be doing a series of blog posts that give a more comprehensive overview of Copilot.

Microsoft Power Platform

Microsoft Power Platform is a series of products that allows users to build business applications with ease. Now, Copilot elevates the application development process with Copilot for Power Platform, making it easier than ever to create and refine automated workflows. Copilot for Power Automate can help you generate scripts, and soon, it will be able to analyze your automation activity in order to enhance your monitoring and governance strategies. New additions to Power Apps include AI implementation through Copilot and prebuilt templates with drag-and-drop simplicity that allows developers to build high-performance apps faster than ever before. With these new features, Copilot is revolutionizing app development.

SharePoint

One of the biggest announcements from this year’s Ignite was the unveiling of SharePoint Premium, a new AI-powered solution for content management. With general availability coming early next year, SharePoint Premium will enable organizations to elevate their content experience through AI and help prepare them to leverage Microsoft Copilot to its full extent. SharePoint Premium will make it easier than ever to navigate and collaborate on files.

Microsoft Teams

New features are coming to Microsoft Teams including voice isolation in Teams meetings and calls. Starting in 2024, advanced AI-driven noise suppression will monitor users’ voice profiles and suppress other voices and background noise to avoid audio interruptions during meetings and calls.

In Teams Premium, users will soon have the ability to modify their backgrounds with AI in order to remove clutter or make their space appear more professional during important meetings.

With other new features such as Loop Components in Teams Channels, Channel announcement backgrounds, a brand new web experience for Teams, new keyboard shortcuts and more, Microsoft Teams is continuing to grow and enhance workplace communication and collaboration.

Microsoft Viva

Microsoft Viva was introduced in 2021 as Microsoft’s employee experience platform, and since then, it has grown to include new features and products that elevate connection and community in the workplace. As the work becomes increasingly decentralized with remote and hybrid models, we are starting to miss out on connecting with coworkers in meaningful ways, but Viva seeks to remedy that. Last year’s Ignite Conference saw the unveiling of Viva Amplify, which enabled leaders to publish internal communications across Teams, emails, and other channels. This year, Amplify was updated with the ability to publish directly to Viva Engage, an employee communication platform that fosters connection and belonging in the workplace.

Security

As the Modern Workplace continues to evolve, the threats organizations face also adapt, but Microsoft is staying ahead of the curve with comprehensive security features. Ignite saw some changes to Microsoft’s approach to security. Defender 365, Microsoft’s native security solution, has been renamed Microsoft Defender XDR to emphasize its extended detection and response capabilities.

Additionally, Microsoft XDR and Sentinel combined provides a unified security operations platform with Microsoft Security Copilot integration. This will centralize and simplify your security, making it easier than ever to gain comprehensive insights and build a strategy that keeps your organization safe.

As a Microsoft Partner and one of our region’s leading providers of IT Services, FSi Strategies is prepared to help you unlock unmatched potential with these new products and features. Contact us today to learn how you can leverage the latest cutting-edge developments to thrive in your Modern Workplace.