The end of November saw another Microsoft Ignite event and this year there were, as usual, several advancements across the Microsoft technology stack.
With around 80 new products and features announced and more than 800 sessions, demos and expert-led labs, here are just some of the most important announcements from the event.
AI and Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft has expanded the integration of Microsoft 365 Copilot, now utilised by nearly 70% of Fortune 500 companies. New capabilities include Copilot Actions for automating tasks and advanced AI Agents tailored for applications like SharePoint, Teams, and Excel. Additionally, real-time interpreters and facilitators were introduced to enhance communication and boost productivity across teams.
Azure AI Foundry
A comprehensive toolkit for AI development, featuring the Azure AI Foundry SDK and improved resources like Azure AI Studio, simplifies the creation and deployment of AI solutions. Key highlights include a unified AI toolchain within the Azure AI Foundry SDK, which integrates Azure AI capabilities into familiar environments such as GitHub, Visual Studio, and Copilot Studio, enhancing accessibility and developer productivity.
Windows 365 Link and Copilot+ Devices
The introduction of the Windows 365 Link, a lightweight terminal for direct access to cloud desktops, and Copilot+ PCs with integrated local AI processing, aims to optimise hybrid work setups by combining cloud accessibility with advanced on-device capabilities.
Security Innovations in Microsoft Purview
Microsoft Purview updates enhance data governance and address AI-related risks such as misuse and prompt injection vulnerabilities. The rollout includes a Security Exposure Management Tool, designed to proactively uncover potential attack vectors. Complementing these enhancements is a $20 million cybersecurity initiative named Zero Day Quest, which focuses on identifying and mitigating emerging threats in AI and other technologies.
Azure OpenAI Service Enhancements
Expanding industry applications beyond content creation, with a focus on software development and customer engagement. These advancements prioritise enhancing model fine-tuning, increasing deployment flexibility, and advancing multimodal AI capabilities to better address diverse use cases.
Agents
SharePoint now features enhanced capabilities for generating up-to-date summaries of information stored across its sites, including extracting key insights and conducting document comparisons. Additionally, autonomous agents are available in preview, allowing makers to develop AI-driven agents that can operate independently. These agents execute tasks on behalf of users without requiring constant prompts, significantly saving time and boosting operational efficiency.
Exposure Management
Microsoft made some significant commitments to Security with the launch of the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) last year – prioritising the integration of secure by design, secure by default, and infusing secure operations principles into everything they do.
Ignite 2024 was a testament to Microsoft’s commitment to AI innovation and security, with new features and updates that promise to transform the way we work and interact with technology. See from this year’s Ignite conference here.
