At the Microsoft Ignite 2024 event, several major announcements were made, highlighting the latest innovations and enhancements to Microsoft’s products and services. Here’s an overview of the new features that made the biggest impression on me:
New Microsoft 365 logo
The Microsoft 365 logo will change to the Copilot logo with an M365 tagline, reflecting the evolution and growing integration of AI into Microsoft products.
Copilot Actions
Microsoft has unveiled Copilot Actions in Microsoft 365 Copilot, allowing you to automate repetitive daily tasks with simple to complete prompts. For example, you can automatically receive a summary of your most important action items at the end of each working day, or create an action to collect contributions from your team for a weekly newsletter. In addition, new agents have been announced, including agents for SharePoint, real-time translation agents for Microsoft Teams meetings, and employee self-service agents.
Copilot Analytics
Microsoft also unveiled Copilot Analytics, a tool designed to measure the impact of AI on business. The tool enables IT administrators and analysts to customize advanced reports with their business data, offering valuable insights into the adoption and impact of AI assistants like Copilot.
Copilot Analytics is a component of the new Copilot Control System, designed to enable IT teams to confidently adopt and accelerate the business value of Copilot and agents. Copilot Analytics will be accessible via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, Copilot Dashboard and Viva Insights, and will be generally available in early 2025.
Windows App on Android
The Windows App will soon be available on Android devices, allowing users to access Windows applications on their personal Android devices.
Security and Azure
On the security front, Microsoft introduced new features to enhance the security and resilience of Windows systems. Azure announcements included Azure Local, Azure Cobalt, and Azure Boost DPU, innovations designed to improve workload efficiency and data processing in the cloud.
Storyline in Teams
Another new feature announced at Microsoft Ignite 2024 is Storyline (Viva Engage functionality), which will be integrated into Microsoft Teams. Storyline simplifies the ways in which leaders and employees share and connect with colleagues across the enterprise, increasing visibility and engagement. This feature creates visual and interactive stories that can be shared easily across the organization, facilitating communication and collaboration.
Fabric Databases and Azure AI Foundry
Other Announcements Microsoft also announced the availability of Fabric Databases and Azure AI Foundry, as well as the preview of the Azure AI Agent service, enabling AI agents to be securely created, deployed and scaled. In addition, risk and security assessments for images have been introduced, as well as enhancements for Copilot in Teams.
Windows 365 Link
Microsoft also announced the launch of Windows 365 Link, the first Cloud PC device designed to connect securely to Windows 365 in seconds. This compact, lightweight device is designed to maximize productivity with highly responsive performance. It supports two 4K monitors, has four USB ports, an Ethernet port, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, offering seamless connectivity with wired and wireless devices5. Windows 365 Link will be available for purchase in April 2025 at a price of $349. This device is ideal for IT professionals looking to improve the productivity of office workers in their organization.
Copilot Agents
Copilot Agents are powerful tools that extend Copilot’s skills and knowledge, making it easier to automate and execute complex tasks within your enterprise. Below is the list of Copilot Agents announced during the event.
SharePoint agent: These agents enable users to transform SharePoint sites and documents into specialized agents that act as subject matter experts for business needs. They help users access information quickly and make informed decisions. This new agent is generally available and can already be tried out, and is included with the Microsoft 365 Copilot license. If your tenant is licensed for Microsoft Copilot Studio pay-as-you-go billing, it will soon be available to users as an on-demand consumer.
Employee Self Service agent: Available in Business Chat, this agent answers common questions about the organization’s policies and performs certain HR and IT tasks, such as requesting leave or a new laptop. This agent is connected to corporate knowledge sources and systems, ensuring that employees get the right information while helping organizations improve service delivery processes and reduce administrative costs. This new agent is available as a private preview and requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
Facilitator agent: This agent is designed to enhance collaboration in Team meetings. It takes notes in real time, summarizes meetings, highlights key discussion points and helps focus on action items. This new agent is now available as a public pre-release.
Interpreter agent: This agent enables real-time interpreting in Teams meetings, offering instant voice translation in multiple languages. Participants can speak and listen in the language of their choice, and the agent can simulate their voice for a more inclusive experience. The agent interpreter will initially support nine languagesincluding Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish. The new agent will be available as a public preview in early 2025, and will require a Microsoft 365 Copilot license to access the preview.
Project Manager agent: This agent automates project management tasks in Microsoft Planner. It manages plan creation, task assignment, progress tracking, reminders, notifications, status reports and content creation.
What’s new in Microsoft Teams
Copilot in Teams: Microsoft has announced enhancements to Copilot in Teams. Copilot in Teams is designed to maximize the efficiency of meetings and collaborations by using artificial intelligence to analyze and summarize content shared on screen, transcripts and chat messages. For example, Copilot can provide a quick summary of a file shared in a conversation, or answer questions based on visual content presented during a meeting. This feature ensures that all important details are captured, and that participants can focus on strategic discussions without worrying about taking detailed notes.
iPad app: Microsoft has announced a new feature for the Teams app on iPad, allowing users to open multiple windows simultaneously. This revolutionary update facilitates multitasking, delivering a smoother, more productive experience. Users can now take part in multiple meetings, manage different conversations and access various documents at the same time, all from their iPad.
Teams optimization for VDI: Microsoft announces improved performance for the Microsoft Teams client running on a VDI environment.
The new combined chat and team experience: Available in public pre-release. The new experience combines chats, teams and channels in one place, in Chat, so users can easily navigate between all conversations without changing context. Users start in the combined Chat view, but can choose to keep chats separate from teams and channels as before.
Queue application : the queue application is now generally available. The Teams Queues application offers a host of advanced features to simplify and automate the management of your queues. In addition, Microsoft continues their investment in the Queues application for Microsoft Teams, extending the Queues application to be available on phone devices. This experience will help agents manage their customer interactions directly from their Teams phone device. Agents will be able to register or unsubscribe from queues and access call history, which includes details such as customer names, phone numbers, call times and actions taken during the call. This function will be available in early 2025.
Brand spoofing phishing protection: Microsoft has announced a new brand spoofing phishing protection feature in Teams. This protection enhances security by automatically detecting brand spoofing attempts in Teams communications.
Require verification to join your Teams meeting or webinar: Microsoft introduces a new feature enabling organizers to verify anonymous participants before they can join a meeting or webinar. When an anonymous user attempts to join, they will be required to pass a CAPTCHA check to confirm that they are human. This feature is currently in public pre-release.
E-mail verification for external participants: This feature aims to enhance meeting security and reliability by enabling organizers to ask external participants to verify their e-mail address before joining a meeting. Once verified, participants will appear with a “Verified e-mail” label, offering a more reliable way for organizers to manage external participants.
New calendar in Teams: Now available in general release, this redesigned calendar offers increased reliability and familiarity, allowing users to enjoy the same calendar experience in both Teams and Outlook. This integration also includes Copilot and Places functionalities, adding a touch of intelligence to time management.
Microsoft Places : Microsoft Places is now generally available. Microsoft Places is an application designed to enrich your flexible working experience with artificial intelligence. It aims to harmonize physical and digital space, enabling more natural and intuitive collaboration, whether you’re in the office, at home or on the move. Places space analytics is also generally available.
Digital signage in Microsoft Teams rooms: Digital signage in Microsoft Teams rooms is now generally available. This means you’ll be able to see dynamic, engaging and relevant content on the main screen of your Microsoft Teams rooms on Windows, when the device is not in use. Administrators can remotely configure digital signage parameters at tenant and room level via the Teams Rooms Pro Management portal. Integrations with third-party digital signage providers and content management systems will also be supported, with initial partners including Appspace and XOGO.
Remote log collection in the Teams administration center: Microsoft has announced a new feature that will simplify the process of collecting logs from Teams clients. By automating this task, it is no longer necessary for end users to intervene. This innovation guarantees efficient log collection without disturbing users, facilitating faster troubleshooting and more effective problem resolution. This feature is in private pre-release and will be in public pre-release in early 2025.
Voice recognition of speakers: This technology, initially available only in Teams rooms equipped with smart speakers, will soon be extended to all existing devices. Powered by Microsoft AI, this feature identifies each speaker in meetings, even in BYOD spaces, by analyzing the distinct vocal characteristics of each participant. This feature is now generally available.
Copilot in the Microsoft Teams administrative center: Microsoft has announced the integration of Copilot into the Microsoft Teams administrative center. This new feature enables administrators to manage meeting settings and strategies more effectively, using advanced artificial intelligence capabilities. Thanks to Copilot, administrators can now configure meeting strategies or assign an available phone number to a new user.
Agents in Dynamics 365
Microsoft recently announced the introduction of 10 new autonomous agents in Dynamics 365, designed to enhance the customer experience. These agents, integrated into the Dynamics 365 Customer Service platform, feature generative AI, seamless collaboration capabilities and productivity tools in a customizable workspace. They enable agents to manage multiple interactions, switch between sessions without losing context, and use productivity tools to improve workflows. This innovation aims to boost agent efficiency, enabling them to deliver high-quality, personalized customer experiences across all channels. Below you’ll see a video demonstrating these new agents in Dynamics 365.
Source
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to cover all the new features announced by Microsoft and their partners in this article. However, you’ll find all the details and additional information in the source section of this article. Don’t hesitate to take a look there to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the latest innovations and updates.
- aka.ms/book-of-news
- aka.ms/CopilotActions
- aka.ms/AgentsInM365
- aka.ms/ThirdPartyagents
- aka.ms/CopilotAnalytics
- aka.ms/WindowsAppAndroid
- aka.ms/Windows365Link
- aka.ms/WinWithSecurity
- aka.ms/AzureLocal
- aka.ms/AzureCobalt
- aka.ms/AzureBoostDPU
- aka.ms/NDGB200v6
- aka.ms/AzureHBv5
- aka.ms/AzureMaia
- aka.ms/Fabric
- aka.ms/AzureAIModelCatalogPage
- aka.ms/MaaSExperimentation
- aka.ms/CustomizationCollaborations
In conclusion, Microsoft Ignite 2024 was a true demonstration of Microsoft’s innovation and vision for the future. Announcements covered a wide range of areas, from the introduction of new autonomous agents in Dynamics 365 to the expansion of Copilot across several applications in the Microsoft 365 suite. Enhancements to Microsoft Fabric, new security capabilities and AI innovations were also highlights of the event.
For more details on all the new features announced, please consult the source section of this article. You’ll find comprehensive information and links to the relevant resources to explore each topic in greater depth.
