Microsoft Ignite 2023 is in full swing! The annual conference announces the best of what’s next in technology, including new Microsoft products and updates. Check out some of the most exciting announcements from Microsoft Ignite below.
Microsoft Fabric now Generally Available
Fabric integrates Power BI, Data Factory, and the next generation of Synapse into one modern analytics solution. It is a comprehensive enterprise solution that includes role-specific tools and seamless integrations with Microsoft 365, Teams, and AI copilots. Its purpose is to enhance analytics capabilities and facilitate the scaling of data value creation for a diverse audience, ranging from data professionals to non-technical business users.
Microsoft SharePoint Premium
SharePoint Premium, Microsoft’s AI-powered solution, is in preview and will be available early next year. It enhances content management in Microsoft 365, providing structure, security, and governance. New features include seamless content interaction, AI analytics for branded document packaging, and solutions for optimized business processes.
Image Source: Microsoft
Microsoft Teams Updates
Did you know Microsoft Teams is now used by over 320 million people? This means Microsoft is dedicating even more resources to ensuring Teams offers a seamless work experience. Review the current and expected updates:
New Teams meeting features, including voice isolation and background decoration, aim to enhance user experience. Rollout begins, with availability in early 2024.
Teams chat and channels enhancements, rolling out through January 2024, encompass customizable reactions, chat forwarding, group chat profile pictures, Loop components, and personalized announcement backgrounds.
New Teams Phone features include private lines and protected voicemail.
Updates for a simpler Teams experience include a redesigned web experience, new keyboard shortcuts, code block enhancements, simplified notifications, and improved team and channel management. These updates are generally available by January 2024.
Private team discovery and shared channels enhancements, allowing collaboration with external stakeholders, will also be generally available in January 2024.
The Teams AI library, now generally available for JavaScript and .NET, aids app developers in building conversational apps using AI and large language models.
Image Source: Microsoft
Microsoft Defender XDR x Microsoft Sentinel
Microsoft Defender XDR (formerly Microsoft Defender 365) and Microsoft Sentinel are merging to form a unified security operations platform, enhanced by the addition of Microsoft Security Copilot generative AI. This integration aims to revolutionize how customers manage security operations, providing a more efficient and user-friendly experience with fewer clicks, reduced context switching, and minimal training. The combination of advanced AI and automation technologies enables defenders to elevate their skills with guided responses across both first- and third-party data sets. The update is currently in private preview.
Microsoft Copilot
2024 will be a huge year for Microsoft Copilot, the AI-powered assistant. Here’s a recap of the Copilot announcements:
Microsoft Copilot for Azure, currently in preview, simplifies application and infrastructure management using generative AI and Azure insights with a focus on data security.
Bing Chat and Bing Chat Enterprise will transition to Copilot, offering commercial data protection for Microsoft Entra customers starting December 1.
Microsoft introduces Copilot for Sales and Copilot for Service, bringing generative AI to business workflows within Microsoft 365.
New features in Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service enhance technician productivity and streamline manager workflows.
Copilot for Dynamics 365 Sales improves seller interactions with natural language insights.
Copilot in Dynamics 365 Guides combines mixed reality and AI for real-world operations.
Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, now generally available, includes a dashboard, Teams integration, and extended functionality with plugins and connectors.
Users can expand Copilot capabilities with plugins and connectors from internal and third-party applications.
Developers can build and test Copilot plugins in a non-production environment using the developer sandbox, available in private preview.
Image Source: Microsoft
For a full list of announcements from Microsoft Ignite 2023, view Microsoft’s Book of News.
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