Microsoft Innovation Podcast

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/705   What if the biggest barrier to AI success isn’t the model—but your data? In this episode, Sedarius Tekara Perrotta, CEO of Shelf, reveals why unstructured data is sabotaging enterprise AI efforts and how to fix it. From SharePoint chaos to hallucinating copilots, Sedarius shares a practical framework for transforming messy data into clean, actionable fuel for generative AI. If you're a business or tech leader navigating AI adoption, this conversation is your roadmap to clarity, control, and competitive edge.  🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS Unstructured data is the silent killer of AI accuracy. Most organizations have millions of files riddled with micro-errors that confuse AI models and lead to hallucinations.  A successful AI strategy starts with a data strategy. Clean, enriched, and refined data is essential before plugging into any AI system.  Use the “Reduce, Enhance, Refine” framework. Focus on a specific use case, eliminate irrelevant data, enrich with metadata, and refine to a trusted set of documents.  Automation is key—but not enough. Human oversight and iterative monitoring are still critical to ensure AI outputs remain accurate and relevant.  AI agents will transform job roles incrementally. Expect gradual automation of tasks, with agents augmenting—not replacing—human expertise. 🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Shelf – AI-powered unstructured data management platform: https://www.shelf.io  👉 Microsoft Copilot Studio – Customizable AI interface for enterprise use: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/copilot-studio  👉 Gartner Research – Identified poor data quality as the #1 barrier to scaling GenAI - Read the full Gartner press releaseThis year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/704  What happens when enterprise tech projects go off course—and how do you fix them? In this episode, Gary Blunden shares hard-earned insights from years of rescuing failed digital transformations. From diagnosing platform misalignment to exploring the future of AI-driven development, Gary offers a grounded yet forward-looking perspective on what it takes to build resilient, scalable solutions in today’s fast-evolving tech landscape.🔑KEY TAKEAWAYSRecovery projects reveal deep tech-business disconnects: Success hinges on understanding user pain points, not just deploying shiny tools. AI is reshaping software engineering: Tools like GitHub Copilot and agent-based systems are accelerating development—but human oversight remains critical. Low-code is evolving into “vibe code”: Expect a shift from manual UI building to orchestrating intelligent, autonomous agents. Documentation is becoming executable: Emerging tools may soon turn solution design docs into deployable systems. Mentorship and legacy knowledge matter: As AI abstracts complexity, retaining foundational engineering wisdom is more important than ever.🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED👉 Power Platform – Microsoft’s low-code development suite https://powerplatform.microsoft.com  👉 Power Automate – Workflow automation tool https://powerautomate.microsoft.com  👉 GitHub Copilot – AI pair programmer for developers https://github.com/features/copilot  👉 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/703 What happens when AI becomes your most insightful team member? In this episode, the team dives into a real-world case where a custom-built AI copilot transformed 7,000+ DevOps work items into a 120-page strategic report—without a single meeting. From surfacing hidden productivity patterns to reshaping how teams collaborate, this conversation explores how AI is no longer just a tool—it’s a force multiplier. Whether you're an AI optimist, skeptic, or somewhere in between, this episode will challenge how you think about intelligence, creativity, and the future of work. 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS AI as a Knowledge Synthesizer: Learn how a custom copilot built on DevOps data enabled full project, code, and tech reviews—without needing every stakeholder on a call. The 80/20 Insight: Discover how AI surfaced that 20% of a team was doing 80% of the work, revealing critical knowledge silos and opportunities for upskilling. From Fear to Fluency: Understand the psychology behind AI resistance—fear, change aversion, and the myth of being “too special to be replaced.” AI for Accessibility: Hear how AI empowers professionals with dyslexia and other challenges to communicate more clearly and confidently. The New Baseline: Why using AI isn’t cheating—it’s the new standard for productivity, clarity, and competitive edge. 🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Microsoft 365 Copilot – AI assistant integrated into Microsoft tools https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot 👉 Azure DevOps – Project management and code repository platform https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/devops 👉 Microsoft Fabric – Unified data analytics platform https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-fabric 👉 Gallup AI Adoption Report – Referenced for workplace AI usage trends https://www.gallup.com This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/702 What if the future of AI isn’t bigger—but smaller, smarter, and more specialized? In this episode, Microsoft’s Ilya Venger pulls back the curtain on the rise of small language models (SLMs), the evolution of intelligent agents, and why clean, governed data is the real fuel behind AI success. From industry-specific copilots to the power of Microsoft Fabric, this conversation is packed with practical insights for business and tech leaders navigating the AI revolution.  🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS SLMs vs. LLMs: Small language models are leaner, more efficient, and better suited for domain-specific tasks—offering lower hallucination rates and higher cost-performance ratios. Data Quality Matters: AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on. Microsoft Fabric and Purview help unify, clean, and govern enterprise data for more reliable AI outcomes.  Industry Agents Are Coming: Microsoft is enabling partners to build industry-specific agents—like healthcare assistants or retail copilots—using modular skills and tools. Copilot Studio’s Role: This low-code platform empowers teams to build, test, and deploy AI agents across Teams, Slack, and custom environments. The Future of AI Interfaces: Expect dynamic, on-the-fly UI generation tailored to user intent—blending visual and conversational interfaces for seamless interaction. 🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉Microsoft Fabric – Unified data platform for analytics and governance https://www.microsoft.com/fabric\ 👉 Microsoft Purview – Data governance and cataloguing solution https://www.microsoft.com/purview 👉Azure Marketplace – Access to industry-specific AI skills like financial document analysis https://azuremarketplace.microsoft.com 👉 Copilot Studio – Low-code platform for building and deploying AI agents https://aka.ms/CopilotStudio This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/701What happens when AI meets the messy, human world of organizational knowledge? In this episode, Rebecka Isaksson—Microsoft MVP and knowledge management strategist—unpacks how AI can finally unlock the elusive value of tacit knowledge. From SharePoint sprawl to the power of communities of practice, Rebecka shares hard-won insights on transforming content chaos into enterprise intelligence. Whether you're navigating Microsoft 365 or scaling AI in your organization, this conversation will change how you think about knowledge, governance, and impact.  🔑KEY TAKEAWAYS AI needs knowledge management: Without governance and lifecycle thinking, AI can’t deliver sustainable value in enterprise environments. Tacit knowledge is the real gold: AI tools like Microsoft Copilot can now surface insights from informal conversations, chats, and communities—not just documents. SharePoint’s hidden risks: Without role-based access control (RBAC), SharePoint can become a security and governance liability in AI-driven organizations. Communities of practice scale expertise: Platforms like Microsoft Engage (not just Yammer) are critical for capturing and sharing real-time, experience-based knowledge. Governance must evolve: Organizations need to move from content management to true knowledge management—governing not just files, but conversations, videos, and more.  🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED 👉 Microsoft 365 Copilot – AI-powered productivity assistant: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-365/copilot 👉 Knowledge Fika - https://open.spotify.com/show/0X7STHKKiIEEj1nrd9hvQa?si=d6fd17b395f749ec👉 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Dive into the dynamic world of AI as hosts explore three distinct mindsets: the Optimists, Deniers, and the Angry Camp. Unravel the concept of 'vibe coding' and how AI tools like GitHub Copilot are transforming software development. Hear about creating a personal AI-powered second brain to manage your knowledge. The discussion also draws a fascinating analogy between early web development tools and today’s AI-assisted platforms, emphasizing the importance of mastering seemingly simple tools for long-term success.

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/699 What if the key to unlocking AI’s full potential isn’t more algorithms—but better data? In this episode, Harley Webster, founder of Amagi and Power BI lead, shares how his journey from geologist to data strategist shaped his obsession with clean, actionable data. From managing petabytes of oilfield data in Qatar to helping modern businesses unify fragmented systems, Harley reveals why data quality is the real foundation of AI success—and how Microsoft Fabric is changing the game. If you're navigating the intersection of business, AI, and data engineering, this conversation is a must-listen. 🔑KEY TAKEAWAYS Data Quality is Non-Negotiable for AI: Harley emphasizes that without clean, governed, and well-modeled data, AI outputs are unreliable—no matter how advanced the model. Microsoft Fabric is a Game-Changer: Fabric’s unified platform simplifies data engineering, enabling real-time pipelines, medallion architecture (bronze, silver, gold layers), and seamless integration with Power BI. Start with Business Outcomes, Not Data Inventory: Harley’s approach is to define the top KPIs first, then trace back to the data sources—ensuring focus and ROI from day one. Common Language is Critical in M&A: When merging data from different systems or companies, aligning terminology and definitions is essential to avoid misinterpretation and ensure accurate reporting. ROI from Data Projects is Tangible: From automating manual reporting to protecting market share, Harley outlines how to quantify the business value of data initiatives—even in complex environments. 🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED  👉 Microsoft Fabric – Unified data platform for engineering, analytics, and visualization: https://fabric.microsoft.com 👉 Power BI – Business intelligence and data visualization tool: https://powerbi.microsoft.com 👉 Dataflow Gen2 – Web-based data transformation tool in Microsoft Fabric  👉 `Natasha’s Foundation – UK charity supporting food allergy awareness: https://www.narf.org.uk 👉 VWS Software – Waste management software provider in the UK: https://www.vwssoftware.com This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/698 What happens when a cloud architect dives headfirst into the evolving world of AI and becomes one of the earliest adopters of Microsoft Copilot in Europe? In this episode, Daniel Rohregger shares how he turned early access into real-world impact—running transformative workshops, challenging AI limitations, and building multilingual agents for legacy industries. Whether you're leading digital transformation or just trying to keep up with Copilot’s rapid evolution, this conversation is packed with insights that will sharpen your strategy and expand your toolkit. 🔑 Key Takeaways How to Run Effective Copilot Workshops: Daniel breaks down his approach to correcting misconceptions, tailoring demos to business roles, and aligning AI with compliance needs. The Power of Multilingual AI Agents: Learn how legacy manufacturing teams are using Copilot to bridge language gaps and preserve expert knowledge. Why Responsible AI Matters: A candid look at the trade-offs between user empowerment and ethical safeguards in enterprise AI. What’s Coming in Copilot Wave 2: Daniel shares what features he’s most excited about, including GPT-4o image generation and the new “Create” experience. Pro Tips for Power Users: From prompt engineering to backend transparency, hear what advanced users wish Copilot would let them control. 🧰 Resources Mentioned 👉 Microsoft Copilot – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot 👉 Microsoft Forms with Copilot – https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/forms 👉 Azure AI Speech Services – https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/cognitive-services/speech-services/ 👉 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/697   What if you could prevent most software project failures before they even begin? In this episode, we dive into the origins and evolution of Microsoft’s FastTrack program and the Success by Design framework—a powerful approach that’s transforming how enterprise tech projects are delivered. Pedro Sacramento and Alok Singh, two principal program managers at Microsoft, share how a simple spreadsheet of lessons learned became a global standard for cloud implementation success. Whether you're leading a project or scaling a practice, this conversation is packed with insights to help you build smarter, faster, and with confidence.🔑KEY TAKEAWAYS80% of project issues are preventable: Most failures stem from misalignment early in the project lifecycle—Success by Design addresses this head-onEarly engagement is critical: Projects that adopt the framework early see 2.2x higher user adoption and fewer escalations.From firefighting to foresight: FastTrack evolved from solving crises to proactively guiding success through repeatable patterns and best practices.Scalable success through partners: With over 120 partners trained, Microsoft has extended its reach to thousands of projects globally.Recognition that matters: The FastTrack Recognized Solution Architect designation is earned through real-world impact—not theory.🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED👉About Microsoft FastTrack for Dynamics 365 - Dynamics 365 | Microsoft Learn 👉https://aka.ms/D365FastTrackPortfolioPartners 👉What is the Dynamics 365 Implementation Portal? - Dynamics 365 | Microsoft Learn 👉What is the Dynamics 365 implementation guide? - Dynamics 365 | Microsoft LearnThis year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM 🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/696  When AI stops being a buzzword and starts saving you 15 hours a month, something shifts. In this episode, Microsoft MVP and Practice Director Chris Hinch shares how he turned curiosity into capability—leading Copilot enablement across his organization and beyond. From overcoming AI skepticism to building secure, scalable adoption strategies, Chris reveals how professionals can move from survival mode to thriving with AI. If you're navigating the fast-changing world of enterprise tech, this conversation is your roadmap to real-world impact.  🔑KEYTAKEAWAYS AI is only valuable when it solves real problems—don’t deploy it for hype’s sake. Copilot can reclaim hours of productivity by streamlining tasks like email, meetings, and presentations.  Security and data protection are critical to building trust in AI adoption.  Enablement starts with empathy—showing small, iterative wins builds momentum.  “Surviving to thriving” is the new productivity metric—AI should help you finish work, not just do more of it. 🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED: 👉 Microsoft Copilot – AI assistant integrated across M365 - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot 👉 Copilot Notebooks - A new way to work with persistent context in AI - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/get-started-with-microsoft-365-copilot-notebooks-0775e693-11c6-4d80-8aba-fcc81a737a06  👉 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP -This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith