Microsoft Innovation Podcast

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM  AI is transforming identity security and giving cybercriminals superpowers. This episode explores the rise of deepfakes, social engineering, and why traditional MFA and recovery flows fail. Learn how businesses can protect digital trust and secure remote work in an AI-driven world. 👉 Full Show Notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/767🎙️ What you’ll learn Why generative AI accelerates identity theft and fraud How deepfakes undermine video verification and trust The hidden risks in MFA recovery and onboarding flows Practical steps to secure help desks and remote workers How mobile cryptographic attestation strengthens identity checks ✅ Highlights “Cybercrime now rivals the GDP of the world’s largest economies.” “Generative AI has given superpowers to bad actors.” “Deepfakes make it impossible to trust what’s on a video call.” “Half of IT help desk calls are locked-out employees.” “Recovery flows for MFA are fundamentally insecure.” “North Koreans are applying for remote jobs using live deepfakes.” “The camera on your laptop isn’t connected to the TPM chip.” “We realised identity verification had to move to mobile.” “HubSpot automated account recovery with high-assurance identity checks.” “Okta recommends visual verification—but it’s slow and fragile.” “Passkeys don’t eliminate passwords or provisioning risk.” “AI lets attackers mimic company language and values effortlessly.” 🧰 Mentioned Nametag: https://getnametag.com/Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com Okta: https://www.okta.com HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com Azure: https://azure.microsoft.com Microsoft Entra ID: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/identity-access/microsoft-entra-id Cisco Duo: https://duo.com Beyond Identity: https://www.beyondidentity.com ✅Keywords ai security, identity theft, deepfakes, mfa recovery, remote work risk, social engineering, cybercrime growth, mobile attestation, okta, entra id, passkeys, generative aiMicrosoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport 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 Practical insights on adopting Microsoft 365 Copilot and AI tools for real business impact. Learn how to identify quick wins, improve productivity, and master prompt engineering for better results. 🎙️ Full Show Notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/766🔑 What you’ll learn How AI is reshaping workflows and productivity tools Practical Copilot use cases for Outlook, Word, Teams, and PowerPoint Why adoption programs and training matter for AI success Techniques for effective prompt engineering How to document processes quickly using Teams and Copilot 👉 Highlights "We're seeing a lot more summarization, a lot more drafting." "Agentic is coming through with agents and agent-to-agent communication." "You don't need to deploy it to everybody." "It's really something that you need to have that adoption program in place." "Prompt engineering does play a big role in it." "How you use Copilot in Word is very different to how you use Copilot in Outlook." "My daily one probably starts off in Outlook, summarizing the emails overnight." "Create a presentation from a document." "Teams transcripts are great." "Copilot gives you that structure, that outline, and it's really quick." "The design aspect has improved, that's kind of cool." "Copilot for M365 is really aimed at the business user." 🧰 Mentioned Microsoft 365 Copilot - https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/copilot Grammarly - https://www.grammarly.com Cloudflare - https://www.cloudflare.com Danielbrown.id.au - https://danielbrown.id.au Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 ✅Keywords ai adoption, microsoft 365 copilot, outlook productivity, teams transcripts, prompt engineering, power bi, word summarization, powerpoint design, bizchat, azure hosting, process documentation, business workflows Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

🔴 For full Show Notes  https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/765Resilience, wellbeing, and lifelong learning are three levers for thriving in the Intelligence Age. Mark and Meg unpack how to reset after a hard year, design simple habits, and build confidence through practice. They explore personal stories of grief, burnout, and career uncertainty, and show how revisiting trusted books, building AI agents for health, money, and meaning, and turning learning into a weekly rhythm keep skills relevant for 2026 and beyond.👉Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz🎙️What you’ll learnHow to treat resilience as a repeatable practice, not a fixed trait.How to design simple habits to reset mindset, health, and wellbeing after a hard season.How personal AI agents could support health, mental health, finances, and meaning, and where to be cautious.How to shift from one-off training to a lifelong learning habit that fits your style.How uniquely human skills like creativity and emotional intelligence grow your confidence in an AI-enabled workplace.✅Highlights"Every single one of them requires practice. And I need the mindset of practice to also take my tendency to try and get to perfection.""How do you bounce back after hard times, after hard things happen?""I know I can do hard things because I've done them before.""There is a sense of burnout and wellbeing is probably not on the forefront."🧰MentionedGrit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance https://amzn.to/3XJIxz5Man's Search for Meaning https://amzn.to/47VuMDuAtomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones https://amzn.to/3MhA5EGNever Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It https://amzn.to/3K5cYN8Machines of Love and Grace https://www.darioamodei.com/essay/machines-of-loving-graceMicrosoftinnovationpodcast.com https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/✅Connect with the hostsMark Smith: Blog https://www.nz365guy.com, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nz365guyMeg Smith: Blog https://www.megsmith.nz, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/megsmithnzSubscribe, rate, and share with someone who wants to be future ready. Drop your questions in the comments or the WhatsApp group, and we may feature them in an upcoming episode.✅Keywords: resilience, wellbeing, lifelong learning, ai agents, mental health, burnout, habits, meaning, skills, learning practice, teenagers, future skillsMicrosoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport 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/764Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) in the Microsoft Power Platform is evolving rapidly, with new tools and automation capabilities making it more accessible—even for non-developers. In this episode, Benedikt Bergmann shares insights from authoring his book on ALM, navigating platform changes, and implementing DevOps pipelines for scalable governance. Learn how to streamline deployments, avoid common pitfalls, and build resilient ALM processes. 🎙️ What you’ll learn   Set up automated ALM pipelines using Azure DevOps and GitHub Understand the role of ALM in Power Platform governance Navigate tooling updates and documentation gaps in Microsoft platforms Structure technical content for clarity and consistency Manage visual and code elements in professional publishing ✅ Highlights    “Microsoft has invested a lot of money into improving everything around ALM.” “You can't enforce the automated deployment yet, but it is transparent.” “We use Azure DevOps pipelines in basically all of our projects.” “I had to explain why I don't have anything—because documentation was lacking.” “The first half is not very technical, the second half is really technical.” “We decided we won’t print YAML files in a book—that’s not going to work.” “I had to recreate images to avoid using official Microsoft visuals.” 🧰 Mentioned      Microsoft Power Platform - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform Azure DevOps - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/devops/ Packt Publishing - https://www.packtpub.com/ Microsoft Documentation - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/docs/ Microsoft MVP Summit - https://mvp.microsoft.com/MVPsummit  Power Platform Pipelines Documentation - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/alm/pipelinesBenedikt's Book: Application Lifecycle Management on Power Platform - https://www.amazon.com/Application-Lifecycle-Management-Microsoft-Platform-ebook/dp/B0DCW2RCTQ?ref_=ast_author_mpb✅ Keywords     power platform, application lifecycle management, alm, azure devops, github, citizen developers, governance, automation, yaml, publishing, microsoft documentation, pipelinesMicrosoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Roy Lee, Founder and CEO of Cluely, dives into how AI is reshaping productivity and user interfaces. He redefines cheating as a productivity strategy, emphasizing that using AI to succeed will normalize. The discussion touches on Gen Z's algorithm-native mindset and the need for output-based education. Roy warns about the decline of legacy media and predicts the rise of hyper-personal assistants in just two years. He envisions a future where jobs are automated, leaving humans free to pursue creativity and social activities.

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM Frederick Anaafi shares his journey from Excel trainer to Microsoft MVP, highlighting how AI - especially Microsoft Copilot - is transforming productivity and career paths in Africa and beyond. He offers practical insights on building AI fluency, driving community-led tech adoption, and staying competitive in a rapidly evolving digital economy. 👉 ️ FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/762 🎙️ What you’ll learn How to build a tech career starting with Excel and Power BI Why AI fluency is essential for modern professionals Practical ways to adopt Microsoft Copilot without a subscription How to lead community-driven tech initiatives What it takes to become a Microsoft MVP in emerging markets ✅ Highlights “AI is the electricity of our era.” “If you don’t learn AI, then yes, you will be left out.” “Copilot helps you get results faster and be more efficient.” “Before entering the corporate world, you need to know Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.” “I failed the Excel Expert exam the first time, but I didn’t give up.” “We had close to 200 people attend the first DynamicsCon West Africa.” “AI engineering will be the ish—what people should really go into.” “Trust in Copilot comes from knowing it’s secure and responsible.” “We’re driving Copilot adoption through free virtual training.” “In Ghana, we have fewer than 15 MVPs, but we’re growing.” “The usefulness of Copilot is there—now we need to build trust.” “I see AI transforming every industry we work in.” 🧰 Mentioned Microsoft Excel Expert Certification: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/exams/mo-211 Tableau: tableau.com Power BI: microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-bi Microsoft Copilot: copilot.microsoft.com DynamicsCon West Africa: eventbrite.com/e/dynamicscon-regional-west-africa-tickets-1249579418679 MCT West Africa Summit: mctwestafrica.com Microsoft MVP YouTube Series: How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 ✅Keywords ai fluency, microsoft copilot, power bi, excel expert, tableau, data analysis, mvp programme, tech community, ai adoption, microsoft 365, dynamics 365, west africa tech Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Explore how different generations embrace AI, from Gen X's structured prompts to Gen Z's rapid experimentation. Discover ways to transform book insights into personalized habits and manage health and finances with AI. The discussion also emphasizes creating judgment-free spaces for learning and critical thinking. You'll learn about designing effective prompt pipelines, leveraging tools safely, and fostering community conversations. Plus, get tips on setting boundaries for mental well-being while integrating AI into your life!

Emre Ok, an HR tech leader at TeamFlect, dives into the evolving landscape of AI in the workplace. He discusses the importance of context-aware AI in enhancing remote team connections and performance management. Emre emphasizes that AI should complement, not replace, human interaction and offers strategies for leaders to evaluate AI tools critically. He also tackles the challenges of bias in communication and explores how global remote work can blur boundaries, creating both opportunities and challenges for teams.

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM Tanja Wiehoff shares her journey from musical theatre to Microsoft 365 consulting, revealing how she helps organisations adopt Copilot and build an AI-first mindset. She outlines practical strategies for executive training, change management, and fostering AI fluency across teams. 👉 Full Show notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/759 🎙️ What you’ll learn How to guide organisations through Copilot adoption Ways to build an AI mindset across different roles Why executive buy-in is critical for AI success How to run effective Copilot workshops and labs What makes AI fun and engaging for everyday users  ✅ Highlights “You have to build up an AI mindset with all the employees.” “Executives have to be a role model when it comes to AI usage.” “It doesn’t make any sense to train them and then leave them alone.” “Copilot isn’t always faster—it’s better quality and more creative.” “We enable users before they even get a Copilot licence.” “It’s not always about ROI—sometimes it’s just better work.” “I use Copilot nearly every hour.” “You need ongoing training and a knowledge platform.” “Fun use cases matter—even if they don’t save money.” “There’s no blueprint—it depends on company culture.” “Executive sessions must be fast-paced and interactive.” “The service agent even suggests when to publish the survey.” 🧰 Mentioned     Microsoft 365: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365 Copilot: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot Viva Connections: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/connections Viva Engage: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-viva/engage SharePoint Online: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/sharepoint/collaboration GPT-5 (OpenAI): https://openai.com/gpt-5 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 ✅ Keywords copilot, ai mindset, microsoft 365, executive training, change management, viva engage, sharepoint online, gpt-5, intranet, service agent, adoption strategy, business transformationSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

👉 Full Show Notes https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/758Hosts: Mark Smith, Meg SmithEthical AI starts with transparency, accountability, and clear values. Mark and Meg unpack responsible AI principles, why non-deterministic systems still need reliability, and how ‘human in the loop’ and logging keep people accountable. They share a simple way to judge tools: trust, data use, terms that change, and clarity on training. You’ll see how to set personal and organisational boundaries, choose vendors, and schedule reviews as risks evolve. They also consider a public call to pause superintelligence, and argue for critical thinking over fear.Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz🎙️ What you’ll learn- Build an ethics checklist around transparency, fairness, reliability, privacy, inclusiveness, and accountability.- Evaluate tools for training stance, data use, privacy, and changing terms.- Design human-in-the-loop workflows with unique credentials, logging, and audit trails.- Set personal and organisational boundaries for acceptable AI use.- Plan a review cadence to reassess risks, mitigations, and vendor changes.✅Highlights“we're going to be squarely in the land of robotics very soon.”“the intelligence age is so much more than just AI it is the age of intelligence”“if you're an unethical individual, AI is probably going to amplify it.”“there is no ethical AI without transparency.”“people should be accountable for AI systems.”🧰MentionedMicrosoft Responsible AI principles https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/principles-and-approach#ai-principlesIBM AI course https://www.ibm.com/training/learning-pathsTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@nz365guyRoomba https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RoombaZoom TOS https://termly.io/resources/zoom-terms-of-service-controversy/Connect with the hostsMark Smith:  Blog https://www.nz365guy.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nz365guy Meg Smith:  Blog https://www.megsmith.nz LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/megsmithnzSubscribe, rate, and share with someone who wants to be future ready. Drop your questions in the comments or the WhatsApp group, and we may feature them in an upcoming episode.✅Keywords: responsible ai, ethical decision-making, transparency, accountability, fairness, privacy and security, non-deterministic, human in the loop, audit trail, intra id, superintelligence, terms Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoptionSupport the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith