PLUS: Nicole Dezen explains how Microsoft partners develop solutions for all industries We chart the impact of Teams in the workplace, with insights from Ilya Buksteyn Gary Keen of University of the Arts London discusses the future of work Parul Bhandari on the role of AI in the media and telecommunications industries Shanthi Rajagopalan looks at how technology improves in-store experiences ISSUE 35: WINTER 2024 £24.00 Accelerating AI adoption How proof-of-value and lighthouse locations can highlight real-world benefits
Close the gap between insight and impact
Modernizing your store operations is essential to meeting these challenges head on and providing customers with a seamless retail experience. With intelligent retail solutions, you can simplify operations by engaging associates, optimizing inventory, and elevating the customer experience: Modernize Retail Operations and Create The Modern Store According to McKinsey, there’s been more change in retail in the last 5 years than the last 50,* with retailers working to accommodate rising shopper expectations for convenience, fulfillment and a frictionless experience. Though the list keeps shifting and growing, there are three challenges that remain constant: Operational Complexity Rapidly Shifting Shopper Expectations 85% of decision-maker of fulfillment options are increasing the speed and convenience of fulfillment options There are70% more jobs open and 10% fewer people looking for work 70% of shoppers say they prefer shopping online at a retailer who also has a physical store Ongoing Labor Issues Source: “Retailers are Bracing for a Holiday Worker Shortage—and Shoppers Should Be, Too.” Dallas News, August 2, 2021. exity opper Expectations er of fulfillment options are increasing the ce of fulfillment options of shoppers say they prefer shopping online at a r a Holiday Worker Shortage—and Shoppers Should Be, Too.” Source: 15th Annual Global Shopper Study Source: 15th Annual Global Shopper Study *Source: McKinsey & Company March 2022
Optimize Workforce Management Reduce store labor spend by 5% Streamline Task Management Achieve 95% on-time task completion Simplify Communication and Collaboration Reduce employee turnover by 8% Use Intelligent Retail Solutions: • Task Management • Workforce Management • Real-Time Communication Engage Associates Improve On-Shelf Availability Achieve 98% inventory visibility Modernize In-Store Fulfillment Easily locate 90% of products Minimize Theft and Loss Reduce product waste shrink by 27% Use Intelligent Retail Solutions: • Inventory Management • Task Management • Real-Time Communication • AI-Powered Analytics Optimize Inventory Enhance Checkout Experience Reduce customer wait times by 23% Improve In-Store Service Use Intelligent Retail Solutions: • Workforce Management • Real-Time Communication Elevate Customer Experience *Actual performance may vary depending on, among other things, store environment, product mix and process adherence. Increase transaction value by 25% Want to learn more? Visit Zebra’s website to explore how intelligent retail solutions can simplify your store operations and help you create the modern store of the future. www.zebra.com
Unlock Efficiency with AI-Enabled AP Automation Say goodbye to the hassle of paperwork and manual data entry with our cutting-edge AP Automation solution! Streamline Invoice Processing Boost Efficiency Gain Financial Insights Maximize Cost Savings Visit metaviewer.com to learn more and schedule your personalized demo. Let’s transform your workflow together! AX | BC | D365FO | GP | NAV | SL | CLOUD #pitchthepaperclips | #touchlessinvoiceprocessing metaviewer.com Find us on Microsoft AppSource
9 WELCOME: WINTER 2024 Forecasting the year ahead This issue of Technology Record offers a glimpse into the innovations and milestones that will shape 2025, including in our exclusive interview with Nicole Dezen, chief partner officer at Microsoft. Dezen outlines her vision of how Microsoft and its global ecosystem of partners will further enable customer innovation across all sectors in the year ahead. You’ll find the interview on page 32. In our cover story on page 38, Sam Murley, general manager of industrial artificial intelligence and strategic partnerships at Microsoft, explains how lighthouse locations and proof-of-value will help accelerate AI adoption. As the print edition of this magazine reaches its readers, the global industry event season will kick off in New York with NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show for the retail community in January 2025. On page 162, Shanthi Rajagopalan, senior director and global head of strategy for worldwide retail and consumer goods at Microsoft, shares how technologies like AI can take in-store shopping experiences to new heights with products like Microsoft Cloud for Retail and Dynamics 365. Microsoft will celebrate an important milestone in 2025: its 50th anniversary. Throughout this half-century of innovation, Microsoft has maintained its primary focus of “empowering every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more”. For much of that time, the team producing Technology Record has been on hand to report on the progress that Microsoft and its partner ecosystem have made in both the enterprise space and the public sector. We’ll share more on that soon, but for now, I hope you enjoy reading our final issue of 2024. ANDY CLAYTON-SMITH: EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Accelerating digital transformation from the heart of your business Kyndryl consultants work at the heart of your digital systems, with a unique ability to quickly understand the right opportunities to power your organization’s progress.
11 CONTENTS 38 ACCELERATING AI ADOPTION Microsoft’s Sam Murley explains how organisations in every industry sector can capitalise on the real-world benefits of AI through ‘lighthouse’ proof-of-value initiatives 18 MARKETWATCH The latest news from Microsoft and its partners, including Microsoft’s new Copilot agents and the future of Windows 32 Partnering for progress Nicole Dezen highlights how Microsoft and its partner ecosystem is transforming businesses with cloud and AI-powered solutions to enhance productivity, customer engagement and industryspecific operations 44 D amian Black of Anywhere365 explains how conversational AI technology and large language models are facilitating new capabilities that will redefine the contact centre experience 48 W e hear how Kyndryl helps firms to implement Copilot at scale with five best practices 50 Rowan Fuller reveals how Zebra Technologies is delivering what customers need to boost efficiency and security 52 We hear from Emre Kazim at Holistic AI on how firms can stay up to date with constantly evolving AI regulations and standards 54 A I is helping HR teams make fast decisions and improve employee retention and wellness, says isolved’s Amy Mosher 56 Andrew Swiler explains how Lanteria will continue to evolve its solutions to help customers meet the needs of tomorrow’s workforce 59 Microsoft 365 transforms how businesses work. Synergy Technical’s John Opgenorth explains how 60 Jamf’s Andrew Smeaton on the importance of always being ready for a cyberattack 62 John Doran from Mission Essential Group and Jonathan Sanders from Entergy share how Project Management Institute has helped them enhance operations 64 Gary Keene, head of AV for University of the Arts London, talks about how technology is shaping the future of work ISSUE 35: WINTER 2024
13 66 Miro’s Jeff Chow explains how organisations can move from the chaos caused by multiple systems and applications to one innovative workspace 68 Which migration method is the right one for moving to the cloud? Kyndryl’s Stanley Wood explains the options available to businesses 70 Ville Compi from M-Files on how AI can help to unlock the power of companies’ information assets, but successful implementation requires more than just technological solutions 72 A valara’s Greg Chapman explores the benefits of automation for use tax 73 Data needs to make sense. Jennifer Bulach from Hexagon highlights how the power industry needs to optimise data to meet the ever-increasing demand for cleaner energy 74 Jim Chappell of AVEVA explains how data and AI can empower firms in the energy sector to achieve sustainable transformation 78 B usinesses must learn how to leverage data and AI tools to translate their climate commitments into real outcomes, says Kyndryl’s Faith Taylor 80 A game-changer for Teams Microsoft’s Ilya Bukshteyn discusses the introduction of AI into the platform, plus new features, industry applications and the benefits of a partner ecosystem 94 Considering a decade of integration: Spectralink’s Paul Rowe on the company’s partnership with Microsoft 96 Organisations with multiple unified communications platforms no longer need multiple compliant call recording solutions, and CallCabinet can help, says Ryan Kahan 97 Hilary Oliver explains how investing in Tollring’s Analytics 365 product suite can help organisations to maximise their Teams investment 98 Innovative AI applications, powered by Lenovo, helps businesses to improve their collaboration experiences, says Shannon Mackay 100 Angela Comitini explains how firms can upgrade their office with Q-SYS solutions integrated with Teams 101 Paul Holden explains how businesses can improve productivity, security and collaboration with help from CallTower 102 Edge AI is helping to solve video meeting challenges. Huddly’s Stein Ove Eriksen reveals how to make Teams meetings more dynamic and immersive 105 CentrePal’s Tim Suley explains how the convergence of unified communications solutions and contact centre functionality is transforming customer engagement 106 Shure’s Tyler Troutman tells us about the importance of employees being seen and heard clearly in hybrid work environments CONTENTS FEATURED PARTNERS 1 76 THE LAST WORD As we head into 2025, we consider how the technology community is responding to the global economic landscape 169 A selection of Microsoft partners operating across all business sectors IN FOCUS: TEAMS
14 MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS 136 The broadcasting revolution With the demands for personalised content putting linear workflows under strain, Microsoft’s Silvia Candiani explains why cloud-based AI solutions can bring broadcasting into the future 142 Microsoft’s Parul Bhandari and Cognizant’s Beth Adamo Lenhoff on raising the bar in the media and entertainment industry with AI CONTENTS FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRIALS AND MANUFACTURING 108 Reach for the higher hanging fruit Microsoft’s Chad Hamblin explains the connection between employee productivity and customer satisfaction in the financial services industry, showing how they create a powerful virtuous cycle – one where generative AI plays a pivotal role 118 Backbase’s Thomas Fuss highlights four ways to embrace AI in banking 120 How can financial services providers achieve a passwordless future? Haider Iqbel from Thales explains 132 AVEVA’s Bry Dillon on unlocking the power of the hive mind 135 Andy Birkey from Metafile Information Systems reveals how to achieve always-on visibility for supply chains with AP automation 122 Supply strategy gets smarter Microsoft’s Indranil Sircar discusses how generative AI, copilots and digital twins can help manufacturers optimise their supply chain operations 130 According to John Baker and Krishna Samavedam, Ansys’ dedicated Azure platform is paving the way for smoother, more flexible simulations in the manufacturing industry
15 RETAIL & CONSUMER GOODS 162 Adapting to thrive Retailers must examine how technologies like AI can take the in-store experience to the next level to ensure they remain relevant as e-commerce continues to grow. Microsoft’s Shanthi Rajagopalan discusses 166 Kyndryl’s Kayla Broussard highlights how AI is helping retailers to predict, stock and succeed with inventory management and customer service PUBLIC SECTOR 152 How AI is democratising public services Microsoft’s Eric Basha outlines how AI is helping government-led organisations to provide more accessible and inclusive services to every member of the community 160 Microsoft and NVIDIA’s programmes equip health startups with AI-driven tools to ultimately provide better patient care. We hear from Microsoft’s Sally Ann Frank on the collaboration 146 The telecommunications industry is at the cusp of a digital revolution, driven by the need for innovation, efficiency and enhanced customer experiences. Bhandari joins EY’s Cyril Vart to explain more 150 Samantha Minish from AVIXA explains how the association is creating opportunities for organisations to explore the possibilities of broadcast technology
Executive editor Andy Clayton-Smith Head of editorial Rebecca Gibson Editorial lead Alice Chambers Digital content lead Amber Hickman Editorial team Richard Humphreys, Laura Hyde, Alex Smith Contributor Hanna Miller Production manager Stuart Fairbrother Design Bruce Graham, Libby Sidebotham, Dhanika Vansia Website development Chris Jackson Publication manager Ricky Popat Partner managers Tim Grayson, Daniel Thurlow, Thomas Wills, Paul Zmija Subscriptions For subscription enquiries, please contact Tudor Rose on subscribe@tudor-rose.co.uk or visit the website www.technologyrecord.com/subscribe Circulation Sophia Brinkley Publisher Toby Ingleton Photography courtesy of contributors, www.istockphoto.com, www.stock.adobe.com, www.unsplash.com and www.pexels.com Business management Rachael Heggs, Richard Pepperman Published by Tudor Rose Tudor House, 6 Friar Lane, Leicester LE1 5RA Tel: +44 116 222 9900 www.tudor-rose.co.uk Technology Record is a quarterly magazine about technology solutions for enterprise organisations, published by Tudor Rose in collaboration with Microsoft. For further information and to subscribe, please visit: www.technologyrecord.com/subscribe Visit www.technologyrecord.com for up-to-date news and articles about Microsoft technology for enterprise businesses, a comprehensive directory of Microsoft partners that provide solutions for enterprise businesses, and to find out more about our printed publications. ISSN 2754-3277 (Print) and 2754-3285 (Online). Printed in Great Britain by Micropress. © 2024 Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored or transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any means, including whether by photocopying, scanning, downloading onto computer or otherwise without the prior written permission from Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Microsoft or the publishers. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. Readers should take appropriate professional advice before acting on any issue raised herein. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising material and editorial contributions. The publisher assumes no liability for the return or safety of unsolicited art, photography or manuscripts. Follow Technology Record: ISSUE 35: WINTER 2024 PUBLISHED IN COLLABORATION WITH Microsoft is the world leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. PUBLISHING PARTNERS AVEVA creates industrial software that inspires people to shape the future, by delivering solutions across the asset and operations life cycles. Anywhere365’s dialogue management and cloud contact centre solutions are a native communication layer on top of Microsoft Teams and Azure Communication Services and skyrocket omnichannel customer engagement. Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, enabling clients to navigate their digital journeys. AVIXA is the international trade association for the audiovisual industry, producer of InfoComm trade shows around the world, and co-owner of Integrated Systems Europe. M-Files is the leading platform for knowledge work automation. With the M-Files platform, knowledge workers can find information faster, work smarter and achieve more. Zebra Technologies is an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to improve performance. Kyndryl and Microsoft are delivering solutions that enable modern work experiences and support mission-critical workloads and hybrid cloud adoption.
SPONSORS ANALYSTS AND INDUSTRY ORGANISATIONS
18 MARKETWATCH The purpose-built artificial intelligence agents are designed to work alongside various applications in the Microsoft ecosystem, including SharePoint, Teams and Business Chat. They were launched by Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft, in his keynote speech at Microsoft Ignite, which took place in November 2024 in Chicago, USA. “It’s not about tech for tech’s sake but it is about translating it into real outcomes,” he said. The updates will enable users of SharePoint to create their own agents, tailored to specific files, folders or sites, to gain real-time insights into stored files. The agents will comply with existing user permissions to ensure data protection. In Teams, Facilitator agents will take real-time notes and share important information as the conversation progresses during meetings and chats. Meanwhile, Interpreter agents will provide real-time translation in up to nine languages so participants can speak and listen in their preferred language. They can also use Interpreter to simulate their voice for a more immersive experience. Copilot Studio users will also be able to create autonomous agents to orchestrate and execute business processes on behalf of an individual, team or department. These AI-powered assistants will act on behalf of users without being prompted. In addition, Microsoft launched Copilot Analytics to provide administrators with a better understanding of how business trends compare to key performance indicators such as sales, finance and marketing. Microsoft launches new Copilot agents Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella introduced the updates and discussed the future of Windows at the Microsoft Ignite event in Chicago, USA Copilot updates include the ability to create agents in SharePoint, as announced by Satya Nadella (left) at Microsoft Ignite
19 “Think of Copilot Analytics as a tool for all of us to change how work, workflow and work artifacts are getting done,” said Nadella. In October 2024, Microsoft also added voice and vision capabilities to Copilot to make the AI assistant feel “more human”. Copilot Voice will provide quick, digestible and fluent answers to users’ questions about the web content (including text and images) they are viewing, as well as suggested next steps, feedback and advice, without disrupting their workflow. Users can choose from four voice options for Copilot Voice. Another new feature, Copilot Daily, will provide a summary of news and weather in users’ chosen Copilot Voice. It will pull content from authorised sources only, such as Microsoft partners Reuters, Axel Springer, Hearst Magazines, USA Today Network and Financial Times. More sources are due to be added over time. Also during his Ignite keynote speech, Nadella launched Windows 365 Link, a portable cloud PC solution designed to provide users with access to their Windows 365 desktop wherever they have access to a monitor. Device features include high-fidelity experiences for Teams, 4k monitor support and security baseline policies to ensure user data remains protected. Windows 365 Link will be available from April 2025. Microsoft’s new platform, Azure AI Foundry, was also launched at Ignite. It has been designed for developers to explore, build, test and deploy apps using AI tools and machine learning models. Developers will be able to access all existing Azure AI Services with Azure AI Foundry, while IT professionals and business leaders can use the tools to measure return on investment from AI initiatives. Azure AI capabilities will be accessible from familiar tools like GitHub, Visual Studio and Copilot Studio via the Azure AI Foundry software development kit. In addition, Microsoft showcased Fabric Databases, a new class of cloud databases designed for application developers, at Ignite. Fabric Databases enable users to bring together transactional and analytical workloads with a built-in vector search, retrieval augmented generation support and Microsoft Azure AI integration. The first available database is the SQL database, which helps data professionals to complete common tasks up to 71 per cent faster. Fabric Databases is available now in preview. Read more about Microsoft Ignite on page 28. Available from April 2025, Windows 365 Link can be used on dual screen monitors “ It’s not about tech for tech’s sake but it is about translating it into real outcomes”
20 UK government agrees new partnership to drive digital transformation The UK government has agreed a new partnership with Microsoft to drive digital transformation across the public sector over the next five years. The new five-year agreement will enable eligible public sector organisations in the UK to access cost savings on Microsoft 365, the Azure cloud platform, Business Applications and Microsoft 365 Copilot. The partnership aims to accelerate innovation across the UK public sector, enhance efficiency, improve cross-departmental collaboration and deliver improved services for citizens. Women in Dynamics, an association dedicated to promoting inclusivity in the Microsoft Dynamics community, recently rebranded as Diversity in Dynamics. The change reflects the evolving narrative of the community and the growing awareness of diversity. DID YOU KNOW? An updated version of PMI Infinity, Project Management Institute (PMI)’s AI-powered project coach, is now available. Infinity 2.0 currently has over 50,000 users and is helping project managers to streamline their workflows for improved efficiency. New features include an expanded knowledge base with over 15,000 pieces of curated content and guided experiences for learning and practicing project management skills. Other new tools, such as document uploading and generation, templates, and checklists, help take projects to the next level. New users can access a free 30-day trial of PMI Infinity 2.0 at: bit.ly/pmi-infinity PMI launches PMI Infinity 2.0 MARKETWATCH Photo: Unsplash/massimiliano morosinotto
21 Cloud solutions provider Synergy Technical offers a readiness assessment tailored to help businesses integrate Microsoft 365 Copilot seamlessly while upholding stringent security and compliance standards. Accessible to all Microsoft customers, the comprehensive assessment provides a detailed security review and prepares organisations for Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption. Participants gain valuable insights into compliance and information governance, along with personalised recommendations for successful deployment, with an emphasis on customisation and user training. Are you looking to deploy Microsoft 365 Copilot? CallCabinet extends call recording capabilities Lanteria delivers new advanced analytics capabilities HR management platform provider Lanteria has launched an advanced analytics module focused on providing HR managers with deeper employee insights for better strategic decision-making. Built on Microsoft Power BI, the new module provides access to over 40 comprehensive dashboards, which offer a 360-degree view of an organisation, including recruitment, hiring, diversity, performance and termination analysis, as well as attrition prediction, employee risk scores and more. “We’re taking HR data to the next level with Lanteria and Microsoft,” said Andrew Swiler, CEO at Lanteria. “With faster, more extensive access to employee and business data, organisations can make better, datainformed decisions to support business growth and future planning.” CallCabinet customers with core and advanced recording licences can now access selective AI transcription, call summarisation and sentiment analysis tools to extract key insights from their recorded call data. This information can transform recorded conversation data into rapidly consumable takeaways or verbatim call references. By being able to quickly identify key points and understand the overall tone of conversations, businesses are empowered to efficiently make informed decisions to streamline performance. Schedule a demonstration at: www2.callcabinet.com/schedule-demo-now Photo: AdobeStock/Dragana Gordic Photo: Unsplash/Surface
22 Miro launches Innovation Workspace with enhanced Microsoft integrations Miro’s Innovation Workspace, an AI-powered platform designed to redefine how teams innovate, introduces over 30 new features, including AI-powered prototyping, documents and tables. The platform deepens ties with Microsoft 365 to accelerate the speed of projects from ideation to delivery, simplify daily workflows and reduce unnecessary actions all in one single, secure workspace. Users benefit from seamless integrations with Microsoft Copilot, Teams, Azure Dev Ops, Power BI, Purview and the Microsoft Office suite. Learn more at: mirohq.click/Microsoft Jabra, an audio equipment and video conferencing solutions provider, has released a new study suggesting that while business leaders are optimistic about the potential of AI technology, they are yet to fully implement it across their operations. The Great ExpectAItions: work in the age of AI study, which includes insights from 1,800 AI decision-makers in six countries and 4,200 employees from 14 countries, found that: 70% of business leaders have strong levels of trust in AI 23% of office workers are using AI in their daily roles 64% of decision-makers believe AI can improve their work 83% of leaders say they are unsure how AI can improve efficiency and need to better understand the workplace benefits before implementing it Business leaders unprepared for AI in the workplace, says Jabra Microsoft to equip one million people in Poland with AI skills MARKETWATCH Microsoft will provide free AI training to one million people in Poland by the end of 2025, as part of its investment in the development of the Polish Digital Valley. Free AI training will be available on the Microsoft AI Skills Navigator educational platform, which offers over 200 courses from LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn, GitHub and partners in one place.
23 The DTEN Bar: a small room solution DTEN’s new DTEN Bar for Microsoft Teams Rooms can be mounted vertically between two displays for a dual-display setup with centre-mount camera in small and medium-sized rooms. The DTEN Bar’s dual-display setup provides space for both presented content and remote participants. The vertically mounted bar with centre-mount camera captures in-room participants at eye-level for more natural meeting experiences for both in-room and remote colleagues. The DTEN Bar, which is an addition to the DTEN all-in-one system, will be on display at Stand 2V130 at the Integrated Systems Europe conference in Barcelona, Spain, from 4-7 February 2025. CentrePal has developed an AI-powered email channel for its native Microsoft Teams contact centre solution to transform how businesses handle customer support directly from within the platform. The solution uses AI to categorise incoming emails, summarise threads and assist agents in crafting accurate responses, all while keeping data secure within Microsoft 365. This helps service teams to manage high volumes of emails while slashing response times and maintaining consistency across interactions, without increasing the employee headcount. “Email is a crucial channel for complex enquiries,” says Tim Suley, product marketing manager for CentrePal. “By bringing AI capabilities directly into Teams, we're helping service teams deliver faster, more consistent responses.” The Australian Ballet is amongst the first organisations to implement the technology. CentrePal’s email channel provides support directly within Teams Photo: CentrePal SOLUTION SPOTLIGHT
24 MARKETWATCH DID YOU KNOW? An IDC study has found generative AI adoption is rapidly expanding with usage figures jumping from 55 per cent in 2023 to 75 per cent in 2024, with deployments taking less than eight months, on average, to complete. Read the full study, titled The Business Opportunity of AI at: info.microsoft.com/ww-landingbusiness-opportunity-of-ai Crestron Experience Center showcases hybrid working solutions Crestron has opened the Crestron Experience Center (CEC) in Manhattan, New York, to enable customers to interact with its hybrid working technologies in person. “The CEC is about real-world experiences in a fixed space that has many, many uses,” said Rich Sasson, global director of the professional community at Crestron. “That’s the difference between the CEC and a trade show booth – or, for that matter, a showroom. A trade show is a transient walk-through booth, and a showroom is often simply an exhibition space. Our goal is for visitors to get hands-on experiences with Crestron, to actually use the technology in the same manner one would at work or at home.” Visitors can bring their own devices to the centre and make calls from the allocated Microsoft Teams rooms using products like the Crestron Videobar 70, 1 Beyond cameras and more. The Crestron team opened the Crestron Experience Center on 15 October 2024 CallTower, a cloud communication solution provider, has expanded its Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams service to offer enterprises voice solutions across 27 countries. Operator Connect enables companies to add public switched telephone network calling to Teams while benefitting from CallTower’s high-touch customer support and expert guidance. This offers clients a streamlined solution that bypasses the complexity of thirdparty providers. The solutions can now be used in Latin America and Asia Pacific. CallTower solutions already have an established presence in the USA, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. CallTower expands availability of Teams solution to 27 countries
25 Tollring Analytics 365 portfolio gains Azure IP co-sell eligibility status Hexagon hosts HxGN SDx2 solution on Microsoft Azure All three of Tollring’s software-asa-service Analytics 365 solutions for Microsoft Teams – including Call Analytics, Call Recording with AI Analytics and Collaboration Analytics – have attained Microsoft Azure IP co-sell eligibility status. This enables Tollring to collaborate on sales opportunities with Microsoft whilst allowing end users to reduce their Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitments. End customers, service providers, resellers and Microsoft partners can purchase the Analytics 365 applications via the Microsoft Azure and AppSource Marketplaces. Find out more on page 97 Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division has partnered with Microsoft to host its HxGN SDx2 solution on Microsoft Azure to provide industrial organisations with the real-time, AI-powered data they need to improve project, asset and facility management. HxGN SDx2 is a multi-tenant, cloud-native, software-as-a-service solution that captures engineering and operational data to create a digital twin. It provides industrial organisations with real-time access to contextual, AI-enabled data flowing across the asset, facility and project lifecycle. Hosting HxGN SDx2 on Azure enables Hexagon to offer side-by-side visualisation of 2D and 3D engineering data, giving stakeholders a comprehensive view of projects to facilitate enhanced collaboration, decision-making, productivity, operational efficiency, safety and more.
26 Coles empowers employees with Microsoft-powered tools Australian supermarket chain Coles Group will build on its partnership with Microsoft to develop an AI-as-a-service platform, powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI, to generate customer insights for store managers. The insights will be based on customer feedback surveys and help managers to make decisions about product placement and orders. The retailer will also use Microsoft Power Apps and Copilot agents to provide its team with real-time insights to increase customer satisfaction and drive productivity. Coles already has more than 70 per cent of its data in the cloud and uses tools like Microsoft Power BI and Power Platform to generate insights on store data in real time. MARKETWATCH Photo: Microsoft Microsoft Azure is the first cloud running NVIDIA’s Blackwell system featuring GB200-powered AI servers. Microsoft will power advanced AI models, taking advantage of Infiniband networking and closed-loop liquid cooling. Photo: Coles Group Microsoft Azure incorporates NVIDIA’s Blackwell system Jamf releases new security solutions Jamf has developed several new features to further integrate device management, security, compliance and user productivity, hosted on Azure and available for purchase on Azure Marketplace. Jamf supports MDM restrictions to allow or prohibit different Apple Intelligence features, like integrating with external intelligence services, Writing Tools, Genmoji and more. Blueprints will help IT professionals proactively manage device settings, commands, application installations and restrictions, while Self Service+ provides a streamlined experience for users to view security data and download IT-approved apps in one central place. Compliance Benchmarks aims to simplify building, managing, auditing and reporting on Center for Internet Security benchmark compliance, while AI Assistant can assist admins with relevant management and security insights.
27 Shure joins the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform Shure, a manufacturer of collaborative audio solutions, has joined the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP), an Androidbased platform that provides enhanced security, device pairing, accessibility and management capabilities for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android devices. “Shure’s expertise in professional-grade audio technology aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering exceptional communication experiences,” said Juha Kuosmanen, head of MDEP. “Together, we’re empowering users across industries with high-fidelity, reliable audio that transforms the quality of collaboration in meeting spaces.” M-Files has created a toolkit to help companies assess where they are in their digital transformation journey and develop a strategy for future improvements. The toolkit offers access to M-Files’ Knowledge Work Automation Capability Maturity Model, which was released in August 2024, as well as Forrester’s Unlocking Efficiency: The Inevitable Rise of Knowledge Work Automation study. It also includes The Digital Maturity Assessment Tool, which has been developed by M-Files in collaboration with Forrester. This tool provides customised recommendations based on maturity scores to guide organisations to enhance automation and AI integration. To access the Digital Maturity Assessment Tool and determine your organisation's digital transformation maturity level, visit: bit.ly/4eS0Zvx M-Files toolkit helps organisations with automation and AI integration
28 Microsoft hosted over 800 sessions, demonstrations and expert-led labs at the Ignite event in Chicago, USA, in November 2024. Among the innovations demonstrated were Copilot agents, Copilot Analytics, the portable cloud PC solution Windows 365 Link, and a new application platform called Azure AI Foundry. Hundreds of Microsoft partners and customers also launched new products – like C3 AI’s Enterprise AI app on Microsoft Azure, Holistic AI’s version 2.0 of the Holistic AI Tracker and Quantexa’s Unify Workload for Microsoft Fabric. Microsoft Ignite MARKETWATCH: EVENT REPORT Nicole Herskowitz, corporate vice president of modern work and business applications at Microsoft, spoke about the new Interpreter agent in Microsoft Teams, which enables real-time speech-to-speech interpretation in meetings. Charles Lamanna (left and top), corporate vice president of business and industry copilot at Microsoft, discussed updates to Copilot Studio that will make it easier for developers to build AI agents A spotlight on security Microsoft expanded its custom silicon portfolio with a new inhouse security chip, the Azure Integrated hardware security module (HSM). This is designed to harden key management for encryption so sign-on keys remain within the bounds of the HSM without compromising performance. Microsoft Security Exposure Management became generally available. The solution tracks the relationship between devices, data, identities and other connections to provide customers with a comprehensive, dynamic view of their IT assets and potential cyberattack paths. Exposure Management also helps security and IT teams measure the effectiveness of their cyber hygiene and security initiatives, such as zero trust and cloud security. Microsoft will host the largest public security research event in history: the Zero Day Quest. This new competition, which will take place on 19 January 2025, aims to attract the world’s best security experts to tackle high-impact scenarios critical to Microsoft and its partners’ customer security. It will also focus on discovering any vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s own products. Microsoft covered several key themes during Ignite, including the power of partnerships, accessibility and security. The following announcements highlight Microsoft’s latest innovations and efforts to address critical industry challenges 1 2 3
29 The influence of AI on accessibility “We’ve been around for long enough to see lots of new eras of technology and this one [AI] is very exciting for the world of disability and accessibility,” said Jenny Lay-Flurrie, vice president and chief accessibility officer at Microsoft. Several Microsoft partners are striving to improve the work experience for disabled employees, including Vodafone, which has an ‘Inclusion for All’ strategy to ensure all workers have access to the connectivity and digital skills they need to perform well in the workplace. As part of the strategy, Vodafone deployed Microsoft Copilot for all its employees and saw a “noticeable impact” on performance. For example, workers with dyslexia were using the technology to review and summarise meetings more easily. Lay-Flurrie joined fellow Microsoft executives including Tara Roth, corporate vice president of customer success engineering, and Angela Byers, senior director of product marketing, to discuss how to empower neurodivergent employees with Copilot, such as using it to break down complex tasks into simpler, manageable steps. They also demonstrated how Copilot can summarise a Teams meeting with positive reinforcement, notes for improvement, suggested next steps and explanations of any uncomfortable interactions. Another breakout session with Anna Cook, senior designer at Microsoft, and Hiren Shukla, global neurodiversity and inclusive value leader at EY, showed how AI is enabling accessibility in various industries. “Accessibility is key to workplace productivity,” said Cook. “Companies that prioritise accessibility find that up to 70 per cent of employee productivity increases by offering experiences that let people work in their own way. Furthermore, companies that support accessibility through workplace accommodations tend to find that their turnover is lowered by up to 30 per cent.” Shukla then discussed EY’s work with Microsoft in improving Copilot adoption for neurodivergent people and the Azure AI Foundry, including a six-week workshop hosted in 2023 that allowed neurodivergent technologists to use Copilot. The workshop helped EY and Microsoft discover how the technology was meeting their employee requirements and also where there needed to be improvements for accessibility. “Without [our partners], our products are just products,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft. “They don’t become solutions until we partner together.” Althoff led a session on ‘Driving Growth Together’ with Nicole Dezen, chief partner officer and corporate vice president of global partner solutions at Microsoft, where they revealed new updates for the Microsoft Artificial Intelligence Cloud Partner Program. They included the Partner Center AI assistant – which provides users with tailored insights to help them initiate support tickets if they need assistance – and new resources to help partners drive adoption of Microsoft Copilot. Kathleen Mitford, corporate vice president of global industry marketing at Microsoft, also sat down with Satish Thomas, corporate vice president of Microsoft industry clouds and solutions, and Julie Sanford, vice president of goto-market programmes and operations and global partner solutions, to discuss the role partners play in the Microsoft ecosystem and the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program. “I like to say we have one Microsoft partner programme, and we have worked hard to make sure we’re simplifying it for partners to engage with us,” said Mitford. “Think of it as one umbrella where we bring all our investments and assets together across the whole lifecycle of the partner ecosystem, whether it’s onboarding, skilling, getting access to marketing resources or co-selling with our massive sales organisation.” Mayank Kapur, director of modern work partner marketing, revealed the key partner investments for the 2025 financial year. One key investment area will be in partner enablement, with a focus on practice development guidance, developing the modern work partner community and improving modern work readiness and training. Empowering partners Various sessions at Ignite celebrated the success of, and new opportunities for, the Microsoft partner ecosystem Microsoft Ignite explored the importance of accessibility in technology and the opportunities that AI provides for disabled and neurodivergent people in the workplace Discover more news from the event at: bit.ly/3ATH2qj
30 MARKETWATCH: EVENTS 12-14 January 2025 | New York, USA NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show Ansys highlights Microsoft partnership at Supercomputing24 NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show will bring together representatives from 6,200 brands from more than 100 countries at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The event stages will host some of the “biggest names in the business”, according to NRF, including Tommy Hilfiger, founder and principal designer of Tommy Hilfiger Global; John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart US; and Brian Cornell, CEO of Target. Sessions will cover how retailers can create future-proof strategies with AI and data insights, as well as how retailers can reinvent their business models with sustainable programmes and new payment models. Speakers will also highlight how brands can build identities and sell their stories, create advertising that sells, enhance the customer experience, and predict the future of the industry. For example, Kayla Broussard, chief technology officer of consumer and travel market at Kyndryl, will explain how to deliver differentiated customer and frontline worker experiences in a session titled ‘Staying one step ahead’. Other Microsoft partners will lead sessions too, including Dell Technologies, NVIDIA, PwC, Qualcomm Technologies, SAP and Zebra Technologies. Microsoft will join over 1,000 exhibitors at the event to showcase its latest technology and plans to showcase the benefits of cloud computing services, customer insights and analytics, and data processing at its booth, number 4503. To find out more and register for NRF 2025, visit: nrfbigshow.nrf.com Simulation technology provider Ansys focused on advancing highperformance computing, AI-driven solutions and its continuing partnership with Microsoft during Supercomputing24 (SC24), which took place on 17-22 November 2024 in Atlanta, USA. The firm showcased its simulation innovations during cloud theatre sessions, including Ansys Access on Microsoft Azure, whilst also exploring how AI is revolutionising simulation efficiency. Ansys also hosted demonstration pods to demonstrate use cases of its AI-enhanced simulations and met with partners and customers to discuss commitments to addressing industry challenges. Photos: NRF/Jason Dixson Photography
31 4 February 2025 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and 5-6 February 2025 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates AI Everything Global AI Everything Global – which is being marketed as the world’s most groundbreaking AI event – will take place in UAE’s two biggest cities for the first time in 2025. The event will begin at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi on 4 February and conclude at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Dubai on 5-6 February. The event will unite business leaders, decision-makers, government policymakers, ministers, investors, scientists, researchers, coders, entrepreneurs, global media, students and others, who will collectively represent a vibrant ecosystem from more than 60 countries. Held under the theme ‘Powering Global Collaborations in the New AI Economy’, the event will demonstrate the need for cross-continental commitment to drive collaboration, innovation and the responsible development of AI. To find out more and register for AI Everything Global, visit: aieverythingglobal.com DATES FOR YOUR DIARY ISE 2025 4-7 February 2025 Barcelona, Spain www.iseurope.org TechEx Global 5-6 February 2025 London, UK www.techexevent.com ARC Industry Forum US 10-13 February 2025 Orlando, USA www.arcweb.com/events/arcindustry-leadership-forum-orlando MWC Barcelona 3-6 March 2025 Barcelona, Spain www.mwcbarcelona.com Gitex Europe 21-23 May 2025 | Berlin, Germany Gitex Europe, taking place at Messe Berlin, will unite technology innovators, government leaders and more with the goal of driving Europe’s digital economy forwards. Set to host 2,500 exhibitors, the event will cover a variety of technology including artificial intelligence, big data, cloud, quantum computing and Web 3.0. The conference programme will also highlight themes such as AI evolution, deep tech, new energy and how small and medium-sized enterprises can benefit from industry knowledge. Plus, Gitex Europe will feature sub-events Gitex Green Impact, which is focused on technology for sustainability; AI Everything; and North Star Europe, which will connect startups with investors. To find out more and register for Gitex Europe, visit: www.gitex-europe.com
32 More than 500,000 companies are part of the global Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (MAICPP) community, which is dedicated to enabling digital transformation for customers across all industries with cloud and artificial intelligence-powered solutions. Nicole Dezen, chief partner officer and corporate vice president of global partner solutions at Microsoft, is leading this initiative with a strong emphasis on the benefits of generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot on cloud adoption and for partner ecosystems. You became chief partner officer in 2022. How have your first couple of years been and what are the highlights of your work so far? The past couple of years have been incredibly rewarding and transformative. Working closely with our diverse and dynamic partner ecosystem, we’ve achieved some remarkable milestones. One of the highlights has been the evolution of MAICPP. Just as AI is infused throughout Microsoft’s product portfolio, it’s wired throughout the partner programme. This enables our partners to meet customer needs, no matter where they are on their AI transformation journey. MAICPP is the umbrella programme for everything partners need to go to market with Microsoft, including skills, tools, benefits, designations, specialisations and incentives. We continually introduce new AI capabilities and tools that empower our partners to drive innovation, enhance productivity and create new business opportunities. Additionally, substantial investments in incentives and support – particularly in areas like security, Microsoft Azure and Copilot – enable partners to earn the trust and confidence of customers in this rapidly changing technology landscape. We view partners as an extension of our sales force. We continue to introduce new ways for partners to gain access to the latest tools and guidance from Microsoft, as well as opportunities for them to engage with Microsoft customers, leaders and other partners. In July 2024, we hosted the Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS) Start for Partners event to enable our BY ANDY CLAYTON-SMITH Nicole Dezen highlights how Microsoft and its partner ecosystem is transforming businesses with AI-powered solutions to enhance productivity, customer engagement and industry-specific operations EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW Partnering progress for
“ We continually introduce new AI capabilities and tools that empower our partners to drive innovation, enhance productivity and create new business opportunities” 33
34 EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW partners to participate in our financial year kick-off readiness events. Additionally, based on their feedback, we integrated partners into Microsoft Ignite in November. This in-person and digital event served as a platform for business and technical decision-makers, and for Microsoft partners, to see all of our new innovations, attend breakout sessions and engage in community discussions. With the continuing growth of Azure as an infrastructural platform, and more recent innovations such as the voice and vision capabilities in Copilot, how has the general direction of travel changed for Microsoft in the past two years? Generative AI has introduced significant changes for the world and for our customers, and Microsoft has been at the forefront of these transformations. The growth of Azure as a robust platform has been pivotal in supporting the evolving needs of businesses worldwide. Azure’s scalability, security and comprehensive suite of services have enabled organisations to innovate and adapt to new work patterns seamlessly. One of the most exciting developments has been the integration of generative AI tools into our offerings. The introduction of voice and vision capabilities to Copilot is a testament to our commitment to enhancing user experiences and increasing productivity. These innovations enable Microsoft and our partners to create more intuitive and interactive services and solutions, empowering users to achieve more with less effort. Our focus on AI and its transformative potential has been a key driver of our mission to empower every customer and every organisation on the planet to achieve more. AI is being leveraged across various industries to boost productivity, enhance operational efficiencies and improve cybersecurity. Copilots automate repetitive tasks, enable faster decisionmaking and provide deeper insights through advanced analytics. In addition, our strategic partnerships and investments in AI have further solidified our position as a leader in this space. Collaborations with companies like NVIDIA and ServiceNow have expanded our AI capabilities, bringing innovative solutions to sectors such as healthcare and life sciences. Additionally, initiatives like the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership – with BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners and MGX – are driving the development of new data centres and energy infrastructure to meet the growing demand for computing power. In June 2024, we launched Copilot+ PCs in collaboration with many of our silicon and device partners. This new category of AI-powered PCs represents a significant advancement in computing power and user experience. Copilot+ PCs deliver new AI experiences, enabling users to get more done in less time and transform the way they work, play and communicate. As highlighted in our “ Our focus on AI and its transformative potential has been a key driver of our mission”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=