This is not just another AI announcement. It is a signal of where Microsoft is taking Copilot: away from the idea of a single assistant powered by a single model, and instead towards a multi-model platform for work. What does that shift mean in practice? Technically, operationally and from a compliance standpoint?

What is actually changing?

Microsoft has confirmed Anthropic model support across multiple parts of its Copilot ecosystem, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, Researcher, Copilot Studio, Power Platform, Agent Mode in Excel and dedicated agents for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

The mechanics of how Claude appears vary by experience. In Researcher and Agent Mode for Excel, users can choose Claude directly. In Copilot Studio, builders can select Anthropic models during configuration. In the broader Microsoft 365 Copilot experience, UI indicators will show when Claude is in use, but Microsoft handles the routing in the background.
One experience worth understanding clearly is Cowork. Microsoft worked closely with Anthropic to bring the underlying technology of Claude’s Cowork capability into Microsoft 365 Copilot. Cowork is designed for long-running, multi-step work that goes beyond a single prompt-and-response interaction. Rather than asking a question and receiving an answer, users can delegate sustained tasks such as research, drafting and analysis that unfold over time and across multiple actions.

This matters because it moves the conversation from “which model writes the best answer” to “which model, or combination of models, can help execute meaningful work over time”. Microsoft is increasingly packaging model innovation into business experiences rather than exposing it as a raw model decision. That is more useful for most organisations, but it also means governance teams need to pay close attention to what is running underneath.

Takeaway: Anthropic in Copilot is not just a feature update. It is part of Microsoft’s broader move to make Copilot a multi-model work platform, not a single-model chat tool. The shift from model selection to model abstraction changes how organisations need to think about governance.

What this means for UK and EU customers

For UK and EU organisations, the compliance dimension of this announcement deserves particular attention.

Microsoft has brought Anthropic into its enterprise framework as a Microsoft sub processor. In practical terms, this means Anthropic operates under Microsoft’s oversight, with Microsoft’s contractual protections applying to its use in services such as Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio. The Microsoft Product Terms apply, the Data Protection Addendum applies, Enterprise Data Protection remains in effect, and the Customer Copyright Commitment covers applicable products.

However, Microsoft has also confirmed that Anthropic model processing is currently outside the EU Data Boundary. As a result, Anthropic models are disabled by default for customers in the EU, EFTA, and UK.

To make the data boundary implications concrete: if a UK legal team uses Researcher with Claude enabled to analyse contract drafts, that document content may be processed outside the EU Data Boundary. Whether that is acceptable depends on your internal policies, sector-specific regulatory requirements, and any data residency commitments made to clients.
Enabling Anthropic is therefore not a single on or off decision. Microsoft has structured rollout and controls to vary by workload. Anthropic availability in Copilot Chat, Researcher, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint does not all arrive in the same way or follow the same control path. Organisations that assume a blanket enabled or disabled state risk either blocking useful capability or inadvertently allowing processing they have not reviewed.

Takeaway: For UK and EU customers, this is not just a model story. It is a data residency, compliance, and policy story. Anthropic may unlock genuinely useful capability, but it comes with decisions that security and compliance teams need to own, not just acknowledge.

What should organisations do now?

Two instinctive responses are worth resisting. The first is dismissing this as a niche AI update. Anthropic is now embedded in mainstream Microsoft productivity and agent experiences, which will become more visible to users over time. The second is rushing to enable everything because Claude has strong market momentum. Capable technology does not remove the need for good governance.

A more considered response involves four practical steps:

1. Review tenant settings. Check whether Anthropic is enabled, disabled, or on by default for the workloads that matter to you. Microsoft has admin controls for Anthropic as a sub processor, and separate controls for specific app experiences. Do not assume the settings are consistent across all surfaces.
2. Assess data boundary impact. Identify which Copilot experiences may process data outside the EU Data Boundary and map these against your internal policy, regulatory obligations, and client commitments. The risk is not theoretical: it depends on which teams use which features and what data they handle.
3. Communicate with users. If model choice becomes visible in the interface, users need context. Without it, you risk confusion about why model behaviour differs across experiences, or why some users see Claude options while others do not. A short internal briefing goes a long way.
4. Integrate into AI governance. This should not sit as a standalone toggle buried in admin settings. Model choice, sub processor use, data residency, and acceptable use all need to connect within your wider Copilot and agent governance framework. If that framework does not yet exist, this is a good prompt to build it.

Takeaway: The right response is neither panic nor unconditional adoption. Treat Anthropic in Copilot as part of your broader AI control framework, and use it as an opportunity to stress-test whether that framework is fit for a multi-model world.

Why does this matter?

The arrival of Anthropic models in Microsoft 365 Copilot matters, but not because organisations suddenly need to become model experts. It matters because it illustrates where Microsoft is headed: Copilot as a governed, multi-model intelligence layer that sits at the centre of everyday work.

For some organisations, that will be exciting. For those in the UK and EU, it will also raise immediate questions about data processing, admin controls, and policy alignment. Both reactions are entirely valid and not mutually exclusive.

The practical question worth asking now is not “is Claude good?” but “where does Anthropic genuinely improve outcomes for our users, and where do we need stronger guardrails before enabling it?” Organisations that can answer that question clearly will be better placed as the multi-model Copilot continues to evolve.

Find out more at our event on 1 May – Register your place here

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Agentic AI may be the first step beyond this phase.

Unlike traditional generative AI, which responds to prompts, agentic systems are designed to act. An agent can interpret goals, plan steps, interact with systems, take action, evaluate outcomes and adjust its behaviour. It does not simply generate content; it executes work across tools and platforms. This shift from assistance to autonomous action is significant.

The scale of growth expected in this space is substantial. The International Data Corporate (IDC) predicts that by 2028 there could be 1.3 billion AI agents in operation worldwide. As organisations begin deploying agents at scale, the conversation moves quickly from capability to control. The real question becomes: how do you manage hundreds or thousands of digital workers operating across your environment?

Without structure, agents can proliferate rapidly. Different teams may build their own. Third-party agents may be introduced. Permissions can become overly broad. Visibility can be lost. The risk is not just technical; it is operational and regulatory. Organisations need a way to track, govern and secure agents without slowing innovation.

This is where Agent 365 is positioned.

Agent 365 acts as a control plane for AI agents. It is designed to provide a consistent framework for deploying, managing and securing agents, whether they are built in-house, provided by Microsoft, or sourced from partners. The aim is straightforward: enable scale without sacrificing governance.

The Five Pillars Of Agent 365

Agent 365 is underpinned by five essential pillars that collectively ensure agents can be deployed, managed and scaled with confidence. These pillars serve as the foundation for a future-ready AI environment, supporting innovation while maintaining control, visibility and compliance across the enterprise.

1. Registry – Every agent is assigned a unique Entra Agent ID, treating it as a managed digital identity rather than a background process. This creates a single, organisation-wide view of all agents in use. By maintaining a central registry, businesses can prevent uncontrolled growth and ensure every agent is known, classified and governed.
2. Access control – Agents are granted permissions based on least privilege and Zero Trust principles. They access only the data and systems required to complete their tasks. Administrators can define guardrails around who is allowed to create, deploy and manage agents, ensuring clear ownership and accountability.
3. Visualisation – As adoption grows, leaders need clarity on how agents are being used and what impact they are having. Agent 365 provides dashboards, telemetry and real-time insights into deployment, usage patterns and system interactions. This visibility reduces blind spots and supports informed decision-making.
4. Interoperability – Agents are most powerful when they can operate across Microsoft 365 and connected business platforms. Agent 365 enables secure communication and coordination between agents and enterprise applications, allowing them to automate real workflows rather than isolated tasks. This includes interacting with tools such as SharePoint, Dynamics 365 and core productivity applications while maintaining policy enforcement.
5. Security – Agents are protected using the same enterprise-grade identity, security and compliance model applied to users and applications. Integration with Microsoft Purview enables data protection policies and auditing of agent activity. Integration with Microsoft Defender allows organisations to detect, investigate and respond to threats targeting agents in real time. This unified approach ensures that as agent usage increases, security posture remains consistent.

Agentic AI introduces a new operational layer inside the enterprise. It creates opportunity, but it also expands the attack surface and governance burden. Managing agent sprawl, controlling permissions, protecting sensitive data and defending against AI-specific threats are no longer optional considerations; they are foundational requirements.

Agent 365 is designed to meet that need. It provides the oversight and control required to scale AI agents confidently, ensuring they operate as trusted, governed digital workers rather than unmanaged automation.

As organisations move from experimentation to deployment, the ability to manage agents at scale will define success. Agent 365 forms part of the Frontier Programme and represents Microsoft’s approach to enabling secure, enterprise-ready agentic AI.

Find out more and register your place at our next Great Minds event on Thursday 12th March

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What is Patch Management and why it matters

Patch management is the process of applying updates, known as “patches”, to software systems. These patches are released by vendors to fix security vulnerabilities, bugs and improve compatibility across devices and applications. Think of them like a plumber fixing a leaky pipe before your kitchen floods.  These small but essential interventions keep everything running smoothly.

When organisations delay or ignore updates, tiny cracks begin to appear in their digital infrastructure. Individually, these may seem insignificant, but collectively they can become glaring weaknesses that hackers are all too eager to exploit. Affecting not just IT systems, but cyber incidents can ripple outwards, disrupting operations, eroding customer trust, and damaging reputations.

The real cost of ignoring updates

Security is the primary reason for timely and regular patching. Cybercriminals often target vulnerabilities that are already known and documented. If you leave your systems unpatched, it’s like leaving your front door wide open and hoping no one notices. Many breaches go undetected for months, giving attackers plenty of time to cause damage.

But patching isn’t only about security. Updates frequently introduce new features, enhance stability, and improve performance. For businesses, prompt patching means fewer outages, smoother workflows, and uninterrupted productivity. Neglecting these updates can trigger disruptions just as severe as a cyber attack such as a critical application crashing or an entire network grinding to a halt.

Building resilience, one patch at a time

Each patch applied is a step towards cumulative resilience. Imagine your company’s IT environment as a fortress: every update strengthens its walls, closes a gap, and adds another layer of protection. Missed updates weaken the entire defence, exposing endpoints, servers, and cloud platforms alike. Consistent patch management reduces attack surfaces, supports regulatory compliance, and builds confidence across the organisation.

The modern challenge:  Doing more with less

Yet, for many organisations, keeping up with patches is easier said than done. IT teams are stretched thin, and the volume of updates can be overwhelming. This is where managed approaches come into play, offering expertise, automation, and assurance without distracting from strategic priorities. It’s no longer just about fixing problems; it’s about proactively securing the future.

Time to hit ‘Update’, not ‘Snooze’

Patch management is the unsung hero of cyber resilience.  At Prosperity 24/7, we view patch management as a foundation of cyber and business resilience – not a background task.

Next time that update notification pops up, remember that embracing patches is investing in the ongoing health and reputation of your business. A few minutes for updates is a small price to pay for lasting peace of mind.

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New models and tools appear constantly, each impressive in its own way, each claiming to be faster, smarter, or more capable than the last. For most organisations, however, the challenge is no longer whether AI is useful but how to apply it in a way that delivers real, repeatable value.

This is where Microsoft Copilot continues to differentiate and where its evolution really matters.

Copilot is no longer just an AI assistant responding to prompts. It is evolving into something far more powerful. Its capability embedded directly into the flow of everyday work. Rather than sitting alongside your tools, Copilot is built into them.  You will find it in all your faithful Microsoft tools such as Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, helping users work through tasks, not just generate answers.

At the heart of this is Microsoft’s Work IQ. Copilot understands the context of your organisation’s work by securely accessing data through Microsoft Graph. All your emails, meetings, chats, documents, calendars, tasks and files are governed by existing permissions and security controls. This grounding allows Copilot to move beyond generic outputs and deliver assistance that is relevant, contextual, and actionable.

This shift is critical

Instead of prompting an AI, copying the response, and manually shaping it into something useful, Copilot works alongside you as you create, all within the same tools you already use everyday. It helps you iterate on documents rather than starting from scratch. It can build and refine presentations based on existing content and meeting discussions. It supports users as they work through complex Excel models, analyse data, and uncover insights.

This is AI in the workflow, not AI added to it

Copilot is designed to reduce friction across the small but time-consuming tasks that define modern work: drafting, reviewing, summarising, analysing, planning, and following up. It doesn’t replace human judgement or creativity; it enhances them by removing busywork and accelerating momentum. The result is not just faster output, but better focus on higher-value work.

Many AI tools look impressive in isolation but struggle to move beyond experimentation. They rely on disconnected data, manual prompts, and new ways of working that users must consciously adopt. Copilot benefits from being deeply integrated into Microsoft 365, where identity, compliance, security, and data governance are already in place. This makes it not only powerful, but practical and enterprise-ready.

There is a lot of noise in the AI market — benchmarks, statistics, and headline claims that can distract from what really matters. AI is ultimately a tool, and its value is measured by how effectively it supports people in their day-to-day work.

For organisations whose data already lives in the Microsoft ecosystem, Copilot represents the most natural path forward. Not because it is the most hyped solution, but because it is evolving into something far more important: the future of productivity, embedded directly where work happens.

Find out more about our Copilot Advancement Programme

This article first appeared in the Jersey Evening Post on 14 January 2026.

Why Copilot is different: A look at AI in the flow of work

The post Why Copilot Is Different: AI in the Flow of Work appeared first on Prosperity 247.

As you would expect, security culture is a collection of shared norms, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours within an organisation that reflect a common commitment to security. Security culture is derived from several influences including existing culture, the commitment from leadership, effective security training, consistent and clear communication, adopted policies, as well as an environment that encourages reporting, responsibility and accountability towards continuous improvement.

What does a positive security culture look like?

The idea of your organisation or personal data being the subject of a cyber-attack is likely to instil fear into your people, but adopting a positive security culture created through the belief of common values, practices and behaviours helps to encourage security in our everyday lives and make defence part of the norm.
Creating a security culture isn’t a one-time implementation, but a continuous investment. It requires:

1. Education – continuous employee awareness and education must be in place. It must be relevant to the employee and to real world situations, supporting employees to identify and report risks.
2. Leadership – buy-in and commitment from the top is crucial. Placing security as a strategic priority and modelling good security behaviours – encourages the active engagement and support of all other employees.
3. Communication – adoption of good practices that allow employees to report incidents or issues without the fear of being penalised.
4. Collective responsibility – security is no longer just an IT responsibility but an everyone responsibility. Implementing strong processes to support responsibility models and using techniques to engage employees to feedback and develop the security approach.
5. Integration – security should be embedded into all organisational practices, and not simply an afterthought to be bolted on at the end or a later date.
6. Recognition and Reward – security practices that are rewarded and recognised generate engagement and encourage good security behaviour and habits to be adopted by employees.

Why does it matter?

Having a positive security culture is not just a nice to have, it is essential.

• It reduces the risk of costly errors often caused by human mistakes.
• It provides a more robust means of recovery in the case of crisis, as we are more prepared and understand what to do.
• Provides a competitive edge, showcasing to suppliers and clients that security is taken seriously and integrated into company values.
• Promotes a safe and supportive environment improving staff engagement.

Creating a positive security culture creates the direct link that ensure policies, process and technology all work together in unison.

What does the Cyber Security Culture look like in the Channel Islands today?

Working closely with businesses across the Channel Islands, we have seen more companies placing concerted efforts in improving their security, and recognition that it’s a combination of technology, process and people that will help them improve.

Across the Channel Islands there is a very active Cyber Security community, who have one common objective to keep our islands safe. Prosperity 24/7 are proud to be part of this community, to champion and support the building blocks that are being put in place to shape our security culture and behaviours.

Some of the building blocks that we have in place include:

1. Community Led Initiatives are critical to educating and reinforcing a shared sense of responsibility. For example, The Channel Island Information Security Forum (CIISF) brings together cyber and information security professionals. With over 500 members, this forum organises the annual Cyber Security Conference held in Jersey, along with other training sessions and activities that boost awareness and professional development.
2. Public Engagement and Co-operation – security initiatives rarely succeed if they do not have the backing of the public. The introduction of the Jersey Cyber Security Centre (JCSC) has this aim at its core which is responsible for promoting and improving cyber resilience across Jersey’s critical national infrastructure and everyday life. To achieve this, they have actively enlisted the support of local businesses through their suppliers and CISO advisory groups, who contribute valuable insights into how security is perceived and where we need to place conscious efforts for future success.
3. Governance and Policy Development – regulatory frameworks, such as the Cyber Security (Jersey) Law 2025, aim to mandate security responsibilities across the industries, specifically operators of essential services.
4. Industry Collaborations and Strategic Partnerships – Local businesses are bolstering their Cyber Defence capabilities. Identifying those products and services, that will provide the maximum defences that are relative to business types and can be successfully adopted into existing business cultures.
5. Education and Learning – The next generation of Cyber Security professionals are entering the workplace with industry and government backing to nurture their growth and development. Examples include the annual youth hackathons, petitions to improve the digital curriculum and engagement from local cyber security businesses at careers fairs to showcase cyber security as an attractive career path.

Commitment for change

Prosperity 24/7 have been actively involved in all Cyber Security initiatives across our islands, through regular engagement, sponsorship and support. We continue to champion the improvement of our security culture, through our own internal practices, individual services, and in line with our Cyber Security Strategic partnerships.

We recognise that a positive security culture across our islands is not fully developed, but the commitment to make a change certainly is. Companies, both with our help and the help of others, are moving toward building cultures that operate under a model of shared responsibility and trust.

Security culture can be seen in the choices people make daily, and not just in the policies and technology we put in place. All three compliment and need each other to make positive change. Leadership teams who show commitment and employees who view security as an enabler rather than a blocker, mean that when mistakes do happen, they can viewed as opportunities for lessons to be learned, to tighten measures or try something new – then we can say that a positive security culture exists.

Are we there just yet…. Not quite – but we are definitely on the right path…

The post Creating positive security culture appeared first on Prosperity 247.

This milestone marks the end of security updates and patches for one of the most widely adopted operating systems ever and staying on unsupported software can expose you to security vulnerabilities and compliance risks.

Migration planning takes time, so it’s crucial to start as soon as possible. Prosperity 24/7’s team of specialists work closely with Microsoft technologies, and can assist you with deployment, to ensure the move to Windows 11 is seamless and effective.

What happens when Windows 10 support ends?

When Microsoft ends support for Windows 10, it will no longer receive security updates, patches, new features or bug fixes. This creates significant risks:

• Increased cybersecurity threats: Without regular security patches, unsupported systems are prime targets for cyberattacks, including malware and ransomware.
• Compliance issues: Many regulatory frameworks require organisations to use supported software. Running Windows 10 beyond its end-of-life may result in non-compliance, with potential fines and legal repercussions.
• Operational downtime: Attempting to maintain outdated operating systems, can be costly and complicated. Security breaches or system failures could lead to costly business disruptions.

What you need to do

To maintain security and compliance, businesses must transition to a supported solution before the deadline.

Here are the key options available:

Upgrade to Windows 11: Upgrading to Windows 11 provides enhanced security, performance, user experience and AI-driven functionality. Windows 11 supports hybrid working, is optimised for modern hardware, and integrates more closely with Microsoft 365 and other cloud-based tools. However, hardware requirements may mean some devices need to be replaced. Devices over 3 years old may not meet the minimum requirements. Use Microsoft’s compatibility tools and plan ahead to replace or upgrade devices where needed.

Extended Security Updates (ESU): If an immediate transition isn’t feasible, Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates (ESU) to provide temporary security coverage. However, ESU is a temporary solution, not a long-term fix. Costs will double each year, making migration to Windows 11 or Windows 365 a more cost-effective choice.

Move to a Cloud-Based solution with Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD): For organisations looking for a flexible, scalable, and secure alternative, Windows 365 Cloud PC or Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) offer compelling benefits:

• No Additional ESU Costs: Unlike on-premises solutions, ESU (Extended Security Updates) is included at no extra cost.
• Secure & Always Up-to-Date: Centralised cloud management ensures continuous updates and security patches.
• Reduced Hardware Dependency: Enables employees to work securely from any device, reducing the need for hardware upgrades.

How we can help

14 October 2025 will be here before you know it. The Cloud team at Prosperity 24/7 will:

• Assess your current desktop environment
• Check your business readiness for Windows 11
• Provide a tailored and seamless migration plan
• Minimise disruption and downtime
• Ensure a smooth transition for your organisation

Discover more by speaking to the Prosperity24/7 cloud team cloud@prosperity247.com

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The good news is that with every new challenge there is also an opportunity. Companies can work together with their partners, customers, and the broader industry to build stronger, more resilient defences.

Incident readiness matters more than ever

The media is full of reports of companies being compromised. The headlines focus on the fact they were attacked, rather than how effectively they responded. I guess you could draw your own conclusions, about the time it takes for an incident to get into the public realm and the company statements providing an update on their position. It’s very rare that you will see reference to an effectively effected incident response (IR) plan.

That being said, Companies are demonstrating an increased level of maturity, in recognising that incidents don’t just happen to other people but can happen to them.

At Prosperity 24/7, we’re seeing a rise in organisations wanting to be prepared—not just compliant for a number of reasons:

• Stakeholder Trust – customers, partners and suppliers’ expectations regarding the security of their data is increasing. They expect your company to recover effectively and look for assurance that it won’t happen again, through the effective incident response strategies that you have in place.
• Insurability – Insurers now expect strong incident response processes as a pre-requisite of effective cyber security and in some cases, won’t offer cover without proof of a working IR capability.
• Confidence – companies want to ensure their IR plans can be executed with confidence, and through frequent IR testing, they can build muscle memory to response to a real incident in a controlled and composed manner.
• Regulatory expectations – new legislation and frameworks are driving effective, regularly tested IR plans, which are now mandating that IR is embedded into the provision of IT Services.

Current trends in cyber threats to your business

According to current trends (from our Partner Arctic Wolf):

• Ransomware and Data Extortion still dominate, making up 44% of incident response cases.
• Data Breach/Intrusion Responses account for 24%.
• Business Email Compromise (BEC) incidents sit at 27%, including:
  • Account compromise
  • Data theft
  • CEO/executive fraud
  • False invoice schemes
  • Product theft
  • Impersonation of legal representatives
• Rising Active Threat Actor Compromises should be considered a significant risk.

Prevention is still critical, but response makes the difference

Preventative measures like patching, vulnerability management, good security hygiene, and user awareness training remain fundamental. But response readiness, defined as the ability to detect, react and recover swiftly during an active threat, is equally critical and completes your organisations’ cyber security strategy.

Response is as much about people and processes as it is about technology, because an effective and timely response depends on people doing the right thing under immense pressure.

And that’s were preparation and practice matter most. You’d much rather find flaws in your response during a simulation exercise than during an actual ransomware attack.

Not just ticking a box

An Incident Response plan starts with a ‘point in time’ assessment of the technology, people and processes required to recover from an incident when it happens. However, it isn’t something to be treated as a tick box exercise then locked away in a drawer. IR plans are too commonly not looked at again, even when an incident does occur. Incident response should be included in the DNA of every company, as it is instrumental to how we can respond to attacks within it.

Our partners, Arctic Wolf reported that: 84% of organisations currently have an IR plan in place but only 59% of those have reviewed or updated their plan in the last 12 months.

That leaves a significant proportion with outdated, untested, or theoretical plans which may not hold up under real-world attack conditions.

Move from reactive to resilient

The threat landscape will keep evolving, but with the right focus on people, process, technology and practice, organisations can move from reactive to resilient.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. If your organisation hasn’t revisited its Incident Response plan recently or even worse, not thought about it yet, now is the time.

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Fast-forward 18 months, and the story is much clearer, Copilot has cemented itself as our productivity assistant. A digital colleague helping us cut through repetitive tasks, draft emails, surface data, summarise meetings, and write Excel formulas without needing an ‘Excel for Dummies’ crash course.

Copilot usage across Microsoft 265 is now in the millions, with Microsoft reporting that organisations using Copilot have seen a productivity boost of us to 29% in day-to-day tasks and a 70% improvement in time saved on email composition. Adoption has moved beyond pilot programmes as many companies now consider Copilot to be critical infrastructure for knowledge workers.

More importantly, we’ve moved past the early mysticism of AI. It hasn’t (yet) taken our jobs. Instead, it’s making our jobs better and helping us get things done faster, with higher quality and less friction. And for most users, that’s exactly what they needed to help alleviate the admin burden.

But this is only the beginning.

The next wave – Agentic AI

The next wave of AI in the workplace is already here in the form of agentic AI. Microsoft has been quietly laying the foundations for this evolution, and it’s now coming to the forefront.

If Copilot is the assistant sitting beside you, Agentic AI is the team working in the background. Agents are not here to help you write a better paragraph or summarise a call. It’s less about helping you finish a task and more about taking ownership of business processes, automating and streamlining them from start to finish.

Until now, AI has largely supported individual productivity. But Agentic AI is designed to support business operations at scale, demonstrating a powerful shift in thinking, helping drive real business value through professional reinvention and reengineering.

Copilot vs agents – what’s the difference?

Think of Copilot as your personal assistant. Now imagine dozens of agents operating across your business, handling invoices, HR onboarding, customer support tickets, compliance checks, and more. These agents will live inside the Microsoft 265 ecosystem and operate via the same Copilot interface.

1. Copilot = personal productivity

• Every employee gets a Copilot.
• One-to-one relationship.
• Supports in-context work: drafting, summarising, replying, reformatting and more.
• Enhances how you work.

2. Agents = process intelligence

• Every organisation has multiple agents.
• One-to-many relationship.
• Works across apps and systems to automate entire workflows.
• Operates on behalf of teams or departments.

Why it matters

Organisations run on processes. Some are well-defined, others are sprawling and inconsistent. All of them take time, require coordination, and depend on people moving data between systems. Until now, digital transformation has meant integrating systems and automating bits and pieces. Agentic AI offers the chance to rethink the whole thing. It isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about unlocking new value.

Imagine an agent that:

• Onboards a new starter by automatically generating accounts, scheduling training, and assigning permissions.
• Monitors a project timeline and nudges stakeholders when risks are detected.
• Reviews customer emails, identifies intent, and triggers fulfilment or escalations.
• Validates documents against policy rules and flags anomalies.

You can immediately see the value in addressing these types of processes with agents.

Organisations are already testing these capabilities with partners through tools like Microsoft Copilot Studio, where businesses can build custom agents that connect to their Microsoft 265 data and even pull in information from external systems using prebuilt connectors.

Agents can be governed, monitored and deployed just like any enterprise solution because they’re integrated with Microsoft’s Copilot Control System. This is a critical step to enable AI to scale in business with appropriate checks and balances in place.

A quiet revolution

Whilst it’s still early days, the signs are clear that Agentic AI is going to be the next major shift in workplace productivity. Just as we’ve grown comfortable with AI writing our emails and summarising meetings, we’re moving quickly towards AI running parts of the business.

But where do we begin?

1. Embed Copilot in your organisation

• Deploy Copilot with a clear, structured adoption plan.
• Upskill and empower your people to understand and leverage it’s potentioal.
• Align usage with organisational goals and focus on removing productivity blockers.

2. Identify manual, repetitive and rules-based processes

• Think onboarding, approvals, scheduling, finance ops and other day-to-day workflows.
• If it’s a repeatable, step-by-step process, there’s a strong case for an agent.

3. Start small

• Look for quick wins to build familiarity and early success.
• Focus on where agents can make a tangible difference in your organisation demonstrating ROI.
• Build low-risk agents to experiment, learn and redefine.

4. Involve IT and Compliance early

• Agents require the same governance as any core system.
• Establish clear policies, controls and monitoring from the outset.

5. Don’t chase perfection

• AI adoption is iterative and evolves over time.
• Start small, learn quickly and build confidence as you grow.

The Copilot journey has shown us that AI doesn’t have to be scary. When it’s embedded in familiar tools focused on helping, not replacing, people, adoption follows naturally.

Agentic AI will follow the same path, but with even greater potential to transform how organisations function. We’ll soon see businesses with dozens of agents supporting everything from employee engagement to supply chain efficiency.

So, if Copilot is helping you get through your inbox faster, then get ready to redesign what work looks like for your business.

We’re already helping organisations understand, design and deploy AI agents that drive real impact. Get in touch to see how we can help you take the next step.

This article first appeared in the June 2025 issue of Connect

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Join us and Artic Wolf on Wednesday 09 July between 15:00 and 16:30 for an in-depth analysis of the survey results and insights into emerging trends such as the use of AI in cyber attacks, how security leaders are spending their budgets, and what adjustments organisations can make based on the incidents of today and the threats of tomorrow.

Discussion topics:

• Understand how concerned organisations are about AI threats
• Gain insights into which technologies businesses use today and want to use tomorrow
• Learn how to implement incident response strategies to reduce post-incident downtime

The post Great Minds Series: State of Cybersecurity 2025 – The latest trends, threats and response appeared first on Prosperity 247.