The Intelligence Age

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM

👉 Full Show Notes
https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/746  

Microsoft’s Brian Shaw shares how AI and Microsoft 365 Copilot are transforming the way professionals work. From unlocking hidden features in familiar tools to managing digital agents, this episode explores how to scale productivity, delegate effectively, and build applied AI capability across your organisation. 

🎙️ What you’ll learn 

• How to unlock 100% of Microsoft 365’s features using Copilot 
• Ways to integrate AI agents into daily workflows 
• How to delegate effectively to digital workers 
• Strategies to drive Copilot adoption beyond first impressions 
• Practical use cases for Copilot in Excel, Word, Forms, and Whiteboard 

✅ Highlights 

• “Copilot can use 100% of the features if it needs to do something.” 
• “We put Copilot where you do work.” 
• “You click a button, you get a result — no prompt needed.” 
• “The M365 Copilot chat is the Copilot to rule them all.” 
• “Researcher and Analyst are like having two new team members.” 
• “I’ve got a data scientist working for me now.” 
• “I didn’t know Copilot could do that — I didn’t know Excel could do that.” 
• “The Copilot you’re using today is the dumbest you’ll ever use.” 
• “You’ll be managing a digital workforce.” 
• “Use it for a few weeks and you’ll see how it saves you time.” 
• “Copilot is doing things we used to do manually.” 
• “People who don’t embrace it are the ones saying AI is taking their job.” 

🧰 Mentioned 

• Microsoft 365 Copilot - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot 
• Microsoft Graph - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/overview 
• Microsoft Forms - https://forms.office.com 
• Microsoft Whiteboard - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-whiteboard/online-whiteboard 
• Outlook with Copilot - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-life-hacks/everyday-ai/how-to-use-copilot-in-outlook 
• Excel with Copilot - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/get-started-with-copilot-in-excel-d7110502-0334-4b4f-a175-a73abdfc118a 

✅Keywords 
microsoft 365, copilot, ai agents, digital workforce, productivity, outlook, excel, word, whiteboard, researcher, analyst, microsoft graph 

If 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 
 
AI is transforming business processes, but without strong foundations, organisations risk failure. In this first episode of AI Unfiltered Show, BJ Biernatowski and Jim Sinur explore how process modelling, business architecture, and digital transformation frameworks can guide responsible AI adoption. Learn how to build scalable, trustworthy systems that deliver real value.  

👉 Full Show Notes
https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/745  

🎙️ What you’ll learn 

• Apply process modelling to guide AI implementation 
• Distinguish workflows from broader business processes 
• Use BPM to validate and supervise AI decisions 
• Align transformation efforts across business units 
• Build foundational pillars for successful DTX initiatives 

👉 The Packt product - https://packt.link/zAMCU 

• 15% discount on print - use code 'NZ365BPMP' 
• 25% discount on eBook - use code 'NZ365BPME' 

✅ Highlights 

• “AI needs adult supervision.” 
• “Process modelling is exceptionally good at understanding the customer journey.” 
• “The triple crown of process is increased revenue, decreased cost, and happy customers.” 
• “You’re going to start going fast—and if the culture isn’t ready, you’ll hit a curb.” 
• “Process is a lot about action.” 
• “How do you know your AI agents are doing what they’re supposed to?” 
• “Situational analysis used to take months—now it’s done in under an hour.” 
• “The metaphor of a business process doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone.” 
• “Throwing in BPM, Lean Six Sigma, and AI is a lot for people to absorb.” 
• “Use savings from automation to invest in innovation.” 
• “Microsoft went faster than any company I’ve seen.” 
• “You need stability before you scale transformation.” 

🧰 Mentioned

• Microsoft - https://www.microsoft.com 
• Gartner - https://www.gartner.com/en 
• Copilot - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot 
• Process Advisor - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/process-advisor-overview 
• Lean Six Sigma - https://www.learnleansigma.com/guides/fundamentals-of-lean-six-sigma 
• The Packt product - https://packt.link/zAMCU 
  15% discount on print - use code 'NZ365BPMP' 
  25% discount on eBook - use code 'NZ365BPME'

If 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/744   

David Fortin shares his journey from CPA to LinkedIn Learning instructor and Microsoft MVP, offering practical insights into creating professional learning content and mastering Microsoft 365 Copilot. Learn how to prompt effectively, stay current with AI tools, and apply Copilot in real-world business scenarios.

🎙️ What you’ll learn 

• How to design and deliver a LinkedIn Learning course from concept to studio 
• Practical Excel tips for professionals, drawn from 10 years of experience 
• How to use Microsoft 365 Copilot for productivity across Teams, OneNote, and To Do 
• Why prompt engineering is essential for effective AI use 
• Strategies to stay current with fast-evolving AI tools and features 

✅ Highlights 

• “I packaged my best Excel tips from 10 years into an hour and 15 minutes.” 
• “You hit record and it shows ‘recording’ in red at the top.” 
• “I teach busy professionals how to make the most out of Microsoft 365 Copilot.” 
• “It’s a machine to forecast the next word.” 
• “I always ask—who are we helping and how?” 
• “I comment on everyone personally—LinkedIn even blocked me once for typing too fast.” 
• “You need to refill AI courses every time—three times now.” 
• “Use it every day. You’ll get better by using it.” 
• “I scroll Instagram and read the AI report newsletter daily.” 
• “I show people how to build an agent to be more productive.” 
• “If you say ‘help me’ instead of ‘do this,’ it’ll do two completely different things.” 

🧰 Mentioned 

• LinkedIn Learning - Excel Quick Tips - https://courses.davidpba.com/ 
• Microsoft To Do - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-to-do-list-app 
• AI Report newsletter - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-to-do-list-app  
• ChatGPT - https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5/  
• ChatGPT Tricks - https://techpp.com/2025/08/21/chatgpt-for-instagram-growth/  
• Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 

✅Keywords 
linkedin learning, microsoft 365 copilot, excel tips, prompt engineering, ai productivity, gpt-5, chatgpt, onenote, teams, microsoft to do, training, content creation 

If 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/743

Hosts: Mark Smith, Meg Smith

Creativity is not replaced by AI. It is amplified. Meg and Mark unpack how AI frees time, widens ideas, and supports practice. They argue for redefining wealth as time to create, building human-AI teams, and using tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Claude to move from blank page to applied output. They ground it in gardening, branding, writing, and “vibe coding,” and echo Neil deGrasse Tyson’s call to out-create the machine.

Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz

🎙️ What you’ll learn
Reframe “will AI take jobs?” into “how will I create more value?”
Build daily creative habits that AI accelerates, not replaces.
Turn fuzzy ideas into drafts, designs, and prototypes fast.
Use “vibe coding” to ship simple sites without a CMS.
Work as human-AI teams that respect customer needs and mana.

✅Highlights
“Everything is gonna change.”
“It’s going to allow us to step into a level of creativity like we’ve never known”
“What are we going to do with all this free time”
“Why don’t I bring the creativity forward into my day now”
“Can we create in a different way?”
“I think we will enter an era where creativity will be the golden age.”

🧰 Mentioned
Nyssa Waters https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyssawaters/
Possible AI https://www.possibl.ai/
PAX 8 https://www.pax8.com/
Neil deGrasse Tyson https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-degrasse-tyson-680a35357/

Connect with the hosts

Mark 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/megsmithnz

Subscribe, 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:  
ai, creativity, human ai teams, vibe coding, chatgpt, copilot, claude, mid journey, vs code, azure, te ao māori, mana 

If 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/742

Michael De Abreu shares his journey from IT infrastructure to building enterprise-grade solutions on the Microsoft Power Platform. He discusses the evolution of his consulting firm, Third Floor Solutions, and dives into large-scale implementations, including a 65,000-user deployment for a Canadian bank. The episode explores practical frameworks, offline capabilities, and the transformative potential of Copilot in form design.

🎙️ What you’ll learn 

• How to architect scalable Power Platform solutions for enterprise use 
• Ways to rethink form design using Copilot and dynamic logic 
• Strategies for building reusable frameworks with Dataverse 
• Approaches to offline capability in Canvas and Model-driven apps 
• How to position yourself with FastTrack credentials and PL-600 certification 

✅ Highlights 

• “I got addicted to the Power Platform… building so many apps.” 
• “We went from no Power Apps to close to 70 apps in 8–9 months.” 
• “We built a reusable framework that runs 350 forms off 4 tables.” 
• “Offline capability was key - we saved collections locally to the device.” 
• “FastTrack helps credential yourself and shows real enterprise experience.” 
• “We built a mining app for underground drill logging with offline sync.” 
• “Copilot can prompt users with missing info and SME knowledge.” 
• “I hate seeing a gallery trying to look like a table - grids are essential.” 
• “Plugins are powerful - many forget they run even on imported data.” 
• “We’re transferring problems from PDFs to Power Apps without rethinking.” 
• “Copilot is more than a chatbot - it can perform tasks and visualise data.” 
• “The biggest thing is building so users can maintain without white-glove support.” 

🧰 Mentioned 

• Microsoft Power Platform - https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/power-platform/ 
• FastTrack for Power Platform - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/guidance/fasttrack/overview 
• Dataverse - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/data-platform/data-platform-intro 
• Power Apps - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/ 

✅Keywords 
power platform, canvas apps, dataverse, fasttrack, copilot, offline capability, enterprise architecture, reusable frameworks, fusion developer, model-driven apps, PL-600, form design 

If 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/741
 
Josefin Stenmark shares her journey from adult education to becoming a Copilot expert, helping organisations embrace AI through practical tools, change management, and prompt engineering. Her insights reveal how crafting, collaboration, and culture shape successful AI adoption. practical strategies to make technology work for people—not the other way around. 
 
🎙️ What you’ll learn 

• How to run effective prompt-a-thons for departmental AI adoption 
• Ways to reduce AI-related fear through education and transparency 
• Practical uses of Copilot for meeting recaps and daily workflows 
• The difference between training and change management in digital transformation 
• How to build personalised AI agents aligned with organisational needs 

✅ Highlights 

• “You need to wind down.” 
• “We are still in charge of it. We as people.” 
• “You are still the expert in your field.” 
• “We start to craft scenarios.” 
• “They learn how to craft these more powerful prompts.” 
• “It’s not that everybody shares with their colleagues.” 
• “We build a lot of simple agents and more advanced agents.” 
• “We have to do more about agents.” 
• “I think I can call myself a Copilot expert.” 
• “It’s not the scary person who will replace me.” 
• “You get the opportunity to learn together with your colleagues.” 
• “It’s a really great way to dive into their organisation and their needs.” 

🧰 Mentioned 

• Microsoft Copilot: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot 
• Copilot Studio: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/microsoft-copilot-studio Microsoft Power Platform: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform 
• West Swedish Chamber of Commerce: https://www.handelskammaren.net  
• Microsoft MVP YouTube Series: How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7 

 
✅ Keywords 

copilot, ai agents, microsoft 365, change management, prompt engineering, power platform, copilot studio, power automate, digital transformation, organisational culture, prompt-a-thon, hybrid work 

If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.

Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Hosts: Mark Smith, Meg Smith

🔴 For full Show Notes: https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/740

Communication and storytelling turn information into meaning. The episode shows how to frame data as a clear message, tailor to specific audiences, interrupt fear-driven narratives, and use concise stories and quotes to create action. It covers a practical “find the story” prompt, the role of humanities, decision frameworks for tech use, and a simple champions model for scaling change. It closes with community invites and a learning series.

Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz

🎙️ What you’ll learn
- Extract a single, audience-ready message from messy data.
- Tailor the same insight for executives, managers, and interns.
- Detect and interrupt fear cycles in media and feeds.
- Use sticky story structures and quotes to drive recall.
- Build champions with simple, memorable selection criteria.

✅Highlights
“What is the single most important story that emerges from this data?”
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
“Play the ball, not the player.”
“I'm getting rid of apps off my phone.”
“Be really intentional and engaged about how you're using technology.”
“Do you think that people are generally doing the best they can with what they have?”

🧰 Mentioned
Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoption
SLB (Schlumberger) https://www.slb.com/
Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath)https://amzn.to/42q3fqA
Lost Heart Found (book)https://amzn.to/4pRAH3r

Connect with the hosts

Mark 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/megsmithnz

Subscribe, 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: communication, storytelling, ai, google, mission, yoda, fear, champions program, power platform, whatsapp, meta, linkedin

If 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/739 

AI is reshaping enterprise tech, but success depends on more than tools, it requires clear use cases, strategic adoption, and continuous learning. Tina Van Heerden and Tomas Gold share hard-won insights from Microsoft’s internal AI programs and customer engagements, revealing what drives real transformation and what stalls it.

🎙️ What you’ll learn 

• How to move AI projects from pilot to production 
• Why clear use cases drive adoption and ROI 
• How to experiment with AI tools to boost productivity 
• What roles AI won’t replace and how to lean into them 
• How to build personal workflows with agents and automation 

✅ Highlights: 

• “A magic wand is just a stick if you don’t have a good spell.” 
• “Your biggest competitor is someone better at using AI.” 
• “Keeping up with change is now a core part of everyone’s job.” 
• “We realised it’s not an AI problem, it’s a Power Automate solution.” 
• “AI is very good at specific tasks, but not at trust or ethics.” 
• “The number one lesson: identify the value of your use case.” 
• “Experimenting with AI teaches you what not to automate.” 
• “We interviewed architects after 1000 customer conversations.” 
• “AI doesn’t care if it hurts you, it gives honest feedback.” 
• “The most adaptable to change will be the winners.” 
• “Speaking to Copilot instead of typing changed my workflow.” 
• “Customers get stuck in pilot land due to lack of planning.” 

🧰 Mentioned: 

• Adoption and dragons: The Alchemy of AI Adoption - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/adoption-dragons-alchemy-ai-tina-van-heerden-h4xue?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&utm_campaign=share_via
• Microsoft Copilot - https://copilot.microsoft.com/  
• Power Automate - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-automate/ 

✅ Keywords: 
copilot, ai adoption, power platform, automation, business process, microsoft, agents, experimentation, productivity, governance, enterprise tech, change management 

If 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/738 

Kevin McDonnell, Director of Modern Workplace at Avanade, shares practical insights from the frontlines of AI adoption in enterprise environments. From building habits around Copilot to leveraging agents and notebooks for real productivity gains, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for tech professionals driving applied AI.
 
🎙️ What you’ll learn 

• Build lasting habits for Copilot adoption across teams 
• Use Copilot Notebooks to centralise and query project knowledge 
• Apply researcher agents for deep context handovers and task tracking 
• Improve document quality with Copilot’s QA and formatting tools 
• Drive change through value measurement and targeted training 

✅ Highlights 

• “Companies were paying to be on the preview for Copilot.” 
• “You have that initial excitement… if you don’t build the habit, that will tail off.” 
• “We’ve seen between 45 minutes and an hour a day of time saving.” 
• “People are reinvesting that time into quality.” 
• “I use Copilot to rewrite it, then spend longer on the real minutiae.” 
• “The researcher agent gave me a list of tasks I need to hand over.” 
• “Whiteboard can group ideas into common themes in minutes.” 
• “Copilot Notebooks let me store chats and documents in one place.” 
• “I can ask questions grounded on that notebook’s content.” 
• “Before meetings, I get an audio summary to refresh key points.” 
• “Measure what matters by John Doerr—absolutely fantastic.” 
• “If you bury your head in the sand, you’re going to be left behind.” 

🧰 Mentioned 

•  Microsoft Copilot – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot 
•  Home Assistant – https://www.home-assistant.io 
•  Measure What Matters by John Doerr – https://www.whatmatters.com 
• Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7   

✅ Keywords 

copilot, microsoft 365, avanade, ai adoption, researcher agent, copilot notebooks, whiteboard, viva topics, productivity, document qa, home assistant, inkbird 

If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.

Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith

Hosts: Mark Smith, Meg Smith

👉For full Show Notes: https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/737

A practical conversation on critical thinking in a noisy news cycle. The hosts unpack bias, truth detection, and source triangulation, then show how to set personal inputs, tune ad preferences, and use AI as a questioning coach. You get simple checks for risk, bias, and truth, plus resources to build daily habits that protect focus and decision quality.

Join the private WhatsApp group for Q&A and community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/E0iyXcUVhpl9um7DuKLYEz

🎙️ What you’ll learn

• Apply a low, medium, high risk check before trusting information
• Use source triangulation for travel, policy, and high-impact decisions
• Reduce algorithmic pull by auditing and adjusting ad interests
• Spot common biases and set prompts that challenge your view
• Build a daily news routine that filters noise and highlights impact

✅ Highlights

• “It’s really important… identifying and understanding how we measure or apply critical thinking.”
• “Who wants me to believe this? … Why do they want me to believe this?”
• “Control and even limit what you consume.”
• “Decide, is this a low, medium or high risk of me getting this wrong.”
• “We need to develop our truth sense.”
• “Act as my critical thinking coach… challenge my thinking one question at a time.”
• “Go one step further and ask it to explain it.”

🧰 Mentioned

• Nexus (book) https://amzn.to/3Ks2ffq
• Blink (book) https://amzn.to/3VZFr9z
• TED Talks by Hans and Ola Rosling https://youtu.be/Sm5xF-UYgdg?si=CPEOyZ_lzzwJI3dX
• Jacinda Ardern Video https://youtu.be/xJg1McSvgo8?si=8RdIG6g2oxA2rDNk

Connect with the hosts

Mark 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/megsmithnz

Subscribe, 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:
critical thinking, bias, confirmation bias, selective attention, frequency illusion, baader-meinhof, triangulation, truth, amygdala, advertising preferences, perplexity, whatsapp

If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.

Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith