Microsoft

Microsoft Entra ID to Block SMS First-Factor Sign-Ins Worldwide in February 2027

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Microsoft will retire SMS-based first-factor sign-in for all Microsoft Entra ID workforce tenants worldwide on February 1, 2027, requiring organizations to migrate users to more secure, phishing-resistant authentication methods such as passkeys, Windows Hello for Business, or FIDO2 security keys. This change aims to eliminate vulnerabilities associated with SMS authentication, including interception and SIM swapping, and avoid disruptions in Microsoft 365 and other Entra-protected services by prompting administrators to update authentication policies and user enrollment processes ahead of the deadline.

https://cybersecuritynews.com/entra-id-sms-sign-in-retirement/

Most People Who Quit M365 for Google Do It Out of Spite, but There’s No ROI in That

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Gartner analyst Domenico Scriva argues that most organizations switching from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace do so out of spite rather than financial benefit, as the total cost of Google’s suite—including add-ons for telephony, security, and business intelligence—often exceeds Microsoft’s pricing. He also highlights that migrating between these ecosystems involves significant complexity and training expenses, suggesting that organizations should plan migrations carefully and define clear business outcomes. Scriva predicts AI-driven productivity tools will soon transform these suites more fundamentally than current alternatives.

https://www.theregister.com/saas/2026/09/15/most-people-who-quit-m365-for-google-do-it-out-of-spite-but-theres-no-roi-in-that/5296460

Microsoft Entra ID Gets Passkeys Default Authentication Starting September

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Microsoft will make passkeys the default authentication method for its Entra ID enterprise identity service starting September 2026, automatically enabling passkeys for users currently relying on phone-based SMS and voice authentication, which Microsoft plans to retire by February 2027. Organizations are advised to transition to phishing-resistant methods before the retirement deadline to avoid sign-in disruptions, as Microsoft aims to reduce reliance on phishable authentication and improve account security against increasing credential theft and phishing attacks.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-entra-id-gets-passkeys-default-authentication-starting-september/

Every Microsoft 365 AI Agent Solves a Different Problem

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The article explains that Microsoft 365 offers various types of AI agents—SharePoint Agents, First-Party App Agents, Copilot Studio Agents, and Azure AI Foundry Agents—each designed to solve different business challenges. Understanding their distinct capabilities, limitations, and appropriate use cases is crucial for organizations to effectively leverage AI while avoiding issues such as data security risks, licensing surprises, and inefficient workflows.

https://hackernoon.com/every-microsoft-365-ai-agent-solves-a-different-problem

Microsoft Says It Has Over 20M Paid Copilot Users, and They Really Are Using It

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Microsoft announced that its Microsoft 365 Copilot AI tool now has over 20 million paid enterprise users, with engagement levels comparable to Outlook email. CEO Satya Nadella highlighted the expansion of large company deployments and the introduction of advanced features like Agent mode, enabling Copilot to perform multistep actions within documents.

https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/29/microsoft-says-it-has-over-20m-paid-copilot-users-and-they-really-are-using-it/

Accenture Deploys Microsoft 365 Copilot to All 743,000 Employees

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Microsoft is deploying its Microsoft 365 Copilot AI assistant to all 743,000 Accenture employees, marking the largest enterprise rollout of the tool to date. Accenture's internal data shows a high adoption rate of 89% in a test cohort, with 97% of employees reporting that Copilot helped them complete routine tasks up to 15 times faster, highlighting its significant impact on productivity and providing Microsoft with a major proof point for broader enterprise AI adoption.

https://thenextweb.com/news/accenture-deploys-microsoft-365-copilot-to-all-743000-employees

Microsoft Unveils AI-Powered Innovations Across Microsoft Teams And SharePoint: Highlights Of The M365 Community Conference 2026

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At the Microsoft 365 Community Conference 2026, Microsoft unveiled several AI-powered innovations focusing on enhancing collaboration and content management within Teams and SharePoint. Highlights include the AI-driven Copilot Cowork for task automation, advanced multimodel analysis in M365 Copilot, evolving Microsoft Teams with an AI Facilitator agent, AI-powered governance and content generation tools in SharePoint, and the upcoming Agent 365 for centralized AI agent management. These advancements aim to improve productivity, security, and user experiences by integrating AI deeply into Microsoft’s productivity tools.

https://www.forrester.com/blogs/microsoft-unveils-ai-powered-innovations-across-microsoft-teams-and-sharepoint-highlights-of-the-m365-community-conference-2026/

Microsoft Copilot Cheat Sheet: a Complete Guide to Microsoft’s AI

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Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant integrated across Windows, Edge, Microsoft 365, and Teams, designed to help users by drafting emails, summarizing meetings, creating presentations, and automating tasks via natural language prompts using advanced AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-5 and Anthropic’s Claude. Its key 2026 features include the agentic Cowork mode for multi-step task execution within Microsoft apps, voice interaction, 3D modeling, and deeper contextual awareness through Work IQ. While Copilot is deeply embedded in Microsoft’s ecosystem and valuable for enterprise users already invested in Microsoft 365, it faces criticism regarding output consistency, ecosystem lock-in, and limitations compared to specialized AI tools.

https://www.eweek.com/news/microsoft-copilot-cheat-sheet-complete-guide-2026/

How Many Products Does Microsoft Have Named ‘Copilot’? I Mapped Every One

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The article explores the extensive use of the name “Copilot” by Microsoft, identifying at least 80 different products, features, and tools sharing the name, spanning apps, platforms, hardware keys, and development tools. The author compiled a comprehensive and interactive visualization to map and connect these diverse “Copilot” offerings, highlighting the challenge of defining what Microsoft Copilot truly represents amid its widespread and varied use.

https://teybannerman.com/strategy/2026/03/31/how-many-microsoft-copilot-are-there.html

Microsoft Says Copilot Is for Entertainment Purposes Only, Not Serious Use — Firm Pushing AI Hard to Consumers Tells Users Not to Rely on It for Important Advice

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Microsoft’s Copilot Terms of Use state that the AI is for entertainment purposes only and should not be relied upon for important advice. This disclaimer, while common for AI LLMs, highlights the irony of Microsoft’s push for Copilot’s business use. Despite its usefulness, AI should be used cautiously due to its potential for mistakes and the risk of automation bias.

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-says-copilot-is-for-entertainment-purposes-only-not-serious-use-firm-pushing-ai-hard-to-consumers-tells-users-not-to-rely-on-it-for-important-advice

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