Microsoft Mechanics Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Work IQ | Data, Context, Skills & Tools for Copilot and Your Agents May 13, 2026

Show notes

Ground every Microsoft 365 Copilot response in your real work data. Pull context from SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, email, and meetings — all through Work IQ. Draft Word documents that carry your existing sensitivity labels, and resolve calendar conflicts in Outlook. Run multi-step Copilot Cowork workflows that generate files, schedule meetings, and send status updates from a single prompt.

Extend the same knowledge layer to ServiceNow, CRMs, and other non-Microsoft systems with API and MCP Server connectors in the Microsoft 365 admin center, or build your own agents in code against the Work IQ API.

Jeremy Chapman, Microsoft 365 Director, shares how data, context, and skills & tools combine into a single grounding layer for Copilot and your custom agents.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Work IQ Knowledge Layer 01:32 - Copilot Chat experiences 02:16 - Work IQ in your apps 03:03 - Auto-Applied Sensitivity Labels 04:20 - Copilot Cowork Agentic Workflow 06:11 - Admin Center Connectors 07:21 - Work IQ API for Developers 08:50 - Wrap up

► Link References

Check out the latest updates at https://aka.ms/WorkIQ

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

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Azure Arc | On-prem + Multi-cloud Management May 08, 2026

Show notes

Managing Servers, and Kubernetes across on-prem, and multiple clouds, can quickly become complex, especially when you're juggling multiple tools. In this video, we explore how Azure Arc simplifies hybrid and multi-cloud operations by providing a single, consistent control plane for managing your entire infrastructure across Linux and Windows, on-prem, in Azure, or in any cloud.

Once connected, you can patch Windows and Linux together with Azure Update Manager, enforce CIS benchmarks and Azure Security Baselines through Azure Policy, and pull consistent inventory, tags, and RBAC across your whole estate.

Auto-recover unbootable Windows Server 2025 machines with Quick Machine Recovery, audit and configure WinRE using built-in Azure Policy. Run your virtual machines as Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts on Nutanix, VMware, Hyper-V, or using physical Windows hardware.

Satya Vel, Azure Arc Principal Group PDM Manager (https://x.com/satya_vel) shares how to make Azure your operational standard for every workload, anywhere it runs.

Learn more about Azure Arc at https://aka.ms/AzureArcServer, or join the community at https://aka.ms/ArcServerForumSignup

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Azure Arc in hybrid environments

00:46 - Transitioning to Azure Arc

02:35 - Unified management

03:43 - How to bring in servers and containers

04:48 - Inventory management

05:30 - Patching

06:48 - Auto-manage future updates

08:25 - One-time update

09:32 - Configuration in a hybrid environment

11:05 - Auditing Windows machines

11:34 - Microsoft Defender for Cloud

13:06 - Desktop virtualization

13:51 - Wrap up

► Link References

For more information go to https://aka.ms/AzureArc

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

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Agent 365 | Your Security & Compliance Controls May 07, 2026

Show notes

Keep AI agents operating under control and within your data security and compliance policies using Agent 365. Block agent access to labeled files at runtime, stop sensitive data from leaving in agent-drafted emails, and catch agents that cross conduct lines using the same Microsoft Purview controls you already run for users. Map every risky agent action in Insider Risk Management, drill into Activity Explorer for interaction-level detail, and pull regulator-ready forensics from Purview Audit.

Shilpa Ranganathan, Microsoft Purview Partner Group Squad Leader, shares how IT and data security teams can govern agent behavior on a single Agent 365 control plane built into the Microsoft tools already used.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Agent security, compliance, & IT

01:13 - IT & data security teams using Agent 365

02:22 - Visibility with Microsoft Purview

03:14 - End user perspective

04:05 - DLP on Agent-Initiated Messages

04:23 - Communication Compliance for Agent Behavior

04:50 - Data Security admin in the Purview portal

06:04 - Policy violations

06:39 - Purview Audit

07:06 - Microsoft 365 admin center

07:44 - Wrap upn in the Purview portal

► Link References

Check out https://aka.ms/Agent365DataSecurity

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

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Operations Context for AI | Ontology in Fabric IQ Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Build a shared semantic foundation for your enterprise data in Microsoft Fabric IQ. Generate a full business ontology from an existing Power BI semantic model, map entities and relationships, and embed real-time operational signals alongside business rules that live inside the ontology with the data and its meaning.

From there, trace cascading operational impacts across your business through the relationship graph, stand up Operations Agents in natural language with Teams-based actions, and connect the same ontology as a knowledge source in Copilot Studio or Azure AI Foundry.

Chafia Aouissi, Fabric IQ Principal PM Manager, shares how to model your business operations, embed intelligence in your data, and deploy agents that act on it.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Unify models & data with Fabric IQ 01:12 - Generate an ontology 02:27 - Bring in Power BI reports 03:08 - View across multiple data sources 04:23 - Define rules 05:18 - Built-in ontology graph 06:03 - Fabric IQ agents 08:24 - Fabric IQ as Knowledge Source 08:54 - Wrap up

► Link References

Get started at https://aka.ms/FabricIQ

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

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Windows App Management in Microsoft Intune Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

Take command of your full app layer in Microsoft Intune. Audit every managed and unmanaged app per device with full metadata — publisher, architecture, disk size, install location, uninstall command — to expose shadow IT before it spreads. Pull curated Win32 apps straight from the Enterprise App Catalog or upload PowerShell .ps1 scripts to control exactly how each app installs.

Stage rollouts in rings with Deployment Plans, pause or cancel any deployment in flight, and auto-trust every app you push using App Control for Business with Managed Installer — extending the same trust to new device builds with Autopilot, now up to 25 apps. Keep your fleet current automatically as vendors publish new versions through the Enterprise App Catalog, or trigger updates on demand from the Guided Upgrade Supersedence report.

Nicole Zhao, Microsoft Intune Product Manager, shares how to put these built-in enhancements to work across every managed device.

*Intune Deployments is currently in private preview. Capabilities shown are subject to change and not yet generally available.

Check out aka.ms/RSAC26-Intune-Blog from the RSA Conference for additional security context and guidance when managing apps with Microsoft Intune.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Built-in app management 00:51 - App Inventory Visibility 01:42 - Enterprise Application Management (EAM) 02:28 - PowerShell Script Installer GA 03:09 - Ring-Based Deployment Plans 04:44 - Managed Installer Auto-Trust 05:39 - Enterprise App Catalog Auto-Update 06:12 - Guided upgrade supersedence 06:50 - Wrap up

► Link References

Check out https://aka.ms/IntuneAppManagement

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

• Watch or listen from anywhere, subscribe to our podcast: https://microsoftmechanics.libsyn.com/podcast

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Foundry Agent Service + Microsoft Agent Framework Explained Apr 22, 2026

Show notes

Move your AI agents from prototype to production using Microsoft Foundry Agent Service. Deploy directly from your local environment, run with secure identity and scoped permissions, and monitor every interaction so you can debug, improve, and scale without losing control. Publish agents into the tools your team already uses and ensure every action is traceable, governed, and isolated.

Ground your agents in real work and business data to generate outputs that are actually useful. Pull from emails, meetings, and operational systems to create personalized insights, documents, and presentations. Build faster with familiar tools and frameworks, then manage performance, cost, and quality across all your agents as they scale.

Jeff Hollan, Partner Director, AI Agent Services, shares how to operationalize AI agents across your organization—from deployment to real-world impact.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Build single and multi-agentic workloads

00:44 - Build agents at scale with Foundry

01:33 - Demo: Sales meeting preparation agent

03:32 - How it works

04:48 - Access controls

05:44 - Publish the agent

06:23 - Direct integration with Microsoft 365

07:26 - Work IQ, Foundry IQ, & Fabric IQ

10:24 - Agent creation

11:21 - See what's happening in the code

12:54 - Manage performance

1 3:56 - Wrap up

► Link References

Go to the Microsoft Foundry to build your first project at https://ai.azure.com

Check out https://github.com/microsoft-foundry

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

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Claude + GPT | Multi-model intelligence in Copilot Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

Access Anthropic and OpenAI models directly from Microsoft 365 Copilot. Generate briefing documents, presentations, and Excel files from a single prompt with Copilot Cowork, pulling from your emails, calendar, and SharePoint through Work IQ — and fold in new tasks mid-run without stopping. Using Copilot Cowork, you can use the same platform that powers Claude Cowork. It's designed for long-running, multi-step task automation.

Use Critique in Researcher to pair a generation model with a dedicated review model, applying source reliability and evidence grounding before the report lands. Run model Council to submit one prompt to GPT and Claude simultaneously and compare their full reasoning side-by-side.

These experiences with Copilot Cowork and Researcher are available now if your organization has the Frontier Program enabled. Jeremy Chapman, Microsoft 365 Director, shares how to choose, direct, and compare the right AI model for every task, all from within Microsoft 365.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Copilot capabilities

01:06 - Copilot Cowork

02:32 - Mid-Run Task Injection

03:05 - Output

04:17 - Researcher Critique: Dual-Model Pipeline

05:58 - Work IQ Auto-Retrieval

06:58 - Model Council

08:50 - Wrap up

► Link References

Try it at https://microsoft365.com/copilot

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

• Watch or listen from anywhere, subscribe to our podcast: https://microsoftmechanics.libsyn.com/podcast

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Labeling Files is Worth It | Speed & Protection Benefits in Microsoft Purview Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Take control of your data by discovering sensitive information across every file type and location with Microsoft Purview Information Protection. Classify your data, apply clear labels, and enforce protections that automatically adapt to human and AI interactions so you can reduce risk without slowing down workflows. Proactively monitor, assess, and respond to risk in real time. Use labeling and layered policies to stop accidental sharing, manage AI access, and maintain consistent protection across your organization.

Matt McSpirit, Microsoft Mechanics expert, joins Jeremy Chapman to share how to turn scattered data into actionable security that moves as fast as your team and AI.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Microsoft Purview data protection

01:04 - Data Loss Prevention

03:36 - Layered approach in addition to DLP

04:13 - Unified classification

04:27 - How sensitive data is determined

06:23 - Create trainable classifiers

07:06 - Distinction between classification and labeling

08:06 - Configure policy protections

09:12 - DLP in action

10:10 - IRM in action

10:51 - See how protections show up

13:37 - Move from reactive to proactive protection

15:00 - Wrap up

► Link References

For deeper guidance, go to https://aka.ms/PurviewInformationProtection

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

• Watch or listen from anywhere, subscribe to our podcast: https://microsoftmechanics.libsyn.com/podcast

► Keep getting this insider knowledge, join us on social:

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Data Security Investigations in Microsoft Purview Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

Identify what data was exposed in a breach, not just where it moved, but what it contains, how sensitive it is, and the risk it creates using Microsoft Purview Data Security Investigations. Search across massive volumes of files using natural language, pinpoint the highest risk content, and connect it to user activity to see the full scope of an incident.

Investigate and act in one workflow. Analyze content deeply across files, emails, and AI interactions, uncover hidden or unclassified sensitive data, and contain exposure fast. Proactively identify risks, respond to incidents with clarity, and mitigate impact before it spreads.

Christophe Fiessinger, Microsoft Purview Principal Squad Leader, joins Jeremy Chapman to walk through real-world investigation workflows—from scoping and analysis to mitigation and automation—so you can move faster and make more informed security decisions.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Keep data safe with DSI

01:26 - Connect dots between data risk & impact

02:47 - Built-in AI

03:47 - Work across the full lifecycle of an incident

04:56 - Create an investigation

06:36 - Deep search and analysis

09:03 - How DSI helps data leaks

10:40 - Contain risk with built-in mitigation

11:32 - Automate using agents

13:23 - Estimator tool

14:57 - Wrap up

► Link References

As a Microsoft Purview admin, just go to https://purview.microsoft.com/dsi

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

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Automate Data Security Triage & Posture | Agents in Microsoft Purview Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Cut through alert noise and focus on the risks that matter with Agents in Microsoft Purview. Use Data Security Triage Agent to prioritize incidents, investigate user activity with full context, and uncover hidden patterns that signal real threats. Identify and act on high-risk behavior, like data exfiltration or persistent access, before it leads to data loss.

Detect sensitive data across your environment using natural language with Data Security Posture Agent. Analyze content to find what's exposed, apply protections or restrict access, and surface hidden credentials, so you can take action and continuously reduce risk.

Michelle Slotwinski, Microsoft Purview Senior Product Manager, shares how to stay ahead of data risk by turning investigation into proactive protection.

► QUICK LINKS:

00:00 - Reduce data risks 00:59 - Data Security Triage Agent 01:46 - Investigate risks 03:29 - Detect patterns 05:17 - Uncover nested insights 07:44 - Credential scanning 09:03 - Wrap up

► Link References https://aka.ms/AgentsinPurview

► Unfamiliar with Microsoft Mechanics?

As Microsoft's official video series for IT, you can watch and share valuable content and demos of current and upcoming tech from the people who build it at Microsoft.

• Subscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MicrosoftMechanicsSeries

• Talk with other IT Pros, join us on the Microsoft Tech Community: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-mechanics-blog/bg-p/MicrosoftMechanicsBlog

• Watch or listen from anywhere, subscribe to our podcast: https://microsoftmechanics.libsyn.com/podcast

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