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

🎙️ FULL SHOW NOTES
https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/694

What happens when a failed attempt at a cleaning job leads to a lifelong career in tech? Aki Antman, President of AI and Copilot at Digital Neighborhood, shares his remarkable journey from teenage coder to AI leader. In this episode, Aki unpacks how organizations—from European enterprises to the Abu Dhabi government—are embracing AI, and why hands-on experimentation is the key to Copilot adoption. Whether you're leading digital transformation or just getting started with AI, this conversation offers practical insights and real-world strategies to help you thrive in the age of intelligent tools.

🔑KEY TAKEAWAYS
Adoption Starts with Action: Aki emphasizes that AI adoption isn’t about watching demos—it’s about using the tools. Like building muscle, you only grow by doing.
Copilot as a Cultural Shift: Successful AI integration requires leadership buy-in and a shift in mindset. Organizations that lead by example see faster, more meaningful results.
From Experimentation to Impact: Real transformation begins when users apply Copilot to their own data and workflows—unlocking time savings, creativity, and even four-day workweeks.
Low-Code is the Future of AI Agents: 90% of enterprise AI agents will be built using low-code/no-code platforms like Copilot Studio, democratizing development across teams.
AI as a Personal Learning Partner: Aki uses AI daily—from preparing keynotes on unfamiliar topics to co-authoring books—proving that AI can be a powerful tool for continuous learning.

🧰 RESOURCES MENTIONED
👉 Microsoft Copilot Studio – Low-code platform for building AI agents: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot-studio
👉 ChatGPT Voice Mode – Used by Aki for real-time learning while driving: https://openai.com/chatgpt
👉 AI Foundry – https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/ai-foundry

OTHER RESOURCES:
👉 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7
👉 Aki Antman’s Book: From Copilot to Commander – https://www.amazon.com/Copilot-Commander-Redefining-Business-Generative-ebook/dp/B0DWNBXXBM?ref_=ast_author_dp&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LWSjdjTsrRQPKIbDc_eN1g.hGH1sKs6R

This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world.

Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge

We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.

Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!

Support the show

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/693

What happens when two Microsoft experts from different corners of Europe come together to bridge the gap between DevOps and low-code development? In this episode, Jozsef Vadkerti and Uros Kastelic share the story behind their new book, Mastering DevOps on Power Platform. From real-world enterprise challenges to the evolving role of AI and Copilot Studio, they unpack how professionals can bring rigor, governance, and agility to low-code environments—without sacrificing speed or innovation.

🔑KEY TAKEAWAYS
DevOps Meets Low-Code: The Power Platform isn’t just for citizen developers. Jozsef and Uros explain how DevOps principles—like CI/CD pipelines and ALM—can and should be applied to low-code environments for enterprise-grade scalability and governance.
A Book Born from the Field: Their book, Mastering DevOps on Power Platform, was inspired by real customer needs and gaps in understanding. It’s a hands-on, GitHub-backed guide that takes readers from foundational concepts to advanced DevSecOps practices.
Copilot Studio in the ALM Ecosystem: As Copilot Studio evolves, it’s becoming a key player in enterprise AI strategy. The duo discusses how to manage Copilot agents with the same rigor as apps and workflows—integrating governance, security, and deployment pipelines.
AI as a Daily Companion: From helping with kids’ homework to accelerating demo creation, both guests use AI tools like GitHub Copilot and Copilot Studio to streamline their personal and professional lives.
Writing a Tech Book While Parenting: Balancing full-time roles, family life, and authorship, Jozsef and Uros reflect on the discipline and clarity that writing brought to their thinking—and how it helped them better communicate complex ideas to business audiences.

🧰RESOURCES MENTIONED
👉 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-DevOps-Microsoft-Power-Platform-ebook/dp/B0D9W762VH
👉 Packt: https://www.packtpub.com/en-us/product/mastering-devops-on-microsoft-power-platform-9781835880845

This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world.

DynamicsMinds is a world-class event in Slovenia that brings together Microsoft product managers, industry leaders, and dedicated users to explore the latest in Microsoft Dynamics 365, the Power Platform, and Copilot.

Early bird tickets are on sale now and listeners of the Microsoft Innovation Podcast get 10% off with the code MIPVIP144bff
https://www.dynamicsminds.com/register/?voucher=MIPVIP144bff

Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge

We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.

Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!

Support the show

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/692

When organizations rush to adopt AI tools like Microsoft Copilot, they often overlook a critical prerequisite: a secure, well-structured data environment. In this episode, Åsne Holtklimpen—Cloud Solution Architect at Crayon and Microsoft MVP—shares how her journey from SharePoint veteran to Copilot expert revealed a hard truth: without strong information governance, AI can do more harm than good. Åsne walks us through real-world challenges, practical frameworks, and the mindset shift needed to make AI adoption safe, scalable, and truly transformative.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Security Before AI: Successful Copilot implementation starts with robust information security—classification, labeling, and governance must come first.
Start Small, Scale Smart: Åsne recommends a phased approach using Microsoft Purview, beginning with basic data classification before layering on policies and automation.
Expose the Risks: Demonstrating real data exposure—like personal identity numbers or health info—helps organizations understand the urgency of securing their environments.
AI Readiness ≠ Cloud Presence: Many companies assume they’re ready for AI because they use Teams or SharePoint, but Åsne stresses the need for deeper structural alignment.
Public Sector Pressure: Norway’s public sector faces a mandate to adopt AI by 2030, but Åsne warns that without guidance and foundational readiness, this push could backfire.

RESOURCES MENTIONED
👉 Microsoft Purview – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/information-protection/microsoft-purview
👉 Microsoft Copilot – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot
👉 Microsoft Entra – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/business/identity-access/microsoft-entra
👉 Microsoft Intune – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise-mobility-security/microsoft-intune
👉 Microsoft MVP YouTube Series - How to Become a Microsoft MVP - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0yupPbVkqdRJDPVE4PtTlm6quDhiu7

This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world.

Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge

We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.

Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!

Support the show

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

Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith