Welcome to the AI Agent & Copilot Podcast, analyzing the latest AI Copilot and agent developments from Microsoft and its partners, delving into customer use cases, and exploring how AI plus the Cloud helps customers reimagine their business.
In this episode, Eric Overfield, CIO, Microsoft RD, MVP, MCT at Creospark, discusses his session at the upcoming AI Agent & Copilot Summit with Cam Sessinger. His topic: Copilot and Your Data Boost Productivity with SharePoint Agents.
Highlights
Introduction and Overview of Overfield’s Role (01:07)
Creospark is a Microsoft-focused digital consultancy helping organizations use Microsoft tools for modern work, BizApps, AI, and data. Overfield discusses his community efforts to help others understand and use technology effectively.
Significance of the Upcoming AI Agent and Copilot Summit (02:19)
2025, Overfield believes, is the year of Copilot and AI for the mainstream. Attending the summit is an invaluable opporutnity to understand Copilot and AI better, especially for organizations with limited resources. He also discusses the need for organizations to stay competitive by using AI tools like Copilot to enhance productivity.
Session Overview and Objectives (04:28)
Overfield outlines his session, which will cover the integration of GenAI assistants into SharePoint and the use of SharePoint agents to unlock data. He explains that SharePoint agents are no-code solutions that can be easily created and used to enhance productivity. His goal is to provide practical insights on how to build and adopt SharePoint agents to leverage data stored in SharePoint sites.
AI Agent & Copilot Summit NA is an AI-first event to define opportunities, impact, and outcomes with Microsoft Copilot and agents for mid-market and enterprise companies. It takes place March 17-19 in San Diego, CA. Register now to attend.
Successful AI Implementations and Common Pitfalls (06:19)
He advises starting with small proofs of concept (POCs) to understand AI’s capabilities and avoid overambitious projects. For example, AI can be successful in terms of handling simple HR-related queries, such as finding health plan details or leave policies. Additionally, he discusses the potential for action-oriented agents that can perform tasks automatically, moving beyond just answering questions.
Challenges and Limitations of AI Implementations (09:59)
Overfield explains that AI struggles with complex problems and custom data sources without proper context. It’s critical to set up AI tools correctly and starting with simpler tasks to achieve success. He advises organizations to be iterative in their AI implementations, using agile cycles to continuously improve and adapt.
Expectations for Agent Rollouts in 2025 (12:42)
Overfield predicts that 2025 will be the year of Copilot, with many organizations adopting Copilot and SharePoint agents. He envisions organizations creating custom agents for specific use cases and integrating them with Copilot. Furthermore, he discusses the potential for agents to have conversations with each other and provide more sophisticated responses based on specialized data.
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