Alice Chambers

The rapid growth of internet of things (IoT) devices is transforming industries, from manufacturing and healthcare to energy and transportation. But as organisations connect more assets to their networks, they are also expanding their attack surface. “There are approximately 18 billion endpoints deployed today and this number will grow to greater than 40 billion in 2035,” says Martin Lowry, product manager for IoT at GlobalSign. Managing security at that scale is no small task. “Each...

Microsoft has introduced two new AI agents designed to help organisations modernise IT systems more efficiently, reducing the time, complexity and risk typically involved in digital transformation. Azure Copilot Migration Agent aims to simplify and accelerate the complex process of digital transformation, such as dealing with changing business demands and security requirements. The agent, now in public preview, embeds AI across discovery, assessment, planning and deployment. It works...

The University of Washington (UW) is expanding its long-standing relationship with Microsoft to accelerate AI research, broaden access to advanced computing power and equip students and workers for an AI-driven economy. The partnership brings together UW’s academic research expertise with Microsoft’s AI and cloud capabilities, with the goal of speeding up AI discovery, preparing the workforce for rapid technological change and helping communities understand and use AI responsibly. Faculty,...

Financial services providers are moving away from pilots and proofs of concepts towards scaled, operational deployment, according to panellists at Microsoft AI Tour London.   We are now experiencing the agentic wave of AI, according to Christian Sarafidis, financial services leader for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Microsoft. Rather than viewing AI as a bolt-on productivity tool, he framed it as a catalyst for redesigning end-to-end processes: “Start by having your own agent as an...

Alym Rayani, vice president of Microsoft Security, highlighted how AI transformation must be matched by an equally ambitious security strategy at the Microsoft AI Tour in London, UK.  The evolution from conversational copilots to autonomous agents capable of executing tasks and organising workflows is becoming increasingly evident. One of the defining features of this new wave is accessibility to AI. Rayani demonstrated how straightforward it is to create an AI agent, emphasising that “you...

Three South Wales councils are deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot to speed up internal processes, reduce paperwork and improve customer service for residents. In social care teams, the tool streamlines documentation from home visits and support decisions, cutting time spent on paperwork and letting staff focus on residents. Rhondda Cynon Taf, which has deployed Copilot to 300 staff, reports that needs assessments are completed nearly four times faster, case note reviews take less than half the...

Microsoft has successfully completed an independent, industry‑led GxP supplier audit through the Joint Audit Group, managed by Ingelheimer Kreis (IK), confirming that Azure meets the standards required to support regulated workloads in life sciences and other highly regulated industries. GxP regulations ensure quality, safety and data integrity in environments where compliance is critical. By passing this audit, Microsoft provides organisations with independent assurance that Azure’s...

Utilities are under growing pressure to modernise grid operations as load growth becomes larger, more concentrated and increasingly volatile. At Distributech 2026, Microsoft and its partner ecosystem focused on helping utilities unify IT and OT data, applying AI where it improves reliability and productivity, and embedding security and governance. “Utility leaders consistently pointed to the increasing speed of change across the grid,” said Bilal Khursheed, worldwide power and utilities...

Q-SYS is expanding its portfolio of certified for Microsoft Teams solutions with the addition of its Core 24f processor and VisionSuite VSA-100 AI accelerator, giving enterprises more options to build intelligent, high-performance meeting spaces. The VisionSuite VSA-100 is an AI accelerator that enables AI-driven room automation and intelligent camera framing, enhancing meeting equity and user experience in Microsoft Teams Rooms. Meanwhile, the Core 24f processor supports advanced audio,...

Technology providers will showcase the latest trends in robotics at the Application Park during Hannover Messe, from 20–24 April 2026 in Germany. The spotlight will be on AI-powered perception systems, autonomous mobile manipulators and humanoid robots. While these robots may not match traditional industrial robots in speed, precision or payload, they offer greater adaptability. Designed to work with existing tools, workstations and infrastructure, they can automate processes or adjust...