Dynamics 365, Power Platform & Copilot Studio Get AI Makeover

Microsoft will unveil a suite of AI innovations for Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Copilot Studio at its upcoming Business Applications Launch event. The live event, set for October 23, promises a first look at how Microsoft is weaving generative AI deeper into its enterprise tools.

Here’s a preview of what’s coming your way:

• Dynamics 365 Sales

  Discover how the enhanced Sales Qualification Agent autonomously researches and engages with leads — helping sales teams identify real purchase intent faster.

• Dynamics 365 Customer Service

  See how the latest release helps agents understand customer needs better and deliver solutions quickly, efficiently, and with a human touch.

• Dynamics 365 Contact Center

  Explore new agentic and Copilot capabilities for smarter case handling, knowledge management, and AI-powered routing.

• Power Platform

  Experience major AI and collaboration upgrades across Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power Pages — making innovation faster and easier.

• Copilot Studio

  Learn how autonomous agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot are redefining what’s possible for creators and developers.

Boost productivity with AI-powered solutions in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps. Discover Infinity AI Agents and get in touch today!

Microsoft Launches .NET Security Group to Streamline Patch Deployment

Microsoft has formally launched a public .NET Security Group, expanding a previously invite-only alliance to let more organizations ship timely security fixes in step with Microsoft. The initiative aims to reduce the lag between public vulnerability disclosures and available patches across various .NET distributions.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Early CVE Access
  Members will get advance visibility into vulnerabilities affecting .NET — helping you stay ahead.

• Shared Patch Timelines
  Not just insight, but influence: coordinate with Microsoft and .NET distributions on when patches roll out.

• Community + Microsoft, United
  This isn’t just a “watch from afar” program. It’s a collaborative space to help shape the security future of .NET.

• What to Expect When You Apply
  Applicants can expect a vetting process focused on trust and responsible disclosure. Once accepted, members will receive clear communication on expectations, guidelines, and how to securely collaborate on .NET security issues.

Take your security to the next level with Secret Vault. Explore the solution and connect with our team today.

Customers to Shape Future of Data Connectors in Power BI and Microsoft Fabric

Microsoft is overhauling its data connectivity strategy for Power BI and Microsoft Fabric, giving customers the reins to propose, vote on, and prioritize new connectors. This marks a shift toward a more open, community-driven approach to shaping the platform’s future.

Here’s what you need to know:

• What’s changing?

  Microsoft is moving toward an agile, scalable, and community-driven model that empowers you to influence which connectors are built next.

• Introducing Fabric Ideas

  Fabric Ideas is a new way to request and vote for connectors — your input will directly shape which data sources and destinations Microsoft builds next.

• What to keep in mind:

  Microsoft will continue leading new connector development while keeping support for custom and existing certified connectors.

Unlock smarter insights for your organisation with Business Intelligence. Get in touch today.

Microsoft Launches AI Agent Activity Feed in Dynamics 365 Customer Service

Microsoft is rolling out a new AI agent activity feed for its Dynamics 365 Customer Service suite, enabling supervisors to monitor and intervene in real time. With its latest preview release, Microsoft seeks to bring greater transparency and control to AI-driven customer support by letting supervisors track every action undertaken by AI agents.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Why it matters

  Adopt AI responsibly by ensuring it aligns with your organization’s values, compliance standards, and customer trust goals—maintaining operational transparency every step of the way.

• What’s included

  The first release of the Agent Activity Feed offers:

  • Inbox-style interface for AI supervisors to track each agent’s actions in one streamlined view

  • Activity sharing with up to 250 users for broader team visibility

  • Monitoring capabilities for both case management agents and custom Copilot Studio–based agents

  • Filtering options by agent name and status

  • Detailed agent run view featuring step summaries, activity maps, and direct links to related Dataverse records

• How to set it up

  Enable the feature from the Copilot Service admin center or Power Platform maker center—you’ll just need a Customer Service Enterprise license, MCS message packs, and at least one AI agent with supervisor access.

Discover how CRM can drive your business forward. Let’s talk today.

Reviewing AI-Generated Code Is Now a Key Skill for .NET Developers

As AI tools become more common in .NET development, Microsoft emphasizes the growing importance of human oversight. In its latest blog post, the company outlines practical guidance for developers to effectively review AI-generated code—ensuring it remains reliable, maintainable, and aligned with project standards.

Here are the key areas you need to review:

• API Design & Interface Architecture

  Avoid unnecessary abstraction layers, ensure consistent naming conventions, verify API visibility (public vs internal), and confirm builder extensions follow established conventions.

• Testing & Testability

  Aim for full coverage of new public methods, prefer snapshot testing over generic assertions, check for overly specific test values, and prevent unwanted changes to existing tests.

• File Organization & Architecture

  Watch for accidental changes in auto-generated files, confirm code fits within the right architectural context, and keep new classes and interfaces properly organized.

• Error Handling & Edge Cases

  Apply consistent null-checking, use appropriate exception types and handling strategies, and thoroughly test for edge cases and defensive programming scenarios.

• Configuration & Resource Management

  Review resource creation, configuration, and cleanup; ensure adherence to established callbacks and configuration patterns; and confirm consistent behavior across contexts.

• Code Quality & Standards

  Provide full XML documentation for public APIs, maintain clean formatting and style, and assess performance implications of AI-generated designs.

Empower your Dynamics 365 and Power Platform with AI. Learn about Infinity AI Agents and contact us today.

Microsoft Unveils Hidden Cloud Savings in Visual Studio Dev/Test Benefits

Microsoft is shedding light on the Visual Studio Dev/Test benefit—a powerful yet often overlooked advantage for subscribers. This benefit provides discounted Azure rates for development and testing environments, helping teams experiment, build, and innovate without the heavy cost of production pricing. It’s designed to make cloud development more accessible and budget-friendly for every developer.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Cost Savings

  Run Windows and SQL Server VMs in Azure at the same base rates as Linux VMs. Microsoft licensing costs are waived for development and testing — you only pay for compute while it’s running. Perfect for use cases like accounting integration, API modernization, mobile development, and quality assurance.

• Simplified Cloud Provisioning

  Easily replicate your entire production environment in Azure using Dev/Test rates. No licensing complexities, no approval bottlenecks — just straightforward provisioning and clear cost transparency.

• Why Developers Love It

  Developers enjoy the freedom to quickly prototype, test, and validate ideas in environments that mirror production — without the production-level costs.

• How to Get Started

  Access Azure Dev/Test pricing through your Visual Studio subscription via Enterprise Dev/Test, Pay-As-You-Go Dev/Test, or the Azure Plan for Dev/Test.

See the impact of cloud transformation in action—explore our Fiji Higher Education case study and let’s talk about what’s next for your organisation.

Power BI Service Now Supports AI-Ready Data Preparation

Microsoft is rolling out a new capability that lets users prepare their data for AI directly within the Power BI Service, eliminating the need to switch to Power BI Desktop. This update brings AI-prep tools — such as Copilot schema setup and Verified Answers — into the web service, making semantic models more seamless to ready for AI workflows.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Why use it?

  Easily keep your semantic models Copilot-ready, with support for additional model types like Direct Lake models and more.

• What’s included?

  You can now configure your semantic models for AI by selecting a Copilot schema, setting up verified answers, and adding AI instructions — all in one place.

• What to do next?

  Make sure to update your model settings so users in your organization can start using Copilot with confidence. If you currently only see Verified answers, don’t worry — the full capabilities are still rolling out globally and should appear soon.

• Where to find it?

  In Power BI Service, open the semantic model you want to prepare, then select Prep data for AI in the ribbon.

Ready to see what more Power BI can do for your business? Explore the power of Business Intelligence and get in touch with us today!

Power BI to Remove Metric Sets, Prompting Migration Plans

Microsoft will begin phasing out its Metric Sets feature in Power BI starting October 25, 2025, signaling a shift away from the longstanding metrics framework. The full retirement is scheduled for November 15, when Metric Sets will no longer be accessible in Power BI Service or Desktop

Here are some recommended alternatives:

• Use your existing datasets and measures

  Since Metric Sets are built from measures in your dataset, you can continue to use those measures directly in your reports and dashboards.

• Adopt certified or shared datasets

  Centralize your business metrics by using certified or shared datasets as your trusted source of data.

• Switch to Power BI Scorecards

  Power BI Scorecards remain an excellent way to track key metrics, monitor goals, and visualize performance trends over time.

• Watch for new metrics capabilities

  Microsoft is introducing enhanced experiences—like Copilot-powered artifact discovery—to make it even easier to locate and work with your data in Power BI.

Discover how Power BI drives smarter decisions — explore our Sport Wellington case study and get in touch with us today.

Visual Studio’s October AI Roadmap Promises Smarter Coding Tools

Microsoft today published its October roadmap, revealing plans to more deeply integrate AI agents and Copilot features across Visual Studio’s core workflows. The update teases enhancements in performance, governance, model support, and agent modes — setting the stage for a more seamless AI-assisted development experience.

Here’s what they are focusing on:

• Remote Agents

  Remote agents like GitHub Copilot Coding Agent are being integrated natively into Visual Studio for a seamless, in-platform experience.

• New Agent Modes

  Switching between built-in and extension-provided modes will soon be more intuitive—supporting even more complex workflows.

• Agent Mode & Chat

  Major upgrades are coming to agent mode and chat planning tools, making collaboration and task management smarter than ever.

• Performance Enhancements

  Performance remains a top priority—expect faster startup times, optimized token usage, and improved code search performance.

• Model Context Protocol (MCP)

  Microsoft is working toward full MCP spec support, improving UX and governance controls to bring your entire dev stack securely into Visual Studio.

• AI Models

  Get access to the latest, rigorously tested AI models—ensuring the best coding experience right inside Visual Studio.

Ready to bring AI to your Dynamics 365 and Power Apps? Explore Infinity AI Agents and contact us today.

Microsoft Highlights Untapped Value in Visual Studio Subscriptions

Microsoft is shining a spotlight on the hidden value inside Visual Studio subscriptions. From cloud credits to essential software and training resources, many developers aren’t fully leveraging what’s already included in their plan. A new update from Microsoft aims to raise awareness and help subscribers unlock these benefits.

Here’s what you have been missing out:

• Azure credits

  Professional subscriptions may include $50 monthly in Azure credits, while Enterprise subscriptions can provide up to $1,800 annually.

• Downloads section

  Formerly known as MSDN, this section gives you access to Windows Server, SQL Server Developer Edition, Office Professional Plus, and dozens of other Microsoft products for development and testing.

• Licenses & discounts

  Visual Studio Enterprise subscribers often get 12 months of Pluralsight access, plus Azure Dev/Test discounts—making it easier to set up affordable test environments that mirror production.

• Why it matters

  Your subscription is more than just an IDE. It’s a gateway to learning new skills, experimenting with prototypes using Azure credits, and testing enterprise scenarios with included software. Don’t leave these benefits on the table!

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