NEWS > December 2025
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ShareGate - AI everywhere: ESPC25 keynote recap—and the questions we still need to ask December 8, 2025 - ShareGate: The ESPC25 keynote from Jeff Teper, President of Microsoft 365 Collaborative Apps and Platforms, was packed with demos, sessions, and a very clear message: AI is driving everything Microsoft is doing in Microsoft 365. And I mean everything. In my notes, the first thing I captured was that the entire keynote was about AI and Copilot. That set the tone for the hour that followed. Based on what Jeff shared, from Copilot updates to new Teams and SharePoint agents, Microsoft has already laid out the roadmap for the next phase of AI-powered work. Let’s walk through what stood out and what I think IT leaders, IT admins, and partners really need to pay attention to. The three priorities for Microsoft 365 The keynote kicked off with Microsoft’s current priorities: 1. Security and quality Even with AI dominating Microsoft’s messaging, Jeff said that two-thirds of engineering investment still goes toward strengthening the core experience. As he put it: “The most important thing is making sure the service, the products you bet on every day, is secure, reliable, performant, accessible…” —Jeff Teper, Microsoft Collaborative Apps & Platforms President That’s good to hear. As a data security consultant for M365, I can’t stress enough that this foundation matters more now than ever. The rest of the keynote made it crystal clear that AI is the strategic focus for the foreseeable future. Let’s get into that next. The evolution of AI in the workplace: From assistants to operators There’s tension almost every organization is feeling right now. On one side, leadership is pushing for speed. On the other, employees are feeling overwhelmed. Sound familiar? “Most employees say, "We're overwhelmed. Our organizations have gotten leaner. These technologies are wonderful, but they also create a lot of information overload." And so, we feel a big responsibility for threading the needle on this, to give people tools so they work smarter, not harder, and organizations can be more effective.” —Jeff Teper, Microsoft Collaborative Apps & Platforms President Microsoft sees AI as the key to breaking through that ceiling. Not just automation, but transformation. We’re already starting to see the shift:
Right now, most organizations are sitting somewhere between phase one (AI assistants) and two (AI teammates). Microsoft 365 Copilot: Beyond adoption, into everyday work At ESPC, Microsoft dropped a big stat: Over 90% of the Fortune 500 are now using Microsoft 365 Copilot. That’s not early adoption anymore. That’s mainstream. The focus now is helping organizations move from trying Copilot to relying on it every day, across teams. Meet Work IQ: The intelligence layer enabling Copilot and agents Work IQ was one of the top reveals at Microsoft Ignite 2025—get the full scoop in our recap. During the keynote at ESPC, Microsoft explained that Work IQ is the new name for the intelligence layer behind Copilot. It’s what gives Copilot the context to not just guess, but know what you need. Work IQ connects three key capabilities:
You can learn more about Work IQ from Microsoft’s solution page.
The questions we still need to ask As much as I’m impressed with what AI can do, I also think we need to be open and honest about the other side of it. The parts that aren't being addressed. And to do that, we need to start asking a few important questions.
1. What does AI adoption really look like? Hearing that 90% of the Fortune 500 are using Copilot is impressive. But how deeply is Copilot being adopted inside those organizations? Is it actually delivering meaningful business value? The keynote didn’t say. AI adoption can’t just be “licenses deployed.” It has to be tied to real-world use cases. Meaningful AI adoption happens when employees understand where Copilot and agents help, how to validate outputs, and how to integrate them into their daily workflows. If you want safe and effective adoption of Copilot or agents, here’s a good place to start:
2. What's AI’s impact on the workforce? During the demo, one of the Microsoft presenters joked “My PA isn’t getting a holiday this week” referring to their AI-powered personal assistant working nonstop. It got a laugh, but it also made me pause. If AI is increasingly replacing tasks that people normally manage, what will happen to the people doing them? There was no acknowledgement of that—no talk about job security, regulations, or the impact on employees. These conversations matter. For large multinational companies, AI can easily become a way to reduce staff while still meeting shareholder expectations for constant growth. I’ve been in meetings with a customer who specifically wanted to use AI agents to handle support questions through their website to reduce full-time staff. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about many new features like the Channel Agent, Facilitator, and Knowledge Agent—tools that genuinely improve productivity and reduce busywork. But leaders and executives won’t feel this shift the same way as everyone else. As technical people and consultants, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the tech, but we have to look at both sides: the innovation and the impact. 3. Where does AI genuinely help? Not all AI is equal. Focus on where it actually helps. I think these AI features really shine:
4. How prepared are we for governance challenges? With the massive growth in AI agents, we can’t ignore the governance load coming our way. On the positive side, I do appreciate Microsoft’s work on governance with Agent 365. It seems like they understand the importance of admin oversight for agent usage. The interface looks clean and easy to use, which is a good step forward. Time will tell how well it scales in the real world, but it’s movement in the right direction. Remember, it’s critical to keep governance for M365 front and center. 5. Is your Microsoft 365 environment ready for real-world deployment? I have to say, the demos at ESPC25 looked fantastic—polished, fast, and intuitive. But as always, real-world environments are more complex. For organizations to truly benefit from Copilot and agents, these tools need to connect to actual, everyday use cases. That means:
These fundamentals are still the biggest determining factors for successful AI rollouts. AI momentum is accelerating. How intentional is your AI strategy? Microsoft isn’t slowing down. AI and Copilot are being pushed across the entire Microsoft 365 ecosystem. That’s exciting, but it also means organizations need to approach AI with clarity. My advice?
Closing thoughts Microsoft is pushing AI forward fast. The tools look promising, and many genuinely help. But none of it works without strong foundations and an honest look at how this all plays out for the people behind the screens. So put the groundwork in place. Govern well. Roll out with intention. Support employees so they can use these tools effectively. And remember, there’s a human side to this shift, too. ShareGate solutions are available in UK through Simple IT Distribution LTD, ShareGate Partner in the UK.
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