Explore sessions tailored to help you harness the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot at work
In today’s dynamic workplace, AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot are transforming productivity, communication, and business processes across industries. Microsoft Ignite 2024 offers a comprehensive lineup of sessions that will deepen your understanding of Microsoft 365 Copilot, from its foundational technology to advanced applications across industries. Whether you’re looking to optimize data governance, integrate Copilot into workflows, or drive user adoption, these sessions provide practical insights and strategies to unlock the full potential of AI-driven productivity for your organization.
Let’s dive into what's in store at Ignite 2024 for Microsoft 365 Copilot enthusiasts.
Microsoft 365 Copilot in the Hub (Chicago only)
Make your way to the Modern Work neighborhood for the Microsoft 365 Copilot spotlight, expert meetups, and discovery activation in the Hub. You won't want to miss the Art of Prompting - an opportunity to get hands on with Microsoft 365 Copilot and learn to prompt like a pro.
Microsoft 365 Copilot sessions
Tuesday, November 19
Microsoft Ignite Keynote
Time: 6:00 AM – 8:30 AM PST | Duration: 2 hours 30 mins | Format: Keynote session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Satya Nadella, Charlie Bell, Scott Guthrie, Rajesh Jha
Satya Nadella and Microsoft leaders share how Microsoft is creating new opportunity across our platforms in this era of AI.
In-person viewing locations:
- The Hub: Grab a seat at a table or theater and enjoy your coffee!
- Room W184 & W185: Join room hosts to watch the keynote with snacks.
- Skyline Ballroom: Get in line early to secure your spot, seating is limited. Plus, pass attendees have a dedicated line.
Build real-time collab experiences with Fluid and Copilot
Time: 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Rohan Dubal, Kashif Qureshi
Join us to learn how you can develop AI/Copilot-charged real-time collaborative experiences with Fluid Framework. Fluid Framework has been powering real-time collab in Microsoft experiences like Microsoft Loop, Teams Live Share and Power Platform. At Build, we announced Fluid Framework 2 that includes our most flexible data model called SharedTree. In this session, we will cover improvements to SharedTree and preview new Fluid AI and Presence APIs to build apps with SharePoint Embedded.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Advantages: How Does It Compare with Other AI Solutions
Time: 12:45 PM - 1:30 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Rob Howard, Seth Patton
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, it's crucial to understand the unique capabilities and advantages of different AI solutions. This session will provide a deep dive into Microsoft 365 Copilot, highlighting how it stands out from other AI offerings in the market.
Where’s the ROI? We’ve Got You
Time: 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM PST | Duration: 15 mins | Format: Theater session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speaker: Matthew Duncan
Still wondering how to prove the business value on AI? We'll walk through our research, process mapping, and value calculation and how to get to an achievable plan. Then talk through three customer cases that show impact and how IT built strong ties to the business. Be the architect, not the plumber.
Explore Technical Details and Applications of Microsoft 365 Copilot Business Chat and Copilot Pages
Time: 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Ned Friend, Maya Rodrig, Kevin Sherman
In September we introduced the concept of Web + Work + Pages. Copilot's ability to bring these components together into a single product represents the foundation of a new way of working, with Copilot at the center. In this session we'll dive deeper into the products and technology underlying this new way of working, giving you a richer understanding of its capabilities. We'll also share real world opportunities to redefine working patterns in your organizations with Business Chat and Pages at the center.
Explore Top Copilot Functional and Industry Use Cases, Prompts, and Tools
Time: 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM PST | Duration: 30 mins | Format: Theater session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Alyson Ginesta, Cynthia Johnson
Take a deep dive into how to unlock greater value with key Copilot scenarios and prompts. Whether you're focused on reinventing a specific line of business or leading in your industry, learn how to leverage the latest tools to maximize Copilot adoption.
Simplify Microsoft Teams management with Copilot
Time: 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Michael Aldridge, Prasad Gholve, Shaloo Singh
Teams admins are being asked to do more than ever - balancing the management of their organization's communication and collaboration, all while helping their employees leverage Copilot. Learn how Copilot and new reporting tools can help admins securely manage and optimize organization-wide Teams configurations. This live interactive tutorial will illustrate how Teams gives admins greater insights into their tenant health, scaling management and end user protection.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
Wednesday, November 20
Unlock the Value of Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio
Time: 6:30 AM – 7:30 AM PST | Duration: 1 hour | Format: General session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Nicole Herskowitz, Jeff Teper, Ryan Cunningham, Stephan Kerametlian, David Martin (Unilever)
Nicole Herskowitz, Jeff Teper and Ryan Cunningham will showcase the latest innovations in Microsoft 365 Copilot. Discover how new agentic capabilities are transforming productivity and reimagining business processes, tapping into your data and your line-of-business systems with Copilot Studio and Power Platform. Through demos and real-world examples, you'll see how customers are harnessing the full potential of Copilot.
Discover tools to drive Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption
Time: 7:00 AM – 7:30 AM PST | Duration: 30 mins | Format: Theater session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speaker: Jed Brown
Join this live demo for an overview of the reports, tools, and resources for measuring and driving Microsoft 365 Copilot success in your organization. Walk away empowered to uncover and assess insights that support deployment readiness and license allocation, usage, adoption, sentiment and impact.
IT Strategies for Copilot Administration
Time: 7:45 AM – 8:30 AM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Shilpi Sinha, Caroline Stanford, Tiffany Treacy
Join us to understand the essential steps to ensure your organization is ready to adopt Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot with confidence. Learn about organizational and IT readiness steps for IT admins and innovative product experiences in the Microsoft 365 admin center to make it easy. This session will cover topics around the role of cloud app discovery, enterprise data protection and more. Walk away with a comprehensive guide to optimize both your organization's AI adoption.
Code-first development workshop for Copilot agents
Time: 8:15 AM – 9:30 AM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Ayca Bas, Garry Trinder
Get hands-on experience integrating Copilot agents into Microsoft 365 and connecting them seamlessly into your Teams and Microsoft 365 Copilot workflows. We will cover everything you need to know about code-first development in Visual Studio Code, equipping you to create both custom and Copilot agents. Join this session to be a forward-thinking developer who will walk away with the ability to transform work experiences with groundbreaking agent technology.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
How Microsoft 365 Copilot Works: Foundational Technology and Recent Advancements
Time: 9:15 AM - 9:45 AM PST | Duration: 30 mins | Format: Theater session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speaker: Ned Friend
Build your understanding of how M365 Copilot works, empowering you to better launch it at your organization, support users' adoption journeys, and simply get the most out of it yourself. Join the experts as they walk through an in-depth exploration of the latest technological advancements behind the evolution of M365 Copilot and Business Chat, along with an exploration of the core technology on top of which Copilot works.
Ground Microsoft 365 Copilot in Your Business Knowledge
Time: 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Mike Bassani, Jenn Cockrell
Unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot by grounding it in more of your enterprise data with Copilot connectors. This technical session will guide you through indexing your business data and content into Copilot and Copilot agents, with strict enforcement of your data governance policies. Join us to learn how to maximize the impact of your data, make Copilot smarter for every role in your company, and scale business value.
Build scoped, secure Copilot agents in a few clicks
Time: 11:15AM – 12:30 PM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Akash Ravi, CJ Tan
Learn how to enable secure AI adoption with your users that provides you governance-friendly options to drive AI-powered productivity and collaboration. This session introduces you to Copilot agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot and SharePoint, a new way to create tailored Copilot experiences in just a few clicks. Learn how to customize Copilot agents scoped to selected data, for specific projects, teams, or for the entire organization.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
Accelerating growth with AI-first strategies for small and medium businesses
Time: 12:30 PM - 1:15 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Brenna Robinson, Elif Algedik Gezer, Riley Mcarthy (Newman’s Own)
Discover how businesses are unlocking new ROI opportunities with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Join our session to explore innovative use cases and key outcomes from AI-first businesses revealing how they use Copilot to fuel growth, drive innovation, and gain a competitive edge.
Top Tips for Optimizing Copilot with SharePoint Advanced Management
Time: 1:00 PM - 1:15 PM PST | Duration: 15 mins | Format: Theater session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speaker: Drew Madelung (Microsoft MVP | Protiviti)
Explore the most effective tips for enhancing your Microsoft 365 Copilot deployment using SharePoint Advanced Management including reporting, securing, and ongoing policies to optimize your content governance estate. We will cover some real world scenarios to go through why SharePoint Advanced Management is a great set of solutions in our Copilot world.
Empowering neurodivergent employees with Copilot
Time: 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Tara Roth, Angela Byers, Jenny Lay-Flurrie
Discover how Microsoft 365 Copilot empowers neurodivergent workers, who represent roughly 20% of today’s workforce, through demos and the latest research. Learn how you can use Copilot as powerful tool for inclusivity in your organization to level the playing field and maximize potential whether you are neurodivergent, an ally, or a people manager.
Part 1:2 Declarative Agents: Build Agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Time: 2:45 PM – 4:00 PM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Ayca Bas, Garry Trinder
In Part 1 of 2, you will use a hands-on development environment featuring Visual Studio Code to build, test, and publish declarative agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot to infuse AI-powered enhancements directly into your organization’s workflows. Get practical experience and enhance productivity with declarative agents, delving deeper into instructions, data, actions and the developer tooling. Perfect for developers eager to leverage Microsoft 365 Copilot’s extensibility and agentic capabilities.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
How to Drive User Engagement and Business Value with Microsoft 365 Copilot
Time: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Jesus Barrera Ramos, Alyson Ginesta, Cynthia Johnson
Join us to learn how to make Microsoft 365 Copilot a daily habit for your business users. In this session, we’ll uncover actionable insights based on recent case study learnings, including how to identify key functions for your Copilot rollout and tips for reaching widespread user adoption. We will also explore new tools and prompting innovations that help drive usage and unlock greater Copilot value.
See what’s new with Microsoft 365 Copilot role-based agents
Time: 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Aaron Bjork, Karan Nigam, Jason Pappas (Eaton)
Discover how Microsoft 365 Copilot agents can empower sales, service, and finance teams with purpose-built Copilot agents. This session explores how role-specific insight and workflows powered by Copilot agents can have impact on business functions. You’ll learn about the latest product innovations, see how providers are enriching customer connections, and gain practical guidance from other real-world examples on driving business success with these Copilot agents.
Thursday, November 21
Empowering IT with the latest Microsoft 365 innovation
Time: 6:30 AM – 9:15 AM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: James Bell, Jed Brown
Join us to explore the latest Microsoft 365 innovations. This session offers insights on deploying and managing new features to boost productivity and unlock new ways of working. Learn how these updates can optimize IT infrastructure, enhance performance, and improve security. Discover upcoming Copilot features for admins to streamline daily tasks. Stay ahead by understanding what’s coming to Microsoft 365 to empower your IT team and drive excellence.
Part 2:2 Custom Engine Agents-Build Agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Time: 6:30 AM – 7:45 AM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Ayca Bas, Garry Trinder
In Part 2 of 2 you will use a hands-on environment with Visual Studio Code, Azure AI Studio etc. to learn to build, test, and publish custom engine agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot enabling customizable AI enhancements directly into your organization’s workflows. This lab offers a step-by-step guide to build custom engine agents, delving deeper into language models, instructions, data, actions and the tooling. Perfect for developers wanting to add custom AI functionality to Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
Mastering Meeting Efficiency with Microsoft 365 Copilot
Time: 7:30 AM - 7:45 AM PST | Duration: 15 mins | Format: Theate session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Shari L. Oswald | Microsoft MVP and MCT | PowerUP!Learning
Discover how Microsoft 365 Copilot can streamline meeting processes with intelligent prompts and automation. Learn practical applications, tips for effective prompts, and automating meeting workflows to save time and boost productivity.
-Transform meeting management with Copilot
-Practical tips and best practices for crafting effective prompts
-Automating meeting workflows to save time and enhance collaboration
Time to enhance your productivity and meeting efficiency with Microsoft 365 Copilot!
Follow the Prompt! Tracking and Managing Copilot Prompts at Hyperscale
Time: 7:45 AM - 8:30 AM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speakers: Ben Summers, Erica Toelle
Do you know where your Copilot prompts are going? In this admin-focused, demo-filled session we’ll follow a series of prompts as they journey through the Copilot stack. Along the way we’ll stop to take closer looks at where and how prompts are processed, stored, and secured. We’ll also talk about the impact of grounding, orchestration, and extensibility– and maybe add a surprise along the way. You’ll leave with new information and resources that elevate your Copilot management expertise!
Boost productivity with Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps
Time: 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speaker: Howard Crow, Derek Snyder
Discover how Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps like Word, PowerPoint, Planner, and Outlook can help you manage projects, improve communication, and create work-specific content. Whether working solo or in teams, Copilot transforms how you work.
Discover a New Way of Working with Microsoft 365 Copilot + Pages at the Center
Time: 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM PST | Duration: 30 mins | Format: Theater session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speaker: Manon Knoertzer
Experience a new way of working with an in-depth demo of M365 Copilot Pages and BizChat. See how these tools can transform your workflows by placing Copilot at the center of your daily tasks. This session will showcase practical applications and innovative features that enhance productivity and collaboration.
What’s new in Microsoft 365 Copilot in YOUR tenant?
Time: 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM PST | Duration: 15 mins | Format: Theater session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speaker: Michael Blumenthal (Microsoft MVP | NORC)
Learn how to track what's new in Copilot and all the other changes coming to *your* tenant. Meet Message Center in the M365 Admin Center and learn how to turn Message Center triage into a team sport using Planner.
Community Roundtable: Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption tips, tricks, and resources
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PST | Duration: 1 hour | Format: Community Table session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Facilitators: Allie Thompson, Gabe Ho, Cynthia Johnson, Jessie Hwang, Alyson Ginesta, Jesus Barrera Ramos
Join us for an engaging community table conversation where we will explore the best practices for driving Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption. Whether you're a beginner or looking to enhance your existing knowledge, this discussion will provide actionable insights and foster a collaborative environment for sharing experiences and strategies. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from peers and experts alike!
Build scoped, secure Copilot agents in a few clicks
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Akash Ravi, CJ Tan
Learn how to enable secure AI adoption with your users that provides you governance-friendly options to drive AI-powered productivity and collaboration. This session introduces you to Copilot agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot and SharePoint, a new way to create tailored Copilot experiences in just a few clicks. Learn how to customize Copilot agents scoped to selected data, for specific projects, teams, or for the entire organization.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
Copilot in Excel: transforming data analysis
Time: 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago + Online (recorded)
Speaker: Carlos Otero, Avani Reddy, Tejas Varia (KPMG US Tax Services London)
Businesses rely on Excel to manage their data and make decisions. In this session, we will explore how the latest product innovation, including Copilot in Excel with Python, will help you gain deep insights and make data-driven decisions.
Friday, November 22
Prepare Your Data for Microsoft Copilot with New Tools
Time: 7:00 AM - 7:45 AM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago only (recorded)
Speakers: David Minasyan, Alex Pozin, Erica Toelle
Do you have concerns about oversharing? Discover how well-managed data can unlock the full potential of generative AI while supporting your security and compliance needs. Our experts will share the latest admin capabilities in Copilot, SharePoint Advanced Management (SAM), and Microsoft Purview that can help you more effectively manage permissions, enhance security, and implement robust content governance practices.
Reimagining employee experience with AI and agents
Time: 7:00 AM - 7:45 AM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago only (recorded)
Speakers: Christopher Fernandez, Kirk Gregersen, Lucy Hitz, Sunita Khatri, Karyl Singh
In the era of AI, agent evolution is poised to radically transform the future workforce experience. In this session, we’ll debut the latest purpose-built employee agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot designed to enhance employee experience and boost IT and HR back-office productivity. Also discover how Microsoft Viva is equipping organizations to accelerate their journey towards an AI-driven workforce, with powerful insights, employee communications tools and skills-based learning.
Simplify Microsoft Teams management with Copilot
Time: 7:00 AM - 8:15 AM PST | Duration: 1 hour 15 mins | Format: Lab session | Location: Chicago only (not recorded)
Speakers: Michael Aldridge, Prasad Gholve, Shaloo Singh
Teams admins are being asked to do more than ever - balancing the management of their organization's communication and collaboration, all while helping their employees leverage Copilot. Learn how Copilot and new reporting tools can help admins securely manage and optimize organization-wide Teams configurations. This live interactive tutorial will illustrate how Teams gives admins greater insights into their tenant health, scaling management and end user protection.
Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to those in standby.
The Spectrum of Agents with Copilot Studio
Time: 8:15 AM - 9:00 AM PST | Duration: 45 mins | Format: Breakout session | Location: Chicago only (recorded)
Speakers: Thomas Abel, Jack Rowbotham, Jonathan Beck (Wells Fargo)
Agents come in all shapes and sizes. In this session, learn how agents built with Microsoft Copilot Studio can be designed for your unique and diverse business processes. We will cover agents built to extend Microsoft 365 Copilot, all the way to agents operating autonomously behind the scenes.
On-demand sessions
A new AI-powered calendar for a flexible workplace
Format: Pre-recorded, online only
Speakers: Mark Grimaldi, Vani Soff
Reimagine how and where you work with Microsoft 365 Copilot, Teams, Outlook, and Places. Discover how our latest innovations come together to increase coordination, enhance collaboration, and optimize spaces in the workplace of the future. Learn how to seamlessly manage your schedule to maximize connections by ensuring you are in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, and how to make every one of those connections as collaborative and inclusive as possible.
AI for the Public Sector with Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC
Format: Pre-recorded, online only
Speakers: Ashok Ghosh, Dan Narlock
Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC is coming to US Public Sector customers in the GCC (Government Community Cloud) environment. Come explore how Copilot will support public sector leaders and strategists as the next-generation tool for mission success. This session will focus on the role of AI in Public sector, product details, public sector use cases, responsible AI practices and data privacy, and next steps to prepare your public sector agency for mission success with Microsoft 365 Copilot GCC.
Measure AI adoption and value with Copilot Dashboard
Format: Pre-recorded, online only
Speakers: Florine Segers, Abel Tadesse
As organizations increasingly adopt AI-driven tools, understanding their impact and optimizing their usage becomes crucial. Discover how to use the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard to improve adoption and impact across your organization. Dive deeper with advanced reporting in Viva Insights to create custom reports, analyze trends, and measure business outcomes associated with Copilot usage. This session is designed for analysts and leaders who want to maximize the value of their Copilot investment.
Microsoft 365 Copilot: a power-user masterclass
Format: Pre-recorded, online only
Speaker: Michael Heyns
Join us for an insider's guide to maximizing your use of Copilot within Microsoft 365 apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and more. In this session, Microsoft employees will share common scenarios in which they use Copilot in their daily work, along with best practices. Discover how to leverage Copilot to enhance productivity and streamline your workflow. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how Copilot can be your daily work assistant.
These Microsoft Ignite 2024 session provide invaluable knowledge and insights on how to harness the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot. From foundational technology and data governance to advanced prompts and real-world use cases, you’ll leave equipped with practical strategies to enhance productivity, optimize workflows, and ensure secure, compliant AI adoption across your organization. If you want to explore the rest of the content, be sure to review the full list of Ignite sessions and fill up your schedule.
Stay connected with the Microsoft 365 Copilot Community
As you engage with these sessions, remember to continue the conversation within our Microsoft 365 Copilot Discussion Forum. Share your insights, ask questions, and connect with other professionals exploring Microsoft 365 Copilot’s potential. Our community is here to support you every step of the way—before, during, and after Ignite.
Stay connected on social media to keep up with the latest Ignite highlights and updates from our community. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @MSTCommunity and join the conversation on LinkedIn with Microsoft Community.
We’re excited to learn, connect, and build a smarter, more productive future with Microsoft 365 Copilot—together. See you at Microsoft Ignite 2024!
Community Manager
