Stop Writing Promotional Emails. Build an AI Agent That Does It For You.
Hi everyone 👋 A few weeks ago, I started thinking about how much time businesses still spend writing repetitive promotional emails manually every month. The process is usually the same: review customer purchase history check active discounts write personalized emails send them one by one So I decided to build a simple AI-powered workflow that could automate the entire process. For Edition #003 of my newsletter, I created an AI agent that: ✅ reads customer purchase data ✅ matches category-based discounts ✅ generates personalized promotional emails using AI ✅ sends emails automatically What I enjoyed most while building this project was seeing how even small personalization details can completely change the customer experience. Instead of sending generic promotions, the workflow creates emails tailored to each customer’s purchases and interests. In this edition, I shared: the real-world use case the complete workflow approach implementation screenshots sample datasets GitHub project files practical automation tips 📌 View the newsletter If you enjoy building practical AI automations or exploring real-world AI agent ideas, I think you’ll enjoy this edition. I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts and learn how others are approaching AI-driven automation in their own projects 🙌AI Prompts Library: A Guide for Nonprofits to Get Started with Power Automate
Nonprofits are increasingly leveraging technology to enhance their operations and better serve their communities. One powerful tool that can help nonprofits streamline their workflows and improve efficiency is Power Automate, a service that automates tasks between apps and services. By integrating AI prompts into Power Automate, nonprofits can take their automation to the next level. In this blog, we'll explore how nonprofits can get started with AI prompts in Power Automate. Understanding AI Prompts AI prompts are predefined instructions that guide AI models to generate specific outputs. These prompts can be used to automate content creation, analyze sentiment, and perform various other tasks. For nonprofits, AI prompts can help in automating repetitive tasks, improving communication, and enhancing data analysis. Benefits of AI Prompts for Nonprofits Automate Feedback Analysis: AI prompts can automatically analyze feedback from various sources and categorize it based on sentiment. This helps nonprofits understand the emotions and opinions of their supporters, volunteers, and beneficiaries. Improve Response Times: By quickly identifying negative sentiments, nonprofits can respond promptly to address concerns and improve engagement. Enhance Communication: Tailor communication strategies based on the sentiments of the audience, ensuring more effective and personalized interactions. Streamline Data Collection: Collect and analyze sentiment data without manual intervention, saving time and resources. Getting Started with AI Prompts Library Sign into Power Automate: Visit power automate website by clicking on this link: https://make.powerautomate.com/ Navigate to the menu and select AI Prompts. If this option is not visible, click on More and then select AI Prompts. Select a template from the available options. To explore additional templates, click on See All Templates. Select a template from the available options. For this example, we will utilize the Sentiment Analysis of Text template. Feel free to customize the prompt, save and test it to ensure you receive the desired response from the AI. To input values, click on the input icon located on the far right. Refer to the image below for guidance. Conclusion Integrating AI prompts into Power Automate can be a game-changer for nonprofits, allowing them to automate workflows, improve communication, and enhance data analysis. By following these steps, nonprofits can get started with AI prompts and leverage the power of automation to better serve their communities. To integrate a prompt in power automate, follow this article from Microsoft Learn: Use your prompt in Power Automate | Microsoft Learn. Additional Resources Use your prompt in Power Automate | Microsoft Learn Get started with prompt library | Microsoft LearnModernizing Legacy Applications in your Nonprofit
In this blog, we’ll explore how nonprofits can modernize their existing applications to enhance security without starting from scratch. By leveraging Microsoft Azure’s powerful tools, organizations can strengthen their defenses, improve performance, and ensure their applications remain secure and scalable for the future. Securing Legacy Applications Without Rebuilding from Scratch For many nonprofits, starting over isn’t an option—they need to secure and modernize the applications they already have. Fortunately, Microsoft Azure provides solutions that help organizations enhance security without requiring a complete rebuild: ✅ Containerization with Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) – Nonprofits can containerize legacy applications and host them in a secure, scalable environment, reducing vulnerabilities without rewriting the entire application. This approach helps keep security updates and compliance requirements in check while maintaining the existing software functionality. ✅ Incremental Modernization with Cloud-Native Services – Instead of a full-scale rebuild, nonprofits can gradually modernize their applications by integrating cloud-native services. This could involve migrating databases to Azure SQL, implementing API-driven architectures, or introducing automation through Azure Logic Apps. This phased approach enhances security, improves performance, and allows for future scalability without disrupting core operations. ✅ Azure SQL Database – Helps nonprofits move from outdated, on-premises databases to a fully managed cloud database, reducing maintenance efforts while improving security, performance, and compliance. ✅ Azure API Management – Allows organizations to connect legacy systems with modern cloud-based services by securely exposing APIs, enabling seamless integration and extended functionality. Understanding Your Options When considering the modernization of legacy applications, there are several strategies that organizations can adopt, each with its own benefits and considerations: Rehost (Lift-and-Shift) This strategy is all about speed and simplicity. It involves moving applications from their current environment to a new one with minimal or no changes to the code. This allows organizations to quickly transition to the cloud without altering the core functionality of their applications. Replatform Replatforming sits between rehosting and refactoring. It requires making some code changes so that applications can take advantage of cloud technologies. This approach allows organizations to benefit from cloud capabilities without needing a complete overhaul of their applications. Refactor (or Repackage) Refactoring focuses on enhancing productivity and speed by making minimal code changes. This strategy ensures that applications can connect easily to a cloud-first environment, optimizing their performance and scalability. Rearchitect For organizations that need enhanced cloud scalability, rearchitecting is the way to go. This approach involves modifying and extending the application's functionality and code to better utilize cloud resources, ensuring improved performance and scalability. Rebuild (or Rewrite) When existing applications have limited functionality or lifespan, rebuilding them using cloud solutions might be necessary. Although this approach requires significant effort, it provides a fresh start with modern capabilities and extended lifespans. Replace If an application no longer meets current or future business needs, even after rebuilding, replacing it with a ready-made solution may be the best option. This approach can be quicker than rebuilding and allows organizations to focus on other priorities. However, it may also pose challenges such as business process interruptions and limitations on future modernization efforts. Nonprofit Considerations Wrapping up, we agree that nonprofits rely on technology to drive their missions, but outdated applications can pose serious security risks. We've covered how organizations don’t have to start from scratch to modernize and secure their systems. By leveraging Microsoft Azure’s powerful tools—like containerization, cloud-native services, and secure database management—nonprofits can enhance security, improve performance, and ensure long-term scalability. Here is one thing to consider: Nonprofits may not have the technical team to assist with these processes, but understanding these strategies is crucial. This knowledge can empower them in conversations with development partners, ensuring they are fully aware and engaged throughout the modernization journey. By being informed, nonprofits can make better decisions, ask the right questions, and collaborate effectively with their partners to achieve their modernization goals. Modernization isn’t just about keeping up with technology; it’s about protecting the trust nonprofits have built with their donors, volunteers, and communities. Whether it’s securing legacy applications or embedding security into new software development through the Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC), taking proactive steps today ensures a more resilient and secure future. On the contrary, for nonprofits that do want to start over from scratch with building new applications, integrating security from the start is essential. Learn more about how SSDLC can strengthen your organization’s software security here: Building Secure Software from the Ground Up: Why It Matters for Nonprofits | Microsoft Community Hub Want to explore nonprofit application modernization further? Check out this guide: What is Application Modernization? | Microsoft Azure.Empower Your Nonprofit with AI: A Beginner’s Guide to Teaching AI Skills
That’s where AI Skills for Educators comes in—a free resource designed to help educators (including nonprofit leaders, trainers, and community advocates) introduce AI concepts to their audience. Why Should Nonprofits Teach AI? Nonprofits thrive on impact. By integrating AI education into your programs, you can: ✅ Expand career opportunities for your community members. ✅ Boost digital literacy and future-proof skills. ✅ Enhance nonprofit operations by leveraging AI for efficiency. Whether you're running workforce development programs, youth education initiatives, or volunteer training, AI skills can add immense value. What Is AI Skills for Educators? Microsoft’s AI Skills for Educators is a free training hub that provides lesson plans, resources, and interactive learning materials to help you teach AI—even if you’re not an AI expert. Key Features: 🎓 AI Basics – Understand and teach foundational AI concepts. 📖 Pre-made Lesson Plans – Save time with structured AI courses. 🖥️ Hands-on Exercises – Engage learners with real-world AI scenarios. 🎤 Presentation Materials – Ready-to-use slides and guides for training. How Can Your Nonprofit Use These Resources? Here are some ways your nonprofit can start teaching AI today: 1. AI Workshops for Your Community Use the free lesson plans to host in-person or virtual AI workshops. Whether it's a basic AI introduction for job seekers or advanced concepts for tech learners, these resources provide an easy starting point. 2. AI Training for Volunteers & Staff Empower your internal team with AI knowledge! Whether it's automating administrative tasks or enhancing outreach, an AI-skilled team can work smarter. 3. Partner with Schools & Libraries Collaborate with educators, libraries, and youth programs to introduce AI concepts to students and underrepresented communities. AI education shouldn't be limited to tech companies—your nonprofit can bridge the gap. 4. Digital Equity & Inclusion Programs If your nonprofit focuses on closing the digital divide, these resources can help you teach AI literacy in underserved communities, giving more people access to future job opportunities. Getting Started Is Easy! ✅ Step 1: Visit aka.ms/AISkillsForEducators. ✅ Step 2: Explore the lesson plans and materials. ✅ Step 3: Adapt the content to fit your nonprofit’s mission. ✅ Step 4: Start teaching AI in your community! By integrating AI education into your nonprofit, you're not just teaching technology—you’re shaping futures. 💡 Is your nonprofit ready to empower communities with AI? Visit aka.ms/AISkillsForEducators and start making an impact today!Embracing Responsible AI: A Comprehensive Guide and Call to Action
In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the need for responsible AI practices has never been more critical. From healthcare to finance, AI systems influence decisions affecting millions of people. As developers, organizations, and users, we are responsible for ensuring that these technologies are designed, deployed, and evaluated ethically. This blog will delve into the principles of responsible AI, the importance of assessing generative AI applications, and provide a call to action to engage with the Microsoft Learn Module on responsible AI evaluations. What is Responsible AI? Responsible AI encompasses a set of principles and practices aimed at ensuring that AI technologies are developed and used in ways that are ethical, fair, and accountable. Here are the core principles that define responsible AI: Fairness AI systems must be designed to avoid bias and discrimination. This means ensuring that the data used to train these systems is representative and that the algorithms do not favor one group over another. Fairness is crucial in applications like hiring, lending, and law enforcement, where biased AI can lead to significant societal harm. Transparency Transparency involves making AI systems understandable to users and stakeholders. This includes providing clear explanations of how AI models make decisions and what data they use. Transparency builds trust and allows users to challenge or question AI decisions when necessary. Accountability Developers and organizations must be held accountable for the outcomes of their AI systems. This includes establishing clear lines of responsibility for AI decisions and ensuring that there are mechanisms in place to address any negative consequences that arise from AI use. Privacy AI systems often rely on vast amounts of data, raising concerns about user privacy. Responsible AI practices involve implementing robust data protection measures, ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR, and being transparent about how user data is collected, stored, and used. The Importance of Evaluating Generative AI Applications Generative AI, which includes technologies that can create text, images, music, and more, presents unique challenges and opportunities. Evaluating these applications is essential for several reasons: Quality Assessment Evaluating the output quality of generative AI applications is crucial to ensure that they meet user expectations and ethical standards. Poor-quality outputs can lead to misinformation, misrepresentation, and a loss of trust in AI technologies. Custom Evaluators Learning to create and use custom evaluators allows developers to tailor assessments to specific applications and contexts. This flexibility is vital in ensuring that the evaluation process aligns with the intended use of the AI system. Synthetic Datasets Generative AI can be used to create synthetic datasets, which can help in training AI models while addressing privacy concerns and data scarcity. Evaluating these synthetic datasets is essential to ensure they are representative and do not introduce bias. Call to Action: Engage with the Microsoft Learn Module To deepen your understanding of responsible AI and enhance your skills in evaluating generative AI applications, I encourage you to explore the Microsoft Learn Module available at this link. What You Will Learn: Concepts and Methodologies: The module covers essential frameworks for evaluating generative AI, including best practices and methodologies that can be applied across various domains. Hands-On Exercises: Engage in practical, code-first exercises that simulate real-world scenarios. These exercises will help you apply the concepts learned tangibly, reinforcing your understanding. Prerequisites: An Azure subscription (you can create one for free). Basic familiarity with Azure and Python programming. Tools like Docker and Visual Studio Code for local development. Why This Matters By participating in this module, you are not just enhancing your skills; you are contributing to a broader movement towards responsible AI. As AI technologies continue to evolve, the demand for professionals who understand and prioritize ethical considerations will only grow. Your engagement in this learning journey can help shape the future of AI, ensuring it serves humanity positively and equitably. Conclusion As we navigate the complexities of AI technology, we must prioritize responsible AI practices. By engaging with educational resources like the Microsoft Learn Module on responsible AI evaluations, we can equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to create AI systems that are not only innovative but also ethical and responsible. Join the movement towards responsible AI today! Take the first step by exploring the Microsoft Learn Module and become an advocate for ethical AI practices in your community and beyond. Together, we can ensure that AI serves as a force for good in our society. References Evaluate generative AI applications https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/evaluate-generative-ai-apps/?wt.mc_id=studentamb_263805 Azure Subscription for Students https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/students/?wt.mc_id=studentamb_263805 Visual Studio Code https://code.visualstudio.com/?wt.mc_id=studentamb_263805YouTubeGPT: A Deep Dive Into Building and Running It
Struggling to keep up with endless YouTube videos or looking for quick insights from trending content? YouTubeGPT is here to save the day! This cutting-edge AI tool, powered by GPT technology, lets you summarize, analyze, and engage with YouTube data like never before. Whether you're a content creator or a data enthusiast, our step-by-step guide will help you unlock its full potential. Dive into the future of video content management with YouTubeGPT!Transforming Nonprofit Operations with Microsoft AI Builder
With AI Builder, you can automate repetitive tasks, analyze data to get valuable insights, and even make predictions. The best part is that you don't need to be an expert in AI or programming to use it. AI Builder provides pre-built templates that you can customize to fit your specific needs. By utilizing AI Builder, nonprofits can enhance their efficiency, make data-driven decisions, and drive social impact with innovative AI solutions.Revolutionizing Road Safety: Power Platform AI-Powered Vehicle Identification & Verification System
Explore our groundbreaking project leveraging AI Builder and Microsoft technologies for vehicle and driver identification. Enhance road safety, prevent theft, and streamline verification processes with our innovative system. Join us in exploring the potential of AI in traffic management.How to submit your projects on GitHub
Not sure what GitHub is or how to use it? Not sure how to package up your Power Platform samples and get them ready to share? Don't worry - this session doesn't assume any pre-existing knowledge. We will walk you through all of the basics that you need to know to get started with GitHub and the Power Platform tooling needed so you can leverage it to submit your contributions. By the end of this session you will have created your contribution in GitHub and be empowered to continue your contribution journey.Wrap up and take action: Join our community for the next Big Thing!
We're at the end of the Power Platform AI Global Hack but the journey doesn't end here! Stephen Siciliano, VP of Power Automate will join us to share a few closing remarks about AI in the Power Platform and he'll be doing a live Q&A. So, make sure to come prepared with all of your questions!
