Seoul AI Hub & Microsoft MVPs Empower Citizens with AI Skills — No Coding Required
Seoul AI Hub, an AI-specialized support organization under the Seoul Metropolitan Government, is dedicated to fostering the city’s AI industry ecosystem through talent development, startup incubation, and public education. In partnership with Microsoft MVPs, the hub is making AI accessible to all through the AI Frontiers Series — blending expert talks with hands-on workshops. “AI is no longer just for experts; it’s a tool for everyone,” says Chan-jin Park, Director of Seoul AI Hub. The collaboration between Seoul AI Hub and Microsoft MVPs demonstrates the transformative power of community-led expertise. MVPs such as Jaeseok Lee, Heo seok, Haesun Park, and Minseok Song brought their technical leadership to the forefront — integrating advanced AI concepts with practical skills that citizens could immediately use. From explaining multi-agent architectures to building custom Copilot solutions, their sessions showed how complex AI tools can be democratized for non-developers. Beyond teaching, these MVPs are active contributors to the global AI ecosystem. Minseok Song maintains the Co-op Translator open-source project, integrating AI-based translation workflows into real-world scenarios. Jaeseok Lee leads Korea’s Power Platform User Group, connecting business users and developers to collaborate on Copilot Studio innovations. This kind of community-driven leadership extends the impact of Microsoft technologies far beyond corporate settings. These events also reflect how the MVP community is growing more diverse in expertise and audience reach. Participants came from varied backgrounds — students, entrepreneurs, office workers, and hobbyists — all united by a desire to understand and use AI meaningfully. For many attendees, this was their first encounter with building AI agents, and the supportive environment encouraged experimentation and collaboration. MVPs not only shared technical knowledge but also their own journeys: how they discovered Microsoft AI, grew into community leaders, and applied their skills to solve local and global challenges. Such stories inspire the next generation of community builders and potential MVPs. AI Frontiers Series Summer Sessions Recent events at the Seoul AI Hub where MVP participated included: July 22 featured a deep-dive seminar on “Open AI Technologies for Survival in the AI Frontier Era,” covering multi-agent strategies, LLM and multimodal trends, and real-world open-source AI applications. Aug 12 brought the AI Agent Bootcamp for Non-Developers, where 80 registered citizens learned to create Copilot agents without code. Participants explored integrating AI agents into Microsoft Teams and M365, building document-driven assistants, and deploying multi-channel solutions. “Copilot Studio allows anyone to build their own ChatGPT-like agent. The key is not just creating one agent, but learning how to design multiple agents that work together to solve real problems,” said Jaeseok Lee, Microsoft Copilot Studio MVP. These back-to-back sessions show what’s possible when technical expertise, open-source spirit, and a commitment to public education come together. The impact extends beyond the events themselves — sparking curiosity, building confidence, and equipping citizens to harness AI in ways that are relevant to their lives and work The AI Frontiers Series proves that when experts and communities connect, technology becomes more inclusive and impactful. By lowering the barrier to AI adoption, Seoul AI Hub and Microsoft MVPs are equipping citizens with skills for the future. To explore upcoming sessions or get involved, visit the Seoul AI Hub website and join the movement to make AI a tool for everyone.How to Populate SharePoint List with Files from SharePoint Document Library using Power Automate
Microsoft SharePoint Online is a platform for document management, information sharing, internal collaboration and more that is a part of the Microsoft 365 family of apps. In this blog post, I will show you how to create a document library and list in SharePoint for an Employee Record and how to populate the data from an Excel sheet in SharePoint Document Library using a Power Automate Flow. This process eliminates the process of entering the data from the Excel sheet manually into the SharePoint list. It enables us to easily automate all the data in the Excel sheet into our SharePoint list. Use Case: Track Employee Data Record Here we will work on a scenario to help better understand the process. The HJK company has started making changes to the way they work and one of those things is moving their employee's data from an Excel sheet where it is stored to a SharePoint list. This can be done manually but they will prefer a process where the moving of the data can be achieved easily. In the Excel sheet these are the data types of the columns in the table. Column Data Type EEID Text Job Title Text Department Text Business Unit Text Gender Text Ethnicity Text Age Number Hire Date Date Annual Salary Currency Country Text City Text Exit Date Date Disclaimer: This is not an actual company but a scenario created to show you how the populating process works with SharePoint and Power Automate. The Excel sheet used in this blog post is a free sample data gotten online. Note: Make sure the Data in your Excel sheet is in a table format. I will walk you through the process Create the SharePoint Document Library. Upload the Excel file to the SharePoint Document Library Create the SharePoint List for the employee's data. Create the Instant cloud flow to populate the SharePoint list Create a SharePoint Document Library In this step, we will be working on creating the document library where the Excel sheet that contains the Company's employee information will be uploaded. Login into Microsoft 365. At the left hand side, click on the App Launcher. 2. From the App launcher we will be clicking on SharePoint. From this process we can easily access SharePoint Online. From the list of application shown, click on SharePoint. 3. I already created my SharePoint site so lets go ahead and create our SharePoint Document Library. Click on +New. 4. After clicking on Document library from the drop-down, this gives us an opportunity to create a New SharePoint document library. So on the right hand side, on Name, give the document library a name (a name that you can easily identify and understand). Here I will be using Employee_Record. Next, click on Create. Upload the Excel Sheet to the Document Library In this step, we would be uploading the excel sheet to the SharePoint Document Library. With this process it will make it easier for us to populate the SharePoint list with the data in the Excel sheet easily using power Automate. Follow these steps: 1. At the top of the screen close to the name of the document library click on Upload. After clicking on Upload, we have a drop-down of names to select from which is Files, Folder and Template. Here we will be click on Files. 2. Next, click on the file you need uploaded. Here I will be clicking on the Excel file named Excel Record Sample Data. Next click on Open. From the second screenshot below you can see our excel sheet Employee record sample data has been uploaded to our document library. Create the SharePoint List In this step, we will work on creating the SharePoint list which will be the new place were will be keeping track of the employee's record data in the company. 1. Let's go ahead and create the Employee SharePoint list. At this step we have already created the SharePoint document library, in order to leave the SharePoint document library click on the name of the SharePoint Site, here the name of SharePoint site is Communication site. 2. Now let's create the SharePoint list by clicking on +New at the left-hand side of our screen. 3. After clicking on + New, it shows a drop-down that shows List, Document Library, Page, Space, News post, News link, App. Here we will be clicking on List. 4. Click on Blank list. We have different options here to create our SharePoint list which can either use a blank list, from an already existing list or from an Excel sheet. Our data is an Excel file and we might think of going for this option but it most advisable to create the list from blank. 5. After clicking on the Blank list option for the SharePoint list, now we need to give the list a name and description which is optional. Here on Name I am naming my list as Employee Sample Data to make it easier for me to identify what the SharePoint is for. Click on Create. 6. We will adding the columns shown in the Excel sheet to the list. The first column we will be creating here is EEID which the data type is a single line of text. Click on +Add Column, select Text as the data type and this is a Single line of text. Click on Next. 7. On Name, give your column a name. Here I will be using EEID. Click on Save Note: None of this columns created here are required columns, so take notice of this when creating your column. When creating a column the field for Description is optional. 8. From the screenshot above you can notice the column named Title, this is a default column that is created with the SharePoint list and would not be needed. In this step, will be the hiding the Title Column. Click on drop-down beside Title. Click on Column settings. Click on Show/hide column.On click on Title and then click on Apply. 8. Let’s add the next column to the SharePoint list. Click on +Add Column.Select Text. Click on Next. Give the column a name here on Name I will be giving my Column Job Title. Click on Save. Next, add the remaining columns to the SharePoint List with their specific data types. Column Data Type EEID Single line of text Job Title Single line of text Department Single line of text Business Unit Single line of text Gender Single line of text Ethnicity Single line of text Age Number Hire Date Date Annual Salary Currency Country Single line of the text City Single line of text Exit Date Date Populate the SharePoint List using Power Automate In this step, we will be working on creating the flow that will be used to auto populate the SharePoint list with the data from the Excel sheet. 1. Login Power Automate 2. On the Home screen at the left-side of your screen. Click on Create. Here we will creating an Instant cloud flow; this is a type of Power Automate cloud flow that only runs when a button is triggered. Click on Instant cloud flow. 3. Next thing here is to name your flow and select the trigger. Give your flow a name you can easily identify. Here, I will be using Populate Employee Record. From choose how to trigger this flow, select the trigger Manually trigger a flow. Click on Create. 4. Add another action to the flow. Click on +New Step. 5. On choose an operation, search for the action, List rows present in table. Click on the action. 6. In the List rows present in a table action, we have location, document library, file and table. On Location we will be selecting the SharePoint site where our document library is located. On the drop down or search for the name of your SharePoint site and click on it. On Document Library; select the name of the document library you uploaded your Excel sheet. 7. On File; click on the folder icon at the right-hand side. Next, select the file uploaded to the document library. 8. On Table; click on the dropdown and select the Excel table. 9. Add the Apply to each action to the flow. Click on +New step. On choose an operation, search for the action, Apply to each. Click on it. 10. In the Apply to each action, where we have Select an output from previous steps click on the box and go Dynamic content and select value (this is coming from the action List rows present in a table. The screenshot image of this is shown below). 11. Here we will be adding an action inside of the Apply to each. Click on Add an action. On choose an operation, search for the action, Create item and select (The create item action is coming from SharePoint). 12. In the Create item action; on Site Address, click on the dropdown or search for the SharePoint site and select your SharePoint site where your SharePoint list is located. On List name; click on the drop-down and select the name of your SharePoint list. 13. In the Create item action, we have our columns from our SharePoint list listed in the action from the first column EEID to the last column Exit Date. Here, for each columns in the action we will be adding Dynamics contents to them where the Dynamics contents are coming from the action List rows present in a table (which is the data in our excel sheet). On the EEID column in the action, go the Dynamic content and click on the dynamic content EEID. As seen the screenshot image below. Repeat this step for the remaining columns in the action except Title (which we are not using) and Hire date, exit date. 14. For the Hire Date column in the action, while running the flow I ran into an issue in the Hire Date and Exit Date column that addressed that the datetime string must match ISO 8601 format.'. I will be discussing more about this in my newsletter in the following weeks on how I used Copilot to resolve it but here let's go ahead and understand the actions and steps used. For the Hire Date column, before the apply to each action, add the Initialize variable action to the flow. In the initialize variable; on Name give your variable a name and select the Type as a String. Next, add a Set variable action inside of the Apply to each action (this action should come before the Create item action). In the Set variable action; on Name go to your dynamic content and select the variable coming from the initialize variable action. On Value add the expression addDays('1899-12-30',int(items('Apply_to_each')?['Hire Date']),'yyyy-MMM-dd') Now go ahead to the Create item action and on the Hire Date column, go to the dynamic content and select the variable. Repeat this step for Exit Date. 15. So here let's make a few changes to our flow, this step allows the flow to populate more than 150 items to the SharePoint list. Click on the three dots at the right-hand side of the action List row present in a table action. Click on Settings. 16. On the toggle button for Pagination, switch it on and on Threshold enter the value 2000. Click on Done. Save and run the flow. Thank you for reading! Resources How to delete items in a SharePoint list using Power AutomateCombating Digitally Altered Images: Deepfake Detection
In today's digital age, the rise of deepfake technology poses significant threats to credibility, privacy, and security. This article delves into our Deepfake Detection Project, a robust solution designed to combat the misuse of AI-generated content.Reflections on Entrepreneurship
Student Ambassador & MVP panel discussion at King’s Business Club annual conference. Entrepreneurship is a journey of discovery filled with countless learning experiences, especially for students shaping their futures. Recently, Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Rayan Popat led an engaging panel discussion at the King’s Business Club annual conference. Collaborating with Microsoft Cloud Advocate Chris Noring and Most Valuable Professionals (MVP) Darshna Shah and Gary Blunden, the panel delved into the core aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. They shared valuable insights on problem-solving, team culture, and resilience. In this post, student ambassador and budding entrepreneur, Rayan reflects on the event and explores the importance of adaptability, learning, and fostering a strong team culture to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship. “It was a privilege to lead this panel,” commented Popat. “Working with MVPs and Cloud Advocates showed how impactful collaboration and knowledge-sharing can be. I am grateful to Gary, Darshna, and Chris. As a student who is exploring entrepreneurship, it was interesting to hear about the challenges of bringing an idea to reality and what defines a successful entrepreneur.” Overcoming Challenges During the panel, MVPs Darshna Shah, an AI and Data expert, and Gary Blunden, who focuses on M365, shared invaluable insights on navigating challenges through curiosity and learning. They emphasized the importance of constantly questioning objectives and viewing setbacks as growth opportunities. Popat shared, “As I continue my journey as a student and future entrepreneur, I realize more and more the power of a growth mindset. This mindset significantly influences how I approach and overcome challenges.” The panel also highlighted that problems will always arise and regularly revisiting them is crucial. Problems evolve, and solutions that were viable yesterday may become obsolete today. Agility and a willingness to adapt are paramount. The Importance of Team Culture Another significant takeaway from the panel was the role of team culture. For those starting out, it can be tempting to focus solely on the technical or business aspects of a startup. However, the people you choose to work with and the environment you create are equally as important. A strong team culture fosters motivation and a willingness to tackle challenges. Building a talented and cohesive team that can collaborate effectively is key. Popat’s question to the panel about culture led them to reflect on the stories of successful startups — companies that thrived not only because of their innovative products but also because of the strong, supportive cultures they nurtured. They emphasized the need for effective communication, continuous learning, and mutual respect, which allowed them to innovate and adapt. Utilizing the resources available The panel discussion highlighted the significance of leveraging available resources. Utilizing platforms such as Microsoft Learn ensures that entrepreneurs and their teams can access the latest technical learning paths. This proactive approach to education is crucial in an evolving tech landscape. Additionally, the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub was highlighted offering benefits such as mentorship from industry experts, networking opportunities with fellow innovators, and essential tools designed to support the growth and success of startups. Beyond the Panel Following the panel discussion, the post-event conversations among attendees proved to be equally interesting. The conversations underscored the value of entrepreneurial and student gatherings, where ideas and perspectives are freely exchanged. Many people talked about Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, a great resource and asset for founders on all stages of their journey. Rayan commented, “The entrepreneurial landscape will continue to evolve, especially with the advancements in technology and AI. These changes offer both challenges and opportunities. As a student and aspiring entrepreneur, it's essential for me to stay informed and embrace new technologies.” Please share your student or entrepreneurial journey in the comments below.Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series Episode 3
Welcome to the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series! In this series, we will hear and learn from current and old Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors about their personal experiences with the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program and why they think students should join and be a part of the program and community. Today, I will be interviewing David Attamah, a Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador. An Electronic Engineering student from University of Nigeria in Enugu State, Nigeria. He loves everything Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. What are your personal experiences in the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program? The Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program provided a platform for me to develop skills, engage with a vibrant community of fellow ambassadors, Microsoft MVPs, Cloud Advocates, and most importantly, Microsoft employees. This is one of the best Student Ambassadors program and I can confidently say that it stands at the top of similar programs. This program gave me the energy to try out things I never thought I could do. I got introduced to Microsoft tools and technologies; Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, Copilot, et cetera. I had the opportunity of hosting over 30 skilling events both online and in-person. As an Ambassador, I always find opportunities to learn, mentor, collaborate, contribute, share, and have fun. I have mentored both prospective student and current student ambassadors. I have collaborated with fellow student ambassadors in one initiative or another. There is this particular one that I lead with 5 other student ambassadors where fellow ambassadors had to sign up every quarter to participate to skill up their community in Microsoft technologies. Up to 1000 individuals benefited through such initiative by getting free Microsoft certification exam vouchers. I still continue to contribute in the Ambassador community by creating guides to help Ambassadors who just joined the program. The list is endless. With being so active in the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program, does this interfere with your studies? The program is flexible, no matter how engaged a student is, the program will not be a barrier. Being a student and an Ambassador, there was a time, it was difficult for me and other times, it seemed easy. We all have different capacities and strengths and this all boils down to time management. Making sure that the program does not get in your way as a student. Finally, be sure to have fun as an Ambassador. What have you benefited from the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program? A lot of these benefits can be seen in the previous question I answered. But being specific, aside from the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program swags I have received, I have free access to some premium platforms and tool like Microsoft 365, LinkedIn Learning, Visual Studio Enterprise subscription. I have received free Microsoft exam vouchers. This program increased my confidence. I have sent proposals to Vice Chancellors of different schools to introduce Microsoft technologies in their school. A good number accepted my proposal. I have spoken at events in some of these schools like Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu. I have access to a global community of people who use Microsoft technologies. I can simply send a chat instead of an email. The benefits keep increasing as the need arises. What advice do you have for students and why do you think they should join the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program? This is one of the best global student community that a student who is 16 years and above in an institution can join. You don't need to be an expert in anything nor do you need to have prior knowledge of any technology. You need to be a learner, be open-minded, be willing to try new things. Be sure to reach out to a current Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador if you need to ask one or two questions. Take advantage of the free premium tools and platforms you have access to in building yourself while you're in the program. Put yourself out there in the world through this program. You can join the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Program by applying here Check out the previous series Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series Episode 1 - Microsoft Community Hub Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series Episode 2Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series Episode 4
Welcome to the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series! In this series, we will hear and learn from current and old Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors about their personal experiences with the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program and why they think students should join and be a part of the program and community. Today, I will be interviewing Sophia Iroegbu, she is a Gold Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador from Nigeria, studying Plant Health Management at Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Umuahia, Abia How did you get to know about the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program? In 2021, a friend told me about the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program and how it would help me meet other developers. I applied for the first cohort in 2022 but didn't get in. Then I met Kojo Shaddy, a now MVP who assisted me with my application, we had calls and he mentioned how my answers were not compelling enough. I later got in the April of 2022 and it's been a fun ride ever since then. What is your personal experience with the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program? This is the best student program I have joined. I am also part of other student programs/communities but the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program just hits different. The welcoming community, the friends I met, the advice I got. made it all worth it. I met friends who motivated me to become better, who helped me prep for interviews, who gave me negotiation advice (which I had no idea I was supposed to do). What have you benefited from the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program? Besides the incentives which has helped me in so many ways than one, I also got amazing friends who can GEEK out with me and not make me feel like a nerd. I made amazing friendships that has gone outside of tech stuff and for that I am forever grateful. What advice do you have for students and why do you think they should join the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program If you ever need a place to grow, learn and build with amazing folks, the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program is the right one for you. At first, it would feel so weird, it would feel you are left out but participate in events, help promote other people's event, have chats with other student ambassadors. You would find out they were once as clueless as you and are willing to help. Apply and Join the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program Listen to other Student ambassadors as they share their experience with the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors program. Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series Episode 1 - Microsoft Community Hub Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series Episode 2 - Microsoft Community Hub Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors Program Interview Series Episode 3 - Microsoft Community Hub
