Speaking at ESPC 2024 – more AI and Copilot!

ESPC, the European SharePoint, Microsoft 365 and Azure Conference - which always seems to have amazing venues which make you look tiny as a speaker, see left - always bookends the year for many of us in Microsoft tech (at least on this side of the pond). Winter timing allows us to reflect on tech developments through the year as well as discuss announcements from Microsoft’s big Ignite conference, which is typically just before (this week, November 19-22 this year). To speak at ESPC is always a privilege and I think this is my 10th year now. The event is in Stockholm this year between December 2-5 and it’s not too late to get tickets – as one of the year’s best personal development events in our space, it’s a great way to gain knowledge and take some great benefits back to your team and company.

This post is to mention the talks I'll be giving - but before then, some quick facts about the conference:

• Usually around 2000-2500 attendees, a mix of different roles but generally focused on Microsoft tech
• Always a big Microsoft representation – from senior execs like Jeff Teper to key product and strategy folks including Karuana Gatimu, Vesa Juvonen, and others
• December 2-5, starting with a day of (optional) full-day workshops on the 2nd
• Lots of coverage of AI, Copilot, Azure, Power Platform, SharePoint, Teams and more on the tech side – accompanied by lots of strategy, governance, and end-user sessions
• Typically a forum for Microsoft to make key product strategy announcements

Here’s what I’ll be talking about:

 

“AI on your data” deep-dive - comparing Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, and Azure OpenAI on your data

Astract: Every business can gain from combining generative AI and LLMs with company data, and so far Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) has been the most common technical approach to this. Providing an LLM with full knowledge of your company - your products and services, clients, employees and expertise, past projects, and other valuable information - has huge potential for simplifying work as we've seen with Copilot and other "gen AI on your data" technologies.

The options are complex however, and many CIOs are wrestling with AI strategy and tool decisions. Is the answer simply Microsoft 365 Copilot? What about no-code Copilot GPTs, low-code Copilot Studio, mid-range Azure OpenAI “on your data”, or building something with a "ChatGPT accelerator" using Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Search? Choosing the right approach can seem like a minefield – do you want to bring in data from Microsoft 365, Azure, SQL, a SaaS app, or simply a public website? Are you trying to provide a Copilot against a small knowledge base or a more expansive ecosystem of sites? Do you want to pay by user or by AI consumption? Should the experience surface in Teams, a Copilot plugin, or be embedded in an intranet or internet site?

This session aims to be a navigator through the Copilot and "AI on your data" maze, informed by battle scars from implementing all these forms of AI.

Implementing gen AI on the UK’s biggest infrastructure project – a ChatGPT and Azure OpenAI story

Abstract: The HS2 railway construction project stands as a cornerstone of the United Kingdom's infrastructure evolution, showcasing an ambitious leap in engineering and construction innovation. The scale of HS2 introduces a unique data challenge. Every mile of construction feeds into a massive repository of information, encompassing everything from ground surveys and compaction reports to intricate local authority covenants and extensive service contracts. But with more than 20 disparate platforms in use, ranging from in-house catabases, SaaS applications, and custom apps developed by suppliers, piecing together data related to aspects of the construction was becoming more challenging.

With the explosion of generative AI, the question came from programme leadership - “Can’t we just ask something like ChatGPT the questions, and it find the answers from across our systems?” This is a case study of a unique project, where generative AI is streamlining critical processes like incident management in a hugely complex environment. The combination of cutting-edge technology (Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Search, Semantic Kernel and more), talented developers and engineers, and a visionary construction organisation provides a shining example of how gen AI and Large Language Models are making a real difference to the world.

This session aims to convey both the business challenge and the technical solutions, and it’s a story with a few twists and turns along the way. Not unlike the railway line!

Closing thoughts and conference details

We’re now 2 years past the introduction of ChatGPT, and in my experience 2024 has been a year where lots of AI projects have made it into production. Technology has never been more impactful on the world. At the same time, many organisations are still debating whether to go big on Copilot and how to make the right choices in their AI strategy and technology decisions. So, it’s a perfect time for ESPC and the conversations that happen there – I’m *extremely* excited for my sessions and to share knowledge and perspectives from the Advania team and I.

Hopefully see you there!

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