Microsoft Build 2024 Unveils Major Power Platform Updates: AI and Automation at the Forefront for Enhanced Business Efficiency

Introduced new capabilities to build copilots acting like agents.

• The new copilot agents can be triggered by actions, not just conversations. They can react to events, such as new hires onboarding or the arrival of certain emails. These agents will be capable of performing asynchronous task management during long-running automations. They can learn continuously but remain within the guidelines of Maker defined instructions, stopping for user input as directed and using contextual memory to inform what they should do. 

Integration of business data and processes.

• Similar to the “Connections” page in Power Apps and Power Automate, Copilot Connectors lets Makers extend the functionality of Copilots by giving them access to the full suite of Power Platform connectors, as well as connections to Microsoft Fabric, Dataverse, AI Models, SharePoint, and external sources. Inside conversations, connectors can be used to interact with various services and data sources, enabling users to perform tasks such as retrieving data, triggering actions, and even automating entire workflows directly from the chat interface. Copilot Connectors include a wonderfully simple wizard for connection creation as well as a library in which to store all connections.

Publishing Copilot extensions for enhanced functionality.

• Copilot Extensions empower Makers to customize their Microsoft 365 Copilots. These extensions can be built using connectors, plug ins, and specialized copilots. New Extension publishing capability allows users to publish their extensions to the Partner Center for purchase and installation by other users.

Enhanced with native Git integration for streamlined development and lifecycle management.

• Power Platform and Git integration just got easier! Designed with the intent of bringing in more code first developers, this integration allows for seamless version control, making it easier to track and manage changes. It also facilitates collaboration among developers, enabling them to work on different parts of a project simultaneously without overwriting each other’s changes. Power Platform/Git integration will be set up environment wide by default. In contrast to other ALM tool integrations, this setup process is straightforward and user-friendly.

New features like voice-activated Copilot for mobile apps.

• Power Apps users will now be able to use mobile Canvas Apps, hands free! They can engage with the chatbot, input data, and interact with the app in all its intended ways using just their voice. The system leverages voice activation and generative AI to facilitate communication with the worker. Moreover, this hands-free copilot experience on mobile apps can be further enhanced using Copilot Studio.

Coauthoring capabilities in canvas apps for collaborative development.

• Finally available across all designer experiences, Power Apps Makers can now coauthor Power Apps simultaneously! This eagerly anticipated feature enables multiple makers to build within a single Power App in real time, without any additional configuration in the App.

New security hub to assess and improve security posture.

• The security hub stands out as perhaps the most all-encompassing safety tool among many others announced at Build. At the tenant level, it allows Power Platform Administrators to swiftly evaluate the security posture for the tenant and set and manage policies designed to safeguard from vulnerabilities and risks. Additionally, it offers a full set of tools and security features that provide in-depth visibility and effective threat detection.

Support for Azure Virtual Network and Entra ID Privileged Identity Management for better integration and security.

• Newly added to the Security Hub are Azure Virtual Network support, which will enable Makers to integrate Power Platform with resources inside their virtual networks thereby avoiding exposure over public internet, and Entra ID Privileged Identity Management support, which will give Administrators the ability to assign administrative permissions to a specific Power Platform environment on a temporary, as needed basis.