aggressive rollout of AI enhancements across the Power Platform and Microsoft 365 ecosystem, with strong focus on Copilot integration, SharePoint modernization (including Viva Connections rebranding to SharePoint app), governance tools, and agentic AI capabilities. Key themes include turning Copilot outputs into SharePoint content, home site improvements, Power BI/Automate/Power Apps AI features, and licensing/pricing adjustments. Many updates are in GA or rolling out through June, emphasizing productivity, security, and low-code/no-code development.
SharePoint Online & Microsoft 365 / Office 365
- SharePoint Home Site & Viva Connections Updates (rolling out May–June 2026, GA by end of June): Renamed Viva Connections to SharePoint app in Teams. Admins can now create/designate home sites directly in the SharePoint admin center. New web parts (Resources, Announcements), filmstrip News layouts, and simplified Teams app configuration. Existing setups largely unchanged.
- Copilot Pages to SharePoint News: New option to turn Copilot Pages content directly into editable/publishable SharePoint News posts (rolled out late May).
- Governance & Security Enhancements: Governance Reviews Dashboard (Private Preview), detailed permissions reports for “Everyone” groups, File Quarantine DLP action, and granular file-level archiving in Microsoft 365 Archive.
- Licensing Changes: Standalone SharePoint/OneDrive plans no longer sold to new customers from June 1; new M365 Business with Copilot SKUs and promotions.
- New SharePoint Experience: Mid-June GA for redesigned app bar, navigation, and AI enhancements.
Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Pages)
- Power BI (May 2026 Update): Focus on reporting polish, expanded AI/Copilot capabilities, modeling improvements (e.g., Copilot in web modeling preview, Direct Lake in OneLake GA, DAX user-defined functions), and visualizations.
- Power Apps & Power Automate: AI-powered app conversations, custom tools/rich UI (public preview), Power Fx enhancements, object-centric process mining, desktop flow improvements (Python, local AI models, PowerPoint automation), and restore for deleted flows. Broader 2026 Wave 1 agentic AI push.
- Power Pages: AI agentic coding tools for building sites now Generally Available (describe needs → AI builds/secures/deploys). Stronger security, authentication, and external portal capabilities.
Copilot Chat, Copilot Studio & Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Copilot Enhancements: Refreshed UI/design, Notebooks improvements, integration with Dataverse/business data, Planner Agent GA, and features like Opus model updates, Cowork skills, and in-app experiences (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint). Auto-install resuming on eligible devices.
- Copilot Studio: Agent governance, intelligent workflows, evaluation tools (Grader Framework), and expanded connectors/actions.
- Enterprise Adoption: NHS England rolling out to 505k staff (productivity gains reported); new licensing and permanent SKUs for broader access.
Overall Trend: Heavy emphasis on AI agents, seamless integration between tools (e.g., Copilot → SharePoint), governance for scale, and migration incentives away from older on-premises/SharePoint versions (end-of-support milestones in 2026). Organizations should review admin centers, roadmaps, and licensing for impacts.
