Firelands Computer Services Blog

Have you ever wished your computer just understood what you were trying to do, instead of making you dig through menus and search results to get there?

Microsoft’s working on it.

In the latest Windows 11 preview, there’s a new feature being tested called Ask Copilot. It’s taking center stage right on your taskbar.

Traditionally, when you search from the Windows taskbar, you’re using a basic search box that looks for files, apps, and settings.

With Ask Copilot, that same box is getting a big upgrade.

It now uses AI to understand what you’re looking for, and to guide you directly to the right place. Or help you achieve what you’re trying to do.

For example, you might type “open the invoice template I used last month”, or “connect to the projector”, or “how do I split this PDF?”

Instead of just showing you a list of results, Copilot can act. It can open the file, adjust the setting, or generate a quick answer.

It’s the same idea as the search you’re used to, but far smarter and more helpful.

You’ll also see helpful icons beside the new Ask Copilot box. These give one-click access to Copilot Vision (for understanding on-screen content) and voice commands (so you can talk instead of typing).

Now, if that sounds a bit too AI-heavy for your liking, it’s ok, it’s opt-in.

You’ll only see Ask Copilot if you turn it on in your Settings (under Personalization > Taskbar > Ask Copilot).

For everyone else, the normal search stays exactly as it is.

Microsoft is quick to point out that this doesn’t give Copilot any extra access to your data. It only uses the same tools as regular Windows Search. It’s not secretly scanning your files or peeking at private content.

The benefit for your business?

Time and focus.

Instead of your team getting sidetracked hunting for documents, adjusting settings, or Googling how to do something simple, Copilot helps them get it done instantly.

It’s another small step toward a more streamlined, productive workday. The kind where technology quietly helps rather than hinders.

Right now, Ask Copilot is just being tested in preview builds. But I think we’ll see a rollout soon.

Would you switch on Ask Copilot when it arrives? Or stick with classic search for now? Either way, the choice (for the moment, at least) is yours.

When was the last time you saw one of those scary pop-ups claiming your computer was infected?

You know the ones. They come complete with flashing red warnings and a fake phone number to “call Microsoft support”.

It’s called scareware, and it’s designed to panic you into handing over money or access to your device.

And even the most careful among us can be caught off guard.

You may be as happy as I am to hear that Microsoft is fighting back. In a big way.

In an update to its Edge browser, Microsoft has rolled out a new scam protection tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to stop these fake alerts before they even reach you.

It’s part of a wider effort to make Edge one of the most secure browsers for both Windows and Mac users.

Edge now includes something called a Scareware Blocker. This is switched on by default for most newer computers.

It uses a clever AI model that can “see” the kind of full-screen scam pages designed to look like real system alerts. The ones that say, “your device is infected” or “call support immediately.”

And when it spots one, it shuts it down instantly, before you or your team have a chance to click anything dangerous.

If someone does happen to report a scam, it helps everyone else too. Microsoft’s Defender SmartScreen system learns from that report and blocks the same scam for others. Sometimes hours or even days before it would normally appear on global threat lists.

In tests, just one report stopped about 50 other people from being targeted.

There’s also a brand-new scareware sensor built into the latest version of Edge. This helps Microsoft’s systems spot new scams in real time, without sending your personal data or screenshots anywhere.

It’s switched off for now, but Microsoft says it will soon be enabled automatically for anyone with SmartScreen turned on.

Unfortunately, scams are everywhere, and they’re getting worse. One wrong click on a fake warning can lead to serious consequences from stolen passwords and drained bank accounts to full-on ransomware attacks.

And while many scams target individuals, SMBs are increasingly in the firing line.

Criminals know that even one employee slipping up can be the weak link.

Tools like this new protection in Edge help to plug those gaps. They use AI to react faster than a human ever could. And that means one less thing to worry about when your team is busy getting real work done.

So, if your business uses Microsoft Edge, make sure you’re running the latest version. The new scam protection could save you a lot of trouble and maybe even a few heart-stopping moments.

And if you’re not sure how well protected your systems are against scams like this, it might be time for a security audit. My team and I can help with that – get in touch.

How do you really know if your people are making the most of AI at work?

You’ve rolled out Microsoft Copilot.

You’ve talked about how it can save time. How it can boost productivity. And how it can make day-to-day tasks easier.

But how can you tell if your team is actually using it? Or if it’s quietly gathering dust on their desktops?

That’s exactly what Microsoft’s new Copilot Dashboard feature, called Benchmarks, is designed to reveal.

It lives inside Viva Insights (part of Microsoft 365) and gives you a clear picture of how your employees are using Copilot. And how that compares to others.

Benchmarks can show how many people in your organization actively use Copilot, which apps they’re using it in, and how often they come back to it.

But it doesn’t stop there.

It can also compare your company’s usage with other similar businesses. Those of the same size, in the same industry, or even in the same region.

In other words, you’ll be able to see whether your team is leading the AI charge… or falling behind it.

Now, that may sound like a privacy concern. The idea of your company data being compared against others might raise an eyebrow or two. But Microsoft insists it’s handled safely. All the external data is anonymized, aggregated, and run through mathematical models to protect privacy.

From a business point of view, it’s a clever move.

Many companies have been slow to fully adopt AI tools, even though the benefits are clear. A recent study found that only about 5% of AI pilot programs ever make it beyond the testing stage. Mostly because businesses struggle to adapt their processes and culture.

Microsoft’s Benchmarks tool could change that by showing you exactly where adoption is stalling.

Of course, this new visibility might make some employees uneasy. No one wants to feel like their AI habits are being watched. But this is about progress, not punishment. If you can see which teams are using Copilot effectively (and which aren’t), you can identify where extra support or training is needed.

So, is your team using AI well? Soon you won’t have to guess. Copilot will tell you.

How do your team really feel about using AI at work?

Are they excited?

Nervous?

Maybe a bit of both?

A new study has revealed just how widespread AI has become in the workplace. And how mixed people’s feelings still are about it.

Four in five workers now use some kind of AI tool in their day-to-day role. More than half are using AI assistants regularly to save time. But that doesn’t mean everyone’s comfortable with it.

Some employees worry they’ll be seen as lazy or untrustworthy for leaning on AI. Others feel judged or second-guessed by colleagues when they do.

It’s a strange situation. People trust AI to help them, but they don’t always trust how others will react to them using it.

The truth is, AI is here to support people. It’s important to see AI as a partner. A tool to help us focus on what we do best. To focus on strategy, creativity, and problem-solving.

But for that to happen, people need to feel confident using it. And that’s where many businesses are falling behind.

Only one in three workers have had any formal AI training. Most are figuring it out by trial and error. And that can lead to uncertainty, mistakes, and mistrust.

Managers tend to feel more confident (around 70%), but that confidence drops sharply among junior staff, where only about a third feel the same way.

So what’s the solution?

Like many other things, it starts with culture. Business owners and managers need to create an environment where experimenting with AI is encouraged, not judged.

Show your team that using AI tools isn’t cheating. It’s smart working.

Give them opportunities to learn, whether through formal training, internal workshops, or simple “show and tell” sessions where people share how they’re using AI to make their jobs easier.

AI confidence doesn’t happen overnight. But when people feel supported and trusted they’re far more likely to embrace it. That’s when you start to see results, like better efficiency, more creativity, and a team that’s ready for whatever the future of work brings.

Be honest, how many times have you lost a Word document because you forgot to hit “Save”?

We’ve all been there.

The power cuts out, your laptop crashes, or you just close the window too fast… and hours of work vanish in an instant.

Well, Microsoft’s decided that enough is enough. From now on, new Word documents will automatically save straight to your OneDrive cloud storage. Autosave will be turned on by default.

That means your work is backed up instantly. And you can pick up where you left off from any device.

Accidentally close the file? No problem, it’s sitting safely in the cloud.

For anyone who’s ever lost an important report, proposal, or invoice, that sounds like a dream come true. Right?

But not everyone’s cheering just yet.

Some people aren’t comfortable with every new document automatically being uploaded to the cloud. They’d rather decide for themselves where a file should live. Especially if it contains sensitive information.

There’s also the question of privacy.

While Microsoft says your files are secure and only accessible to you, some people simply prefer keeping their work stored locally, where they feel more in control.

In fairness, Microsoft isn’t locking you in. You can turn this feature off and go back to saving files manually if you prefer.

But for many, this change could slip by unnoticed. Word will just quietly back everything up for you without asking.

It’s a big shift, and it says a lot about where Microsoft’s heading. The company wants to make OneDrive the central hub for your files, and with new Copilot AI features coming to it, that makes sense.

Soon you’ll be able to ask Copilot to find, summarize, or even edit your documents directly from OneDrive. There will be no need to dig through folders or filenames.

So, is this update a terrible idea or a great one?

It depends on how you like to work.

If you value simplicity, peace of mind, and automatic backups, it’s a fantastic move. But if you prefer a little more control and privacy, it might feel like Word’s making decisions for you.

Either way, one thing’s certain: The days of losing your unsaved masterpiece are numbered.