Technology Record

3M and Microsoft establish new partnership focused on data centre infrastructure Microsoft will deploy 3M’s EBO technology in its Azure data centres By Toby Ingleton | 15 July 2026 Industrials conglomerate 3M and Microsoft have entered into a new partnership focused on AI data centre infrastructure. Microsoft will deploy 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) technology in its Azure data centres.

What is industrial intelligence? According to Amanda Oñate, vice president of ecosystem and platform marketing at AVEVA, the term describes the ability to turn industrial data into continuous, actionable insights which improve how assets, people and processes perform. As industrial intelligence continues to evolve rapidly, organisations will be able to use connected technologies to optimise their operations in ways that were previously impossible.

Smarttech247 launches AI agent security operations capability for Microsoft environments Agents will work alongside human security analysts to handle full lifecycle of a cybersecurity incident By Alex Smith | 14 July 2026 Smarttech247 has launched an agentic security operations centre (SOC) capability within its VisionX platform, combining AI agents with human security analysts to handle the full lifecycle of a cybersecurity incident from detection through to remediation.

Agentic AI brings unique opportunities for public sector organisations to create value for the citizens they serve. But as leaders embrace these capabilities, it’s vital they also manage the risks. Philippe Rogge, corporate vice president for worldwide public sector at Microsoft, is passionate about the prospects facing this traditionally conservative sector as itemergesinto the AI spotlight.; You spent 12 years at Microsoft before moving on, then returned in July 2025.

Agentic AI brings unique opportunities for public sector organisations to create value for the citizens they serve. But as leaders embrace these capabilities,it’s vital they also manage the risks. Philippe Rogge, corporate vice president for worldwide public sector at Microsoft, is passionate about the prospects facing this traditionally conservative sector as itemergesinto the AI spotlight.; You spent 12 years at Microsoft before moving on, then returned in July 2025.

Italian engineering group MAIRE has connected Microsoft Copilot Studio and Microsoft Foundry with Autodesk Forma and Revit, giving its engineers natural-language access to complex project data directly within Microsoft Teams. The company, which provides technology and project solutions to the energy and chemicals sector, employs more than 10,000 people worldwide.

A project manager starts her Monday morning with dozens of competing priorities, three unread briefing documents and a client presentation due by midday. She opens Copilot, describes her priorities and needs, and immediately, a structured plan is in place. The relevant files are found, the presentation is being drafted, her calendar is being booked, and her team is being kept informed, none of which required her to open a single application manually. Two years ago, this scenario was a pipe dream.

Coretek’s AI-driven insights transform payment orchestration at Transcard The payment solutions firm partnered with the Microsoft AI Cloud provider to unlock new value for clients By Jacqui Griffiths | 08 July 2026 Transcard is a provider of embedded payment solutions that streamline transactions between buyers and suppliers. As part of its innovation strategy, the company wanted to evolve its platform from simply processing payments to delivering AI-powered insights. Several challenges emerged.

Third cohort of AI Economy Institute fellows to examine impact of frontier firms The Microsoft think-tank will explore how changes in job design, skill demands, productivity and more are reshaping the corporate world By Laura Hyde | 08 July 2026 The AI Economy Institute (AIEI) has enlisted a third cohort of researchers to further examine the adoption of AI across economies, industries and communities.

Business transformation is AI’s great promise, but according to Deloitte, deploying new tools is the easy part. To define and achieve true long-term value from their AI, leaders must redesign the way work gets done. For ‘frontier firms’ – which have moved beyond experimentation to embed AI across their organisation – it starts with empowering people. “Frontier firms are redefining how work gets done in the era of AI,” says Kees Hertogh, vice president of global industry marketing at Microsoft.