TOP STORIES #111

Welcome to TOP STORIES, which has been published for more than 22 years!

It is now more than 2 years since we have been publishing weekly.

As a user of Microsoft technologies, you are receiving this publication to stay informed about critical topics such as Microsoft licensing, price increases, end-of-life dates, technical updates, security notices, and more. I recommend you scan through "Don't Forget" which is now a separate document for you to download - it was making TOP STORIES too long to read through.

Reminder that you can access TOP STORIES AI ("TSAI") to search for anything in the archive. You can read more about TSAI in TOP STORIES #108.

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Check out the official movie release dates in South Africa for all studios at the end of this email. The schedule has been updated to provide you with releases four weeks in advance. It is accurate!

Last week's TOP STORIES #110 is here

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Upcoming Shows

The next big computer show of the year is Computex, coming up in May. This is a significant show for the world's leading manufacturers to make announcements about future releases, and we can expect more hype to build over the next few weeks, which I'll share here.

Account Manager?

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Don't Forget!

The sheer volume of changes and products coming to Eol and Eos is so numerous that I have decided to make this a separate document, which you can download here. It will be updated at least quarterly (or as necessary) to try and keep you up to date with the ever-changing Microsoft release roadmap. I recommend you take a look at the document, it provides a lot of detail about what is ending, changing and updating!

Feedback on making it easier to read along with things I may have missed will be appreciated as well!

Hardware

16Gig is NOT enough!

Here is an interesting article that confirms beyond all doubt that 16 GB is not enough for a Windows 11 machine, but it also confirms that you only really have 32 GB as the next option.

I disagree that 24 GB is enough, and that you should buy a computer with only 24 GB to save a "few pennies". Any computer you buy today will likely be in your company for at least 3 years, and during this time, the need for more memory will consistently increase, particularly driven by the growing need for AI capabilities.

It's really important to ask your First Technology account manager to connect you with our hardware specialists to plan your deployment of new hardware, as well as to make plans to upgrade your existing computers that qualify for Windows 11 to 32Gig and 1TB SSD Storage.

Moore's Law Turns 60

With Moore's Law turning 60, it is a good moment to ask if it is still even valid as a way of predicting how technology is increasing in computing power. In recognition of this anniversary, the BBC has produced a podcast about Moore's law, including an interview with the late Gordon Moore that is really interesting.

However, developments in technology have continued to accelerate, rendering Moore's Law invalid - computational capability is increasing at an ever faster pace.

Looking ahead 10 years, it is very likely that we will see computing systems made of materials like Bismuth and Graphene in the 5 Angstroms range - right now, manufacturing is at 20 Angstroms.

Additionally, these newer systems will operate at considerably higher frequencies, resulting in systems that could be 10-20 times more powerful than anything available today. There is absolutely no doubt that Super General intelligence is coming!

Here is an interesting YouTube video about what we could expect to see

Microsoft

CoPilot will be able to use websites and apps on it's own

Copilot will be able to directly interact with desktop apps and websites alike, such as clicking buttons, selecting menus, and even typing into fields on the screen. It will soon be possible, with enough understanding of a system, to perform tasks and complete forms and processes as if a human were doing so. You can read more about this capability here.

It is really important to start experimenting with AI in your business to see how it can benefit your employees and your customers. For example, take a look at how TSAI allows you to find out about information published in TOP STORIES using AI.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our AI specialists to start talking about starting your AI journey in your company in addition to planning CoPilot workshops to help your staff get more comfortable with using AI in their work.

Security

Microsoft shares guidance on dealing with AI Scams

This is really worrying!

Microsoft has published guidance on how to deal with the latest AI powered threats, scams and frauds. The methods are scary, employing deepfakes, voice cloning, fake employee profiles, hoax websites and more.....

If it's too good to be true, it's probably is fake.

AI tools can lure victims into complex schemes made up of fake storefronts, histories, testimonials, etc.... Your "suspicious" spider sense has to be operating all the time.

This takes social engineering to a whole new level, manipulating the fundamental psychological traits that make us human.

These attackers exploit authority by impersonating executives or IT personnel, knowing we are conditioned to respond. We all need to understand how these attacks work and develop methods to spot them and not automatically react. You can read more about the Psychology of Social engineering here.

It is absolutely vital that you contact your First Technology account manager to connect you with our specialists to arrange for training that educates your staff on how to watch out for these new types of attacks.

Cloud & AI

Crossing the Turing Threshold

OpenAI’s latest reasoning model, GPT‑4.5, has crossed what researchers call the Turing Threshold.

In controlled experiments, GPT‑4.5, when given a carefully crafted human persona, convinced lay interrogators that it was the real person in 73% of trials, outperforming the actual humans.

Passing this classical test is not the same as achieving artificial general intelligence; re‑phrased questions still expose mechanical quirks no person would display. Nevertheless, as we move towards 2030 we will encounter systems that appear wholly human while retaining subtle gaps in understanding.

I URGE you to start experimenting with these models - your access is the same as the researchers who produced this report.

Those who learn to steer these models today will outpace those who decades ago clutched calculators while the rest of the world moved on to spreadsheets.

What's up at FTG

Cloud costing you more than expected?

First Technology Group is stepping up your cloud financial management game with Umbrella (formerly Anodot Cost) — our preferred platform for FinOps and Cloud Cost Management. Umbrella unlocks faster innovation, deeper insights, and robust cost optimisation, empowering you to proactively manage your cloud spend and enhance financial efficiency.

As a Platinum preferred partner across Africa, FTG brings you unmatched expertise and tailored support, ensuring a smooth integration of Umbrella into your current systems with minimal operational disruption.

Here's what Umbrella means:

Enhanced Cost Management: Full visibility of your cloud expenses to pinpoint savings.
Improved Financial Efficiency: Powerful analytics to guide smarter cloud investments.
Seamless Integration: Effortlessly combines with your existing infrastructure.

Please contact your First Technology account manager to connect with our SAM or FinOps teams to see how they can help you optimise your cloud costs. Even if you may think you have your costs under control there is no harm in asking somebody else to take a look.... just in case!

FT-KZN Upgrades Senate Chambers

The chambers at Mangosuthu University have been completely upgraded with state-of-the-art technology to facilitate how modern meetings and presentations are conducted. This is one of many examples of what the team in KZN is able to achieve. You can read more about this here.

If you think your installation might be a bit complicated and needs integration with multiple vendors, contact your First Technology account manager, who can connect you with a team that can help.

Pitfalls with Dynamics 365

The CRMTeam, of First Technology Group have published a document on ITWeb about avoiding the pitfalls of a D365 Customer engagement implementation. If you are looking to dive down the D365 rabbit hole, this is a good article to read. Then, contact our Dynamics 365 specialists on the CRM Team website or through your First Technology account manager.

CoPilot Security Demo

BUI, FTG's security division, can present CoPilot for Security information-sharing sessions, workshops and demos.

In light of ongoing attacks that will only get sneakier, it is essential to contact your First Tech Group account manager to arrange to attend a session. You can also request a session here.

What does a World Class SoC look like, and how does it work?

You are invited to book a tour of one of our SoC (Security Operations Center) nodes (and there are still parts we can't show you). You can book for the tour here.

BUI blog - 6th and 7th Videos Available

FTG's Azure and security division, BUI's Video Blog, has been updated with 2 more videos.

The 6th Edition addresses improvements to Defender XDR, and the 7th Edition is crucial to review, as it provides an overview of the Microsoft Entra Suite. This edition focuses on security news from Microsoft for February. If you work with the Microsoft security stack, this is a handy video to watch—it's only five minutes long.

Joint Standard 2 on Cyber Security and Resilience

BUI has published a 1-page guide for you to gauge your compliance and, if you have concerns, to reach out to the BUI specialists for assistance. The guide is available here.

BUI Opens 4th Cyber Security Operations Centre in Kenya

As part of BUI's investment in talent in Africa and the broader East African region, BUI, together with the Microsoft country manager for Kenya, held the inauguration ceremony of the new Cyber SOC. You can read more about this launch here.

BUI announced as a Diversity in Security award finalist in the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards. The company was honoured among a global field of industry leaders who demonstrated success across the security landscape during the past 12 months. You can read more about this award here, where on the 28th April Microsoft will recognise the finalists in 9 categories.