Agentic AI has the power to reshape every business function across the retail value chain. To get ahead and stay ahead, retail technologists need a cutting-edge understanding of agentic capabilities and how to deploy them strategically across their organizations to meet business goals and unlock competitive advantage. Join us to learn the latest on agentic scenarios from Microsoft and hear how leading retailers are maximizing agentic opportunities to become frontier firms.

“On Air at Microsoft Ignite” will deep dive into key announcements with expert interviews, demonstrations, and real-world applications for all the latest news. ​

Hour 1 will feature:​ Security in the agentic AI era: Vasu Jakkal​ Microsoft Credentials for the AI frontier: Elisa Graceffo​ Accessibility in the AI Era: Jenny Lay-Flurrie​ IBM: Chris McGuire & Michelle Pellegrin​ Microsoft Foundry: The AI app and agent factory: Yina Arenas

Deploy AVS and manage VMware vSphere environment as an Azure resources (B) Connect AVS private cloud secretly with Internet (C) Migrate VMs from on-premises to AVS using VMware HCX technology (D) Expand AVS private cloud storage with Azure NetApp Files or Azure Elastic SAN; scaling storage independently from compute (E) Manage AVS workloads VMs using Azure interfaces by Arc-enabling AVS private cloud and its VMs (F) Modernization workloads with Azure Services like Azure SQL Managed Instances and AI capabilities.

Note: this session will use demo environments instead of live environments due to complexity and time.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Learn how to build an advanced AI agent using Azure Database for PostgreSQL and the new Microsoft Agent Framework. This hands-on lab walks you through integrating Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), semantic re-ranking, Semantic Operators, and GraphRAG (using Apache AGE) to enable intelligent legal question-answering using real case data. Gain practical AI implementation skills with your own PostgreSQL-backed applications.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Join Microsoft’s product team for a hands-on lab where you'll design and deploy an AI-powered application using SQL Database in Microsoft Fabric. This session dives into HTAP capabilities, enabling seamless transactional and analytical processing. You'll provision a SaaS-native SQL Database, use Copilot to generate schema and queries, and implement advanced patterns like RAG with vector search. Walk away with practical skills and a working solution you can apply immediately.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Join this hands-on lab to explore Azure Arc for hybrid and multicloud environments. You’ll onboard Windows VMs, enable monitoring with Azure Monitor, apply compliance with Machine Configuration, and strengthen security using Microsoft Defender for Cloud. Wrap up by enabling Arc agent auto-upgrade to keep resources secure and current.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

This hands-on lab is designed to equip IT professionals and technical decision-makers with the latest tools and capabilities in Microsoft Teams administration and security. Participants will explore new diagnostic, monitoring, and protection features that enhance operational efficiency and safeguard collaboration.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Gain the skills to govern identities at scale with Microsoft Entra. Get hands-on experience automating provisioning, streamlining access, enforcing governance policies, and configuring Face Check for identity validation to reduce risk and ensure compliance.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

This lab offers a hands-on deep dive into Microsoft Defender for Cloud’s CSPM features, teaching participants how to assess and improve cloud security across hybrid environments. Attendees will identify misconfigurations, apply compliance frameworks, and automate remediation strategies to strengthen their security posture.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to the fundamentals of automated AI red teaming generative AI systems for safety and security risks using Microsoft Foundry. Attendees will learn how to apply automated attack techniques to identify safety issues and security vulnerabilities across multiple risk dimensions before deployment. Participants will engage in hands-on walkthroughs and guided exercises to apply these concepts in realistic development scenarios.

Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

See agentic intelligence come to life with Azure Direct Models in Microsoft Foundry, “vibe coding” workflows, and Microsoft 365 integration. We’ll show how to ship responsive agents with Copilot Studio actions, Graph connectors, and Azure AI Search—plus telemetry, evals, and guardrails—for low?latency, enterprise?grade results. Demos cover autonomous tasks, multi?agent handoffs, and feedback loops. Leave with patterns, code, and a build checklist.

Discover how Copilot is reshaping the data science experience in Microsoft Fabric and Power BI. From transforming raw data into actionable insights to generating stunning visualizations and reports, Copilot brings powerful new capabilities to your fingertips. You'll learn how to unlock Copilot in Fabric, explore what it can do, and ensure it's ready to elevate your analytics game. These tips and tricks will help you harness AI to work smarter, faster, and with more impact.

This session highlights how Microsoft’s agentic AI and TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture empower telecom operators to rapidly deploy autonomous network operations agents—reducing resolution times, boosting efficiency, and unlocking new revenue opportunities.

Discover how to harness Copilot Analytics' latest agent reporting tools to track usage, quantify impact, and refine your strategy. Learn how Frontier Firms are using these insights to lead with precision, scale with confidence, and stay ahead of the curve.

Discover how Windows 365, enhanced with Frontline in shared mode and Cloud Apps capability, delivers flexible, secure, and cost-effective solutions tailored for today’s dynamic workforce. Join us to see why Windows 365 is the smart choice to empower your organization’s evolving needs and streamline IT management.

As AI agents evolve from tools to collaborators, Microsoft’s systems strategy is redefining AI infrastructure with full-stack optimization, from silicon to systems to services. This session explores advancement in the infrastructure – including cooling, network, power, and storage – to meet the speed, reliability, and efficiency demands of AI. Innovations like Fairwater, one of the largest AI training systems, networking, and purpose-built chips are enabling unprecedented performance and scale.

This session will showcase scenarios to illustrate how code interpreter enhances Copilot Studio agents. At the end of the session, you will have an understanding of using code interpreter in your agents to reason over structured data, conduct advanced analysis and data visualization.

Explore how Microsoft 365 apps are evolving with both Copilot chat-first experiences and in-app Copilot experiences across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. This session highlights new capabilities in Copilot Chat and in the apps that change how people work in M365. Learn how these innovations are empowering M365 users through improved productivity and efficiency in their workflows.

Cloud-native architectures are transforming app development, and Azure’s infrastructure drives this evolution. This session dives into services that help develop and deploy resilient, scalable cloud-native solutions—with real customer insights and field-tested guidance. Learn how VMSS handles stateless workloads, Azure Storage and Container Networking optimize performance and cost, and how Kubernetes and other OSS thrive on Azure with enterprise-grade reliability.

Delivered in a silent stage breakout.

Build AI apps that run securely and scale with your needs with Azure SQL Database Hyperscale. We’ll cover native vector indexes for semantic search, read scale out for low latency RAG, and secure model invocation with Microsoft Foundry, using the model of your choice, from T SQL. Hear directly from global technology company Hexagon and investment firm BlackRock who will join us to share their experience along with best practices, demos and more!

Join a peer-led discussion on how to engage Copilot users in agent-building. Share ideas, challenges, and strategies for cross-community activation.

Connection Pods accommodate up to 15 people. Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Ever wondered what it takes to be a Microsoft AI MVP? Here’s your chance to find out. Chat with current MVPs and program leads to learn how MVPs share their expertise, influence product direction, and support the AI community. Learn about the benefits of the MVP program, ask questions and explore how to get involved.

Connection Pods accommodate up to 15 people. Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Is it AI versus people - or AI with people? Join AppMeetup for an engaging conversation on how AI tools like Copilot are transforming B2B sales. Learn how founders, sales leaders, and teams are using AI to gain deeper customer insights, strengthen communication, and close deals faster—while staying human at the heart of every interaction.

Connection Pods accommodate up to 15 people. Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Join our product experts to discuss best practices for unifying identity and network access with the Microsoft Entra Suite 

Connection Pods accommodate up to 15 people. Please RSVP and arrive at least 5 minutes before the start time, at which point remaining spaces are open to standby attendees.

Agentic applications are transforming how organizations innovate with AI, but building production-ready agents requires more than just powerful models. It demands a unified, AI-native application platform. In this session, discover how Microsoft Foundry enables developers to build, deploy, and scale agents enriched with real-time business context, custom tools, and comprehensive governance. Hear from KPMG on how they’re accelerating AI innovation and delivering business impact with Microsoft.