M365 E7, Intune and Purview Updates, Project Silica & Phi-4 Multimodal Models

In this episode of *Cloudy with a Chance of Insights*, Richard, Cyrus, and David return from a brief hiatus to deliver all the latest around the Microsoft Cloud ecosystem. The team dives into the evolving world of Microsoft 365, including speculation about the highly anticipated E7 license. They break down what this next-level license could mean for organizations, discuss the potential pricing, and debate whether the new bundled approach makes sense for enterprises navigating an increasingly fragmented Microsoft licensing landscape. Cyrus and Richard also unpack the newest updates across Intune and Purview, giving listeners an inside look at recent announcements and how these tools are adapting to modern security and compliance demands. The conversation expands to cover the latest in AI, with a spotlight on Microsoft’s strategy of leveraging external frontier models like Claude, Gemini, and Grok, plus hands-on impressions of GitHub Copilot’s recent improvements. As a bonus, Richard offers a sneak peek at IBM’s activities at the upcoming RSA Conference, including demos featuring Sentinel Lake and Sentinel Graph, and the hosts give a nod to loyal listeners eager for the show’s return. Key Topics Covered The rumored Microsoft 365 E7 license: features, pricing, and enterprise impact Latest updates in Intune and Purview for security and compliance Microsoft’s approach to AI: Adopting external models and Copilot improvements Sneak peek at IBM’s Sentinel Lake and Sentinel Graph at RSA Conference Perfect for IT professionals, Microsoft Cloud enthusiasts, and tech leaders wanting a candid, insightful take on the latest cloud innovations, licensing news, and security trends. BLOG https://themicrosoftcloudblog.com SUBSCRIBE    / @cloudywithachanceofinsights   SOCIALS X.Twitter: https://x.com/richardihogan Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/richardihoga... LinkedIn:   / richardhogan   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Threads: https://www.threads.com/@richardhogan323 MUSIC Null Invocation: Monochrome Pulse https://soundcloud.com/null-invocatio... CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:16 Microsoft's E7 License and AI Tools 01:02 IBM's Security Innovations and RSA Conference 01:54 Upcoming Microsoft Announcements and Licensing 02:49 Microsoft's Strategy with AI and Model Leverage 03:48 Microsoft Research's Multimodal Reasoning Model 10:16 AI's Role in Software Engineering and Coding 18:47 Microsoft's Project Silica: Long-Term Data Storage 23:59 Storage in Glass: The Future of Archival Data 27:44 Purview and Data Discovery Challenges 30:45 Protecting Unmanaged Devices with Browser-Based Security 35:56 Industry Trends in Security and Data Management 41:10 The Future of Device Security and Management 45:31 Closing Remarks and Next Steps