Microsoft at Ignite: Copilot, agents and SMB pricing
- Microsoft unveiled Agent 365, a control plane to register, secure and manage AI agents across the enterprise, plus a Copilot Control System for governance, telemetry and reporting. techcommunity.microsoft.com
- Microsoft 365 Copilot Business launches for SMEs (under 300 users) at $21 per user/month in December; Security Copilot to be included for Microsoft 365 E5 customers. microsoft.com
What it means for UK teams
If you’ve been hesitating over governance and cost, Microsoft is trying to remove both barriers. Budget holders can plan for a per‑user price point and a clearer admin model for agents. Ask your IT partner how Agent 365 will handle access control, logging and rollback alongside your current DLP/M365 controls. For rollout tactics, see our notes on feature flags for AI and the Go‑Live Gate.
Google: Gemini 3 arrives
- Google introduced Gemini 3, pitched as its most intelligent model yet, rolling out across the Gemini app, AI Studio and Vertex AI, with an emphasis on reasoning and multimodality. blog.google
What it means for UK teams
Expect updated benchmarks and new SKUs to appear in proposals and vendor roadmaps. If you’re a Google Workspace shop, ask when Gemini 3 will be available in your tenant and how it compares (quality, latency, cost) with current models you use through Vertex or third‑party tools.
xAI: Grok 4.1 rolls out
- xAI says Grok 4.1 is now available across grok.com, X, and the mobile apps; users can select it explicitly in the model picker. x.ai
What it means for UK teams
xAI’s pace matters if your teams are experimenting with alternative models for web research or multilingual Q&A. Validate data controls and rate limits before any trial, and compare outputs with your current default model on your own test set.
OpenAI: safety notes for GPT‑5.1 and an Ireland SME push
- OpenAI published a system‑card addendum for GPT‑5.1 Instant and GPT‑5.1 Thinking, outlining additional pre‑deployment safety evaluations (e.g., mental health and emotional‑reliance checks). openai.com
- OpenAI launched “OpenAI for Ireland” with SME training programmes and partnerships to increase adoption—useful context for UK‑Ireland groups and cross‑border teams. openai.com
What it means for UK teams
If your risk committee has asked for model‑level safety documentation, note the new addendum when updating your register. For multi‑jurisdiction operations, expect similar national initiatives elsewhere and check eligibility for training or credits.
Anthropic: Microsoft/Nvidia deal changes the cloud landscape
- Microsoft and Nvidia will invest up to $15bn in Anthropic; in return, Anthropic commits $30bn of Azure compute and brings Claude models to Azure AI Foundry, while maintaining Amazon as its main partner. reuters.com
- Anthropic published a new “Economic Index” analysing Claude usage trends across countries and enterprises, with an open dataset. arxiv.org
What it means for UK teams
Multi‑cloud access to Claude reduces vendor lock‑in and strengthens your case for a portable AI stack. Update procurement questions to ask where each vendor hosts Anthropic models and what SLAs apply. Our AI lock‑in buyer’s guide may help.
Nvidia: record results underline continued AI demand
- Nvidia reported Q3 FY26 revenue of $57.0bn (+62% y/y), including $51.2bn from data‑centre, and guided to $65bn for Q4. investor.nvidia.com
What it means for UK teams
Capacity remains tight in places, which can affect availability and price for model‑hosting and fine‑tuning. If you’re planning on‑prem or dedicated GPU capacity for 2026, secure delivery timelines now and stress‑test any supplier’s ability to swap chips if allocations change.
Perplexity: Comet browser gets a smarter assistant and clearer privacy controls
- Perplexity shipped a “reimagined” Comet Assistant with better environment understanding, multi‑tab workflows and browser approval prompts. perplexity.ai
- Release notes cite a 23% task‑completion uplift and introduce a Privacy Snapshot widget to put key controls on the homepage. perplexity.ai
What it means for UK teams
Agentic browsing is maturing fast. If staff use Comet, set a short policy note on permitted actions (auto‑form‑fill, purchases, downloads) and switch on privacy controls centrally where possible. Pilot against a list of routine web tasks to check reliability versus your current process.
Snowflake: AI in SQL and agentic analytics
- Snowflake detailed Cortex AISQL, a production SQL engine that plugs AI operations into SQL with cost‑aware optimisation and model cascades, based on production deployments. arxiv.org
- “Snowflake Intelligence” (natural‑language charts/answers over your data) reached general availability on 4 Nov. docs.snowflake.com
What it means for UK teams
For leaders prioritising governance, this is a sign that AI‑augmented analytics is moving into standard BI estates. If you’re a Snowflake customer, request a cost model: who pays for the AI steps in a query, and how are models chosen and logged?
What to watch next week
- Microsoft Ignite follow‑through: admin docs for Agent 365 and any UK availability notes. techcommunity.microsoft.com
- Google’s rollout details for Gemini 3 in Workspace regions and enterprise SKUs. blog.google
- Anthropic’s Azure availability timeline and SLAs inside AI Foundry. theverge.com