In Episode 354 of the CIAOPS "Need to Know" podcast, host Robert Crane sits down with Philip Meyer, a seasoned Microsoft veteran, to explore the seismic shifts in the IT landscape driven by artificial intelligence. From reflections on decades of industry evolution to practical advice for SMBs and partners, this episode delivers a rich blend of insights, personal stories, and actionable strategies. Topics include AI's impact on employment, cybersecurity challenges, digital labor, and the future of partner enablement. Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  Show Notes Email philme@catalyst345.com to receive the invitation to Phil’s online meetings http://aka.ms/wti for that Work Trends Index Philip Meyer | LinkedIn for LinkedIn profile Microsoft named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for XDR - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/10/02/microsoft-named-a-leader-in-the-idc-market… Retail at risk: How one alert uncovered a persistent cyberthreat - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/09/24/retail-at-risk-how-one-alert-uncovered-a-p… Fluid forms, vibrant colors - https://microsoft.design/articles/fluid-forms-vibrant-colors/ What’s new in Microsoft 365 Copilot | September 2025 - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365CopilotBlog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-36… An IT pro’s guide to Windows 11, version 25H2 - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/an-it-pro%E2%80%99s-guide-to-windows-11… Announcing Microsoft Sentinel Model Context Protocol (MCP) server – Public Preview - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-security-blog/announcing-microsoft-sentinel-mode… Microsoft Sentinel data lake is now generally available - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-security-blog/microsoft-sentinel-data-lake-is-no… Empowering defenders in the era of agentic AI with Microsoft Sentinel - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/09/30/empowering-defenders-in-the-era-of-agentic… Microsoft 365 Backup: Protect your business with data recovery - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft_365_backup_blog/microsoft-365-backup-protect-you… Office Agent – “Taste driven” multi-agent system for Microsoft 365 Copilot - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/office-agent-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%9Cta… Vibe working: Introducing Agent Mode and Office Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/09/29/vibe-working-introducing-agent-mode-a… Building Agent Mode in Excel - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/excelblog/building-agent-mode-in-excel/4457320 Microsoft Sentinel and Defender: ITSM Integrations Explained – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftsentinelblog/microsoft-sentinel-and-defender-itsm… AI vs. AI: Detecting an AI-obfuscated phishing campaign – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/09/24/ai-vs-ai-detecting-an-ai-obfuscated-phishi… Expanding model choice in Microsoft 365 Copilot – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/09/24/expanding-model-choice-in-microsoft-3… Introducing Channel Agent in Teams – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/introducing-channel-agent-in-teams… Sha