Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept—it’s reshaping how we work, collaborate, and secure our digital world. With Microsoft leading the way through innovations like Microsoft 365 Copilot, Azure AI, and the expanding Microsoft Security ecosystem, we are standing at the edge of a technological shift as impactful as the arrival of the cloud.

I’ve been in IT for more than 25 years, and I’ve seen technologies come and go. But what’s happening today with AI feels different. It’s powerful, exciting, and transformative—but it also brings challenges. How do we adapt quickly? How do we ensure security and governance? How do we make sure people aren’t left behind as the pace of change accelerates?

That’s where community comes in.

The Challenge of Change

AI is not just another tool to learn. It’s reshaping workflows, redefining skills, and creating entirely new roles in organizations. For IT leaders, it means balancing opportunity with responsibility. For everyday users, it means navigating a learning curve that can feel overwhelming.

The truth is, no one can do this alone. And that’s why community is more important than ever.

The Power of the Microsoft Community

Microsoft’s community—made up of MVPs, employees, user groups, and countless professionals around the world—has always been a force multiplier. The Microsoft MVP program in particular has shown me firsthand the value of practitioners who live and breathe technology every day. We test, we teach, and most importantly, we share.

Some of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned in my career didn’t come from documentation or training—they came from another IT professional generously sharing their real-world experience. I’ve also seen how a quick answer in a forum, a demo at a user group, or even a shared LinkedIn post can completely change how someone approaches a problem.

That kind of knowledge-sharing is the lifeblood of innovation.

AI + Community = The Next Wave

AI makes community indispensable. Tools like Copilot, Microsoft Sentinel, or Power Automate can accelerate productivity and security—but only if people know how to apply them effectively. Communities amplify best practices, highlight pitfalls to avoid, and create a feedback loop that Microsoft itself uses to refine and improve its products.

In this way, community doesn’t just support AI adoption—it shapes it. By sharing our workflows, our automations, and our lessons learned, we’re ensuring that the benefits of AI aren’t limited to a few, but are accessible to everyone.

A Call to Action

As we step further into the AI-powered era, I believe the most important thing we can do as IT professionals is to engage with our communities:

• Join a Microsoft user group or virtual community.
• Follow and learn from MVPs and Microsoft leaders on social platforms.
• Share your own insights, even if they feel small—you never know who they might help.

Technology may power the future, but community is what ensures we can all be part of it.

And in Microsoft’s AI era, that has never mattered more.