Copilot and Security: Will AI Surface the Wrong Thing in Your SharePoint? Plus, the Amazing New Features!

Copilot is transforming the way we work – but with all its power, comes one big question: Are you absolutely sure it won’t surface the wrong thing?

In this episode of Simply SharePoint, we break down the real truth about Copilot and security. You’ll learn why Copilot doesn’t override permissions – but also why every forgotten sharing link, outdated draft, or “everyone in the organisaation” folder could suddenly matter more than ever.

Then, we flip the script and get excited about what Copilot can do: drafting emails from meeting notes, turning messy brainstorms into clean task lists, summarising 50-page reports in seconds, and even transforming documents into podcast-style audio overviews.

Finally, we wrap up with five actionable steps you can take this week to tighten your environment, safeguard sensitive content, and set Copilot up for success.

Whether you’re an IT pro, a SharePoint owner, or just curious about how AI will change your daily workflow, this episode will give you both the caution and the inspiration you need to embrace Copilot with confidence.

Listen now and make sure your AI is serving up magic – not mayhem.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Copilot and security. Will AI surface the wrong thing in your SharePoint? Plus, the amazing new features. Welcome back to Simply SharePoint, the podcast where we cut through the jargon of Microsoft 365, Explain it in plain English and tackle the things you actually need to know. Today, we're diving deep into a topic that's on everyone's mind in the modern workplace. Permissions and security in the age of Copilot. Because let's be honest, Copilot isn't just a buzzword anymore. It's becoming a pervasive, incredibly powerful AI assistant that's transforming how we work. And while that's incredibly exciting, it brings with it a big looming question for every organization. Are you absolutely 100% sure that Copilot won't surface the wrong thing? Now we're going to have to pull back the curtain on this, blame the security implications, and then launch into some of the most exciting recently released features that are changing the game. The unvarnished truth about Copilot and security. Let's get straight to the most fundamental principle. This is crucial, so listen closely. Copilot does not override permissions. I repeat, it will not magically unlock documents or content that users are not already authorized to see. If your permissions are set up correctly, Copilot respects them. It's not a security bypass. It's an intelligent search and summarization engine that operates within your existing security framework. But And this is where the plot thickens and where you need to pay close attention. If someone has access, even if that access was granted, say accidentally, inadvertently, or through long forgotten sharing links, Copilot can and will use that content. So think about that. Say a while ago, you may have drafted a new HR policy, kind of highly sensitive, but you shared it once for our OneDrive link last year. and then the link, you never set it to expire. If that link is still active and accessible to anyone, Copilot can see it, process it, and include it in responses to any queries. Imagine a junior team member asking Copilot for, say, company policy on performance reviews and getting your draft version that has not even approved yet. Another scenario. How about that SharePoint folder filled with sort of scratch documents, internal notes or brainstorming sessions? Perhaps it was carelessly set to say, everyone in the organization can access. Yep, it happens. Copilot will crawl through those too. A new employee asks for best practices for client proposals and then they get a chaotic mix of polished templates and half-baked ideas from say two or three years ago. Those old, outdated versions of contracts, pricing guides or product specifications that are still floating around on your SharePoint library, and they're marked as current because no one cleaned them up, Copilot will absolutely consider them relevant if a user can open them. Your sales team might just accidentally pull an old price list, which will lead to embarrassing and costly errors. So here's the stark reality. Copilot isn't breaking your security, it's reflecting it. It's a powerful mirror showing you exactly how clean or how messy your data governance truly is. This is why tightening permissions isn't just a back office IT task anymore. It's no longer just about compliance or preventing breaches in the traditional sense. It's now fundamentally part of your AI readiness strategy. If you want Copilot to be a force for good, a true productivity multiplier, you must ensure it's feeding on accurate, current, and appropriately permissioned information. Otherwise, you're not just risking a security incident, you're risking trust in your AI, which could sideline its adoption entirely. So while the promise of Copilot is immense, the prerequisite is pristine data, and that starts with understanding what Copilot sees. Five strategic steps to make Copilot secure and smart. So what can you do? This isn't just theory. Here are five concrete steps you can take starting this week to set Copilot and your entire Microsoft 365 environment up for unparalleled success. One, audit permissions like your AI depends on it. This is the foundational step. You must know who has access to what. Go beyond a superficial glance. Identify and kill those anyone with the link shares that were set up years ago and forgotten. Review guest access. Use SharePoint's built-in auditing tools or third-party solutions to get a comprehensive view. This is your first and most critical line of defense against accidental co-pilot exposure. Two, separate drafts from final documents religiously. So implement clear policies and technical controls. Work in progress documents, sensitive drafts, and confidential planning materials should be kept in a highly restricted, private workspaces or draft folders. Once a document is approved and ready for broader consumption, then move it into a structured, appropriately permissioned library. This ensures Copilot doesn't accidentally pull from unapproved or sensitive interim versions. Use metadata. It's your AI's secret weapon. This is where you really supercharge Copilot's intelligence and precision. Don't just rely on folder structures, implement metadata. Tag your document's status, draft, status, approved, version, current, version, archived, confidentiality, internal only, audience, executive. When Copilot scans, it can leverage this metadata to understand context and relevance. A query for current sales reports will then prioritize documents tagged status approved and version current. This is how you help co-pilots surface exactly the right thing. Four, rein in shared libraries and wide access groups. If a SharePoint site or library is currently accessible to everyone in the organization, take a hard look at why. Does every single person truly need to access every single document in that library? Often, these broad permissions are remnants of simpler times. Re-evaluate and reduce access to the smallest necessary group. Granular permissions are your friend here. 5. Educate your team. Make them AI-ready advocates. This isn't just an IT problem. It's a cultural one. Your users are on the front lines of content creation and sharing. They need to understand that sharing a file once, even seemingly innocuously, can make it Copilot visible. Conduct training sessions, share clear guidelines and explain the why. Help them understand that responsible sharing directly empowers Copilot to be a better, more secure assistant for everyone. Foster a culture where good data governance is seen as a collective responsibility, not just an IT mandate. These steps aren't just for Copilot readiness. They are fundamental for robust data governance in any modern digital workplace. Copilot simply puts a powerful spotlight on areas that might already be weak.

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SPEAKER_00: 9:24

So now let's wrap it up. Here's the ultimate takeaway from today's deep dive. Copilot isn't a security risk in itself. It's a security mirror. It shows you what's truly happening within your Microsoft 365 environment. If SharePoint is already organized, if your permissions are clean, and if you're leveraging metadata effectively, Copilot will truly be the best digital assistance you've ever had. It will be a force multiplier, an innovation engine, and a source of genuine magic in your daily workflow. But if your environment is messy, riddled with often shared links, and outdated content lurking in wide open folders, Copilot might start pulling in content you really, truly didn't want surfaced. And that is where the mayhem can begin. The power of Copilot is undeniable. Its ability to summarize, draft, analyze, and even generate audio from your content is revolutionary. But like any powerful tool, its effectiveness and safety depend entirely on the environment it operates within. So is your SharePoint ready for the AI revolution? As I mentioned in the podcast and have hinted at recently, I'm launching a complete Copilot Readiness Blueprint, which is only a few weeks away. This comprehensive program will guide you step-by-step through optimizing your entire Microsoft 365 environment for the full power of Copilot. But in the meantime, if you're eager to get started now, there's my Copilot Readiness Mini Course. This concise course is your perfect starting point to clean up those libraries, implement smart strategies, and begin the journey to a truly Copilot-ready SharePoint. It's designed to give you immediate, actionable insights to ensure Copilot surfaces the right content. Anyway, it's an exciting time to be working with Microsoft 365, and I'm thrilled to be on this journey with you. Thanks for tuning in to Simply SharePoint. If this episode hit home for you, and I suspect it did for many, please share it with your IT team, your boss, your colleagues in legal, or that one colleague with 90 files on their desktop, all called final. I'll see you next week for another deep dive into the world of Microsoft 365. Until then, stay organized, stay curious, and keep it Simply SharePoint.

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