Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you’ve surely heard of or at least encountered some form of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Whether it’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini, or even an AI chatbot you’ve interacted with for support, AI is everywhere.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve had numerous conversations with other IT professionals, many who are hesitant to adopt AI for themselves or their enterprises. While I understand their reservations, it’s clear that AI is here to stay and it’s advancing at a rapid pace.
Embracing AI can help you stay ahead of evolving threats, enhance your efficiency, and most importantly, distinguish yourself in the IT field. There are countless use cases for AI, and below, I’ll share some of the ways I’m leveraging AI as an Endpoint Administrator.
How I’m Using AI
I’ve been using Microsoft Copilot since it was initially baked into Windows 11. Let’s take a look below at some of the ways I’m leveraging AI.
First, I’ve uploaded a spreadsheet with endpoint inventory and asked a basic question.
Next, I’m asking Copilot to write a PowerShell script to add a shortcut to the public desktop.
Additionally, I need a custom detection script, so I’ll have Copilot write that one as well.
I completed this in about 5 minutes. I’ll review the scripts to make sure everything looks good, maybe make a few modifications, test them out, and then package them into a Win32 app and upload them to Intune for deployment.
There are, of course, many more use cases with AI than what I covered above, but you can see how valuable this can be.
Copilot in Intune
If you want to use Copilot in Intune, you’ll have to pay. Copilot for Intune requires Security Copilot, which requires the purchasing of Security Compute Units (SCUs). This is a provisioned capacity model and is billed by the hour.
If you’re already using Microsoft security products such as Defender, this might be worth the investment. However, if you only want access to Copilot in Intune, it may not be cost-effective, as you’ll be spending a minimum of $35,000 per year.
So, what can Copilot do in Intune?
Copilot Into Single Device Query
You can simplify KQL creation with Copilot to help create complex device queries. Watch in action below, as we’re asking Copilot to create a KQL query to show the RDP port configuration in the registry.
Policy Management
Policy management is probably the coolest thing about Copilot in Intune. Copilot can summarize the settings in a configuration profile. Navigate to a configuration policy and click on the Summarize with Copilot button.
You can also use pre-configured prompts to ask Copilot questions about specific policies, such as, “Has this setting been configured in other policies?” Copilot will then show you all policies where that setting has been configured, as well as provide links to those policies.
Troubleshoot Devices
Copilot can also be used to troubleshoot devices. Below, we are using the summarize device option to see a summary of device details.
We can then use the pre-configured prompts to get some more details. For example, we can compare this device with another one and compare configuration profiles that are applied.
Copilot in the 365 Admin Portal
You can also use Copilot in the 365 Admin Portal if you have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license. While you’re in the Microsoft admin portal, click on the Copilot button in the top right. You can then ask questions about your tenant or ask for help finding certain settings.
As you can see, there are many ways to leverage AI, and not just for endpoint management. As AI continues to evolve, so too will the ways we can integrate it into our workflows.
I’d love to hear how you’re using AI in your own work or any thoughts you have on its future impact. Feel free to comment below or message me on social media.
Sources:
Enhance and supercharge IT management with Copilot in Intune – Microsoft Technical Takeoff
