AI Agent & Copilot Podcast: Microsoft’s Cecilia Flombaum Defines an ‘AI-First Company,’ Transformation of Biz Apps

In this AI Agent & Copilot Podcast Special Report, filmed on location at the recent AI Agent & Copilot Summit, John Siefert is joined by Cecilia Flombaum, Office of the CTO, Business and Industry Copilots, Microsoft, to discuss how Copilot is transforming Microsoft Business Applications and shares highlights from her session at last month’s event.

AI Agent & Copilot Summit is an AI-first event to define opportunities, impact, and outcomes with Microsoft Copilot and agents. Building on its 2025 success, the 2026 event takes place March 17-19 in San Diego. Get more details.

Key Takeaways

Becoming an AI-first company: During the AI Agent & Copilot Summit, in Flombaum’s presentation on “How Agents & Copilots are Redefining the Value of Dynamics 365,” she defined what it means to be an AI-first company. Microsoft has taken this on, and during her session, she explained how clients can adopt this, too. “We talked about these concepts of keeping people at the center, augmented by Copilot, assisted by Copilot, in the work they do every day.”
AI adoption and transformation: Further, Flombaum discussed the importance of CEOs and CIOs having a plan for adopting AI, supported by AI-first applications in Dynamics 365 and partner efforts. Finally, she explored how AI is transforming CRM and ERP, changing user interactions, application appearances, and task performance.
Breaking down silos across Biz Apps: Microsoft 365 and AI are breaking down silos between applications like ERP, CRM, and Outlook, notes Flombaum, by focusing on tasks and processes rather than separate systems. She explains how Copilot will serve as the entry point to solve problems and complete tasks, with humans becoming supervisors, reviewers, and approvers of the work done by AI agents.
Streamlined tasks: ERP and CRM involve numerous processes like order management, demand planning, supplier communication, and inventory checks, which traditionally require navigating multiple apps. With advancements, these tasks will be streamlined, allowing for more efficient use of time at work.
Influence of AI agents: When hiring a seller, companies focus on relationship, business development, and deal-making skills, not data entry, for example. If data entry tasks are eliminated by an AI agent, sellers can concentrate on their strengths while leaders use sales research agents to get the insights they need.