David Bowman and Jarbas Horst return for Season 2 of Fresh Perspectives, diving into the latest SharePoint drama that unfolded while David was on vacation. Microsoft introduced new page templates that disappeared almost immediately after user backlash, plus a mysterious AI quick actions button that's now floating on every SharePoint site.

The hosts share real feedback from recent conferences where SharePoint vendors face the same response - users saying "no" when asked if they like SharePoint. They discuss the reality of boring, disconnected experiences that plague large organizations, especially when relying on out-of-the-box features.

Fresh Intranet's parent company Advania UK completed major acquisitions, creating a 450 million pound revenue business with over 1500 employees and 10,000 customers. Meanwhile, ChatGPT-5 launched with more natural conversations now available in Microsoft Copilot.

In this season finale of Fresh Perspectives, Jarbas and David reflect on the standout moments and key lessons from their first twelve episodes.

From reflecting on how the podcasting journey pushed them out of their comfort zones, to sharing their most memorable highlights - this episode revisits the episodes that explored 2025 trends, the evolving role of AI and Copilot, and standout guest appearances from industry voices like Kai at Swoop Analytics and Manesh Mistry from Microsoft.

Tune in for the full episode for a few sneak peeks and exciting plans for Season 2.
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That’s a wrap for Season 1 🎉

Thank you for your support, feedback, and brilliant questions.

We’re taking a short break to gear up for Season 2, meanwhile follow us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/fresh-digital-workplace/] for more insights on all things SharePoint intranets and employee experience.

In this episode of Fresh Perspectives, Jarbas Horst, senior product manager, and David Bowman, product director for Fresh Intranet, kick things off by celebrating a significant milestone: Fresh Intranet’s recent recognition by Clearbox as an award-winning solution in the digital workplace space. They reflect on what set their product apart, notably its tight integration with SharePoint and Microsoft features, enhanced news and content management, and impressive AI capabilities in search and information management.

A central focus of the episode is on the major takeaways from the Microsoft 365 Community Conference in Las Vegas, which David recently attended. The hosts delve into the vibrant community exchange at the event, highlighting the latest trends around Microsoft Copilot and AI advancements. They discuss new Copilot features such as research agents and image creation, as well as SharePoint’s evolution toward more beautiful and dynamic site designs. The conversation touches on the practical challenges of governance, the importance of design expertise, and how tools like Viva Amplify are reshaping internal communications within Microsoft 365.

The episode also explores broader shifts in the enterprise collaboration landscape, especially with the growing importance of Viva Engage as organizations transition away from platforms like Workplace by Meta. Jarvis and David examine Microsoft’s new “Frontier Firm” concept and the stages of AI adoption in organizations—from initial individual use to more advanced, agent-driven automation. Throughout, the hosts leverage their deep expertise to provide listeners with thoughtful commentary on the future of digital workplaces, the potential of AI, and the evolving needs of internal communicators and community builders.