As organisations rush to unlock the productivity gains of Generative AI, the question of data safety has become critical. At Bridgeall, as a Microsoft Copilot Partner, we’ve seen firsthand how Microsoft Copilot can transform a business, but that transformation must be built on a foundation of trust. It is too easy to leak information to employees that shouldn’t have access to it, and worse, leak that information outside your organisation.
The magic of Copilot lies in its ability to access your entire Microsoft 365 ecosystem. However, without the right guardrails, that same access can lead to the accidental surfacing of sensitive data. This is where Microsoft Purview becomes the essential partner in your AI journey.
What is Microsoft Purview?
Microsoft Purview is a comprehensive family of data governance, protection, and compliance solutions. Think of it as the intelligence layer for your data security.
It allows organisations to map their entire data estate, identify what is sensitive (and what isn’t), and apply automated policies that follow data wherever it goes, even into an AI prompt. This provides better data governance but also logs activity to help understand a breach if it occurs.
5 Key Features of Purview for Securing Microsoft Copilot
To help your business scale AI confidently, here are five ways Microsoft Purview secures the Copilot experience:
- Sensitivity Label Inheritance
Purview’s Information Protection ensures that security isn’t lost during the creative process. When a user asks Copilot to summarise a confidential document, the resulting summary automatically inherits the original file’s sensitivity label. If the source was Confidential, the AI-generated output stays Confidential.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for AI Prompts
Accidental oversharing is a top concern for IT leaders. Purview’s DLP policies can be configured to monitor Copilot interactions in real-time. If an employee attempts to paste sensitive information like credit card numbers or proprietary code into a Copilot prompt, Purview can block the action instantly.
- Mitigating Insider Risk with Behavioural Analytics
AI can unintentionally amplify the impact of a disgruntled or compromised user. Purview Insider Risk Management analyses signals across your environment to detect suspicious activity. If a user’s risk level rises, Purview can automatically restrict their access to Copilot or highly sensitive sites, preventing potential data exfiltration before it happens.
- Communication Compliance & Ethical AI
Maintaining a professional and compliant workplace is vital. Purview’s Communication Compliance tools monitor Copilot interactions for violations of corporate policy, such as the use of inappropriate language or the sharing of sensitive data. This ensures your AI usage aligns with both legal requirements and your brand’s ethical standards.
- Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI
Knowledge is power. The Purview AI Hub provides a centralised dashboard that gives you a bird’s-eye view of how AI is being used across your firm. You can see which sensitive labels are being surfaced most frequently and receive actionable recommendations to tighten permissions where data might be over-shared.
At Bridgeall, we believe the most successful AI adoptions are security-first. Microsoft Purview isn’t just an add-on; it is now a critical element of Copilot roll out. By classifying your data and setting your governance policies today, you ensure that your AI-powered future is as secure as it is productive.
Our Copilot Readiness Services
At Bridgeall we are a Copilot Partner, and we help businesses adopt and roll out Microsoft Copilot safely. Our Copilot Readiness Services help take you on a journey to drive real business value from Copilot while keeping your business safe.
