AI Boosts Cybersecurity, Microsoft Restructures Sales, and Europe Launches Docs to Rival Google

[00:00:02] It's Monday, April 28th, 2025, and I'm Dave Sobel. Four things to know today. AI speeds cybersecurity, but human experts still carry the load. Tech hiring slows in Ireland, hinting at global caution. Microsoft restructures its AI sales strategy. Blackpoint Cyber launches a unified security platform for MSPs. And Europe rolls out docs to challenge US tech dominance. We'll talk about why these matter. This is the Business of Tech.

[00:00:32] A new report from Enable highlights the increasing reliance on artificial intelligence in security operations centers, emphasizing that while AI enhances efficiency, human expertise remains crucial for effective cybersecurity. The report, titled 2025 State of the Sock Report, reveals that 86% of security alerts still require human validation, underscoring the ongoing need for skilled analysts. According to the findings, AI tools have significantly reduced analysis time,

[00:01:00] enabling indicators of compromise to be pulled in as quickly as 10 seconds. I also spotted this in the Irish press. Hiring in the IT and science sectors is slowing due to ongoing economic uncertainty, according to the latest Q1 Jobs Index from Irish Jobs, a Dublin-based recruitment agency. Despite a 5% increase in overall job vacancies, the index revealed no change in job availability within these critical fields,

[00:01:29] reflecting a cautious hiring approach among employers amid global tensions. Julius Probst, the European labor market economist at the Stepstone Group and Irish Jobs, noted that while Ireland maintains a low unemployment rate of 4% and has seen around 700,000 employment gains in 2024, the volatility in the global economy is affecting hiring plans. The report highlighted regional disparities, with cities like Galway and Waterford experiencing moderate to strong job availability increases,

[00:01:58] while the science and IT sectors, often linked to multinational firms, remain stagnant. Why do we care? AI is meaningfully improving efficiency. Pulling indicators of compromise in 10 seconds is critically important for time to response. Yet 86% of alerts still need human validation, a stark reminder that AI is not autonomous cybersecurity. Customers will still need skilled security analysts alongside AI-enhanced tooling.

[00:02:26] Offering only AI security without human expertise behind it would be an incomplete and risky service for clients. For now. Ireland is a major bellwether for multinational tech and science hiring trends. U.S.-based tech giants, think Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, etc., have massive European operations headquartered in Ireland because of its favorable corporate tax rates, skilled labor, and EU access.

[00:02:54] If hiring in Ireland is freezing, it signals broader caution among U.S. multinationals globally, not just locally. A slowdown there often precedes or mirrors slowdowns in the U.S., particularly in fields like cloud services, cybersecurity, and SaaS development. Today's episode is supported by Huntress. Most cybersecurity solutions are built from massive enterprises with big budgets, not Huntress.

[00:03:21] They're the fully managed cybersecurity platform built for all businesses, not just the 1%. Huntress purposely builds security solutions like EDR, ITDR, SIM, and security awareness training to equip their team of elite threat hunters to handle the heavy lifting of security for you. When threat actors strike, Huntress' 24x7 global sock shuts them down before they're even on anyone else's radar. But they do more than just chase alerts.

[00:03:49] They lead the charge in industry research and knowledge, bringing expert protection and peace of mind. That's why users on G2 rate their EDR number one for growing businesses. To see how their expert threat hunting team gets the job done, visit Huntress.com slash MSB Radio. According to reporting in Business Insider, Microsoft is taking steps to simplify its artificial intelligence sales approach by consolidating its various AI offerings.

[00:04:19] According to internal slides from a recent presentation, the software giant aims to streamline how its products are marketed to customers, which has been hindered by the current division into multiple solution areas that complicate sales and confuse users. Currently, Microsoft has six distinct solution areas, including modern work, business applications, and security. Starting in July, these will be reduced to three. AI business solutions, cloud and AI platforms, and security.

[00:04:47] This reorganization is part of Microsoft's strategy to better align its sales teams and enhance training for sales personnel, ultimately reflecting the evolving landscape of customer needs in the era of AI. Microsoft's controversial recall feature for Windows 11 is making a comeback despite ongoing security concerns. The feature, which automatically takes screenshots of user activity, is set to roll out to all users after being in beta testing for select Windows Insider's participants.

[00:05:15] The updated recall requires biometric or PIN login for access and allows users to search through their screenshots. However, security experts warn that the software could inadvertently capture sensitive information like banking details, raising alarms about its security flaws. As of now, recall is expected to occupy a minimum of 25 gigabytes of storage on devices with larger capabilities, and users can filter out certain websites from being captured. Why do we care?

[00:05:43] You don't change a successful sales machine. Microsoft, reworking its entire sales structure around AI, suggests the current AI sales efforts aren't performing as expected. If AI were naturally slotting into the existing six solution sales model and delivering massive growth, they wouldn't need to consolidate and retrain everyone. Even with Microsoft's brand strength, AI is a complex, consultative sell, not just a feature add-on.

[00:06:11] This implies that IT services firms can't assume AI products will sell themselves just because demand headlines are everywhere. Sales enablement, education, and reframing value around outcomes are essential. Don't mistake Microsoft's AI push as proof AI is easy money. The real opportunity lies in simplifying the value proposition for clients. Clear, tangible outcomes, not buzzwords.

[00:06:36] Prepare for short-term vendor noise and be ready to steer clients through it with independent, outcome-first advice. Blackpoint Cyber has launched Compass One, a unified security posture and response platform designed to enhance cybersecurity for organizations. The platform, unveiled at the RSA Conference 2025 and Kaseya Connect 2025, combines proactive and reactive security measures aiming to streamline operations and reduce costs.

[00:07:06] Compass One is designed to unify cybersecurity, not just detection and response, but prevention, compliance, and recovery procedure all in one system. It's built around the idea that attacks don't happen in silos, so defenses shouldn't either. Compass One is built with full context. It ties together assets, users, vulnerabilities, and cloud applications into a single view. It doesn't just show you risks, it shows you which ones matter most based on who owns the device and how critical they are.

[00:07:34] If you buy in, you get six main modules. Unified asset management, detection and response, compliance tracking, application control for whitelisting, vulnerability management, and cloud posture management for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Duo accounts. Missing today? Backup. They're planning partnerships or integrations to close that gap, but it's not part of the platform yet. PriceWise Essentials, the detection and response only version, runs about $250 a device.

[00:08:01] The full platform, called Standard, is closer to $9.50 a device at retail, but expect real-world pricing around $6 to $7, depending on volume. Why do we care? Well, a couple of notes. Blackpoint is taking a channel-first sales approach, focusing on MSP partnerships. And while they haven't launched heavy AI features yet, it's clear they're building towards using AI for risk prioritization and action recommendations down the line.

[00:08:27] It's definitely RMM adjacent. They're pulling asset data and doing vulnerability scans. But the play here is not replacing RMMs. It's instead about moving MSPs up the stack, helping them quantify and prove security maturity to their customers, not just install another tool. It's a different flavor in the growing security platform race for MSPs. Now it's a question of whether the market will bite.

[00:08:54] France and Germany have unveiled a new collaborative writing and information sharing service called DOCS, designed as a homegrown alternative to Google Docs. This initiative, launched by France's Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs and Germany's Center for Digital Sovereignty of Public Administration, aims to enhance digital sovereignty for European businesses and agencies. DOCS, which is currently in beta, emphasizes simplicity and security for users looking to transition away from U.S.-made products.

[00:09:22] The platform includes essential collaboration features such as real-time editing and offline mode, and it supports document exports in various formats including PDF and Word. As an open-source project, DOCS is available for public use and collaboration, encouraging contributions from both public and private sectors. Why do we care?

[00:09:41] European businesses, especially public sector and regulated industries, are under increasing pressure to use European origin software for security, privacy, and compliance reasons. If you're serving European clients, this trend will materially impact solution design and vendor selection.

[00:09:59] If DOCS gains traction, IT services firms could build managed offerings around hosting, supporting, customizing, and integrating DOCS, similar to how MSPs offer managed Nextcloud or LibreOffice deployments. Governments aren't just encouraging digital sovereignty, they're actively funding and building it. France and Germany didn't just endorse an open-source alternative, they co-developed it.

[00:10:25] That's a major shift, moving from policy statements to product launches. Governments are no longer just regulators, they're becoming software vendors and ecosystem builders. This shifts the power dynamics in IT and service provision. That's why we care. This episode is supported by Comet Backup. Whether you get hit with ransomware, hardware failure, or human error, there's nothing more heart-stopping than losing business-critical data.

[00:10:54] Backups are your final stand when a threat penetrates your layers of defense. That's where Comet Backup comes in. Comet is an all-in-one backup solution. Whether you need to protect computers, servers, virtual environments, emails, or databases, Comet Backup empowers you to manage backups on your terms. Visit CometBackup.com to start your free 30-day trial today. Get $100 free credit when you sign up with the promo code MSPRADIO. Start running backups in 15 minutes or less.

[00:11:24] Comet Backup, the backup solution that MSPs trust. Thanks for listening. Today is National Superhero Day. It's Global Pay It Forward Day. And it's also National Cubicle Day. But we're moving on from that one. The Business of Tech is written and produced by me, Dave Sobel, under ethics guidelines posted at businessof.tech. If you've enjoyed the show, make sure you've subscribed or followed on your favorite platform. It's free and helps directly.

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