baseVISION AG optimizes the use of AI with Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft Purview

baseVISION AG is a leading IT security service provider. Focused strongly on security, endpoint management, and cloud technologies, the company supports customers’ digital transformation. It is one of the top 100 Microsoft Global Security Partners and a member of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA). baseVISION is committed to innovation and the highest standards of security—for its customers, but also internally. 

AI is making deeper inroads into companies everywhere, and baseVISION is no exception. “There is no longer any way around the deployment of AI,” says Thomas Kurth, CEO of baseVISION AG. “It can have a positive impact on productivity, but it also exposes us to data security risks.” In the absence of specifications about what tools to use and how to use them, staff tend to do their own thing. But as a security service provider, baseVISION needs a secure configuration that will safeguard sensitive data and comply with detailed data protection agreements. A year and a half ago, the aim was therefore to advance the use of AI while also regulating its deployment—to optimize the benefits while minimizing the risks, in other words. A solution was needed that would boost internal efficiency, simplify administrative processes, and thus give the company a sharper competitive edge. 

Combining efficiency and data protection—with Microsoft 

baseVISION is a long-standing Microsoft partner, so sourcing its AI solution too from Microsoft was a ‘no-brainer.’ “We trust Microsoft implicitly,” Kurth affirms. “The solutions let us protect data. But as an SME, we also benefit from simple, cost-conscious integration and the use of tools.” That also explains why baseVISION uses such a wide range of products. Alongside Microsoft 365 E5 (for security and compliance), Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat too is already in use for all employees. The fee-based variant is rolled out as needed—to around 80% of staff as things stand. With the aid of Microsoft Purview DSPM for AI, baseVISION can also analyze what AI tools are used and whether company data is entered in them. Corporate policy is to only use the Microsoft solution. “Anyone who works with AI or wants to do so is given Microsoft Copilot to keep things efficient. We make the fee-based version available specifically to those employees who work actively with it. Only then can we combine productivity with data protection,” says Kurth, outlining the strategy. To generate suitable answers to RFIs, for example, baseVISION uses Microsoft Azure OpenAI Services in the form of a custom-made chatbot. In the Private Preview community, the company was also one of the first to begin exploring the benefits of Security Copilot for security analysis.               

Thanks to the in-depth skills available internally, implementing the new tools was no problem. The workforce is also extremely keen to work with innovative technologies such as AI. They see no inherent contradiction between AI and security: Like yin and yang, they are two sides of the same coin. 

A holistic view of AI 

To deploy Copilot securely and productively, baseVISION also takes advantage of further features in the M365 E5 suite, including Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI. This approach ensures that staff can only use Microsoft Copilot to access and share information to which their role gives them authorized access. “Adopting a structured approach is vital,” Kurth insists. “Instead of just using Microsoft Copilot, the people in charge also need to think about Microsoft Purview. DSPM for AI in particular is of central importance and is very helpful to maximize the return on our investment.” In the context of AI, baseVISION also benefits from Microsoft’s information offerings. These include training content and events, but also community dialogue that enables users’ experience and best practices to be shared.           

One successful use case at baseVISION is the agent the company developed for its internal academy. In reference to a skill matrix, it helps staff find out how they can best make progress in different areas. Employees also use Microsoft 365 Copilot to boost their own productivity when working with the various Office tools—to prepare for meetings or produce the minutes afterward, for example. 

Reaping rewards 

Feedback from the staff has been very positive. More than 90% of users who have a Copilot license use the tool regularly: “The use of Copilot has increased sharply over time,” Kurth reports. “Right now, we are getting requests from people who haven’t used AI tools yet, but who now want a Copilot license. That shows that our plan—focusing the use of AI on Microsoft Copilot—is working.” 

As for other SMEs, the cost/benefit calculation for new tools is equally critical for baseVISION. Initially, the company worked out that time savings of 30 minutes per employee per month would already cover the cost of the Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses. And since Copilot is now being used for almost everything, the benefits far outweigh the costs. On average, every Copilot user uses the tool for two queries per day. That saves baseVISION between CHF 60 and CHF 70 per user per month, guaranteeing that the investment pays for itself very quickly. “A Microsoft Copilot license costs around CHF 2 per day and per user—less than a cup of coffee,” Kurth notes. “But above all, we are impressed by the potential long-term savings—in the context of data protection as well. What many people forget is that a data leak can quickly cost more than a secure, compliant, and easily manageable tool.”

Heading for the future—with a smart AI strategy 

At baseVISION, the use of AI will change significantly in the months ahead. “We first heard about autonomous agents at a talk by Satya Nadella, CEO and Chairman of Microsoft, at Microsoft Ignite in Chicago,” Kurth recalls. “And we immediately knew that we needed to take a closer look.” He nevertheless adds that such agents—be they autonomous or not—should be examined and deployed not only for the use of customers, but also for internal, administrative purposes such as expense and timesheet validation. Plans already exist for an agent initiative for Security Copilot. Three focus groups will be set up to explore further use cases, and to compare and contrast the costs and benefits. Looking further ahead, this should also enable the company to advise customers on how they too can use Security Copilot. Yet Kurth warns against the ill-considered deployment of AI: “You’ve really got to study the topic in a lot of depth,” he says, “because right now everyone is trying to use AI for their own purposes. But you can only cut costs and minimize risks if you have a focused strategy.” Kurth is convinced that the human factor remains pivotal: “AI isn’t going to replace us humans. It is simply a tool. So, it is important to find out where automation makes sense at the present time and what AI’s strengths are. Essentially, AI should be deployed wherever it makes economic and ecological sense.”