A new feature coming to Microsoft Teams will make it easier to spot third-party bots before they join a meeting. As AI tools become more common in workplace calls, we’ll examine how Microsoft plans to give organizers more visibility and control as we sit down and sync up with Rocket IT’s weekly technology update.

In this episode, you’ll hear more about:

• A new Microsoft Teams feature designed to spot third-party bots before they join meetings.
• How AI tools like note-takers and transcription bots are becoming more common in workplace calls.
• Why bots in the lobby can create security and privacy concerns if they are not clearly identified.
• How Microsoft plans to label and separate bots from real attendees in the meeting lobby.
• Why this added visibility gives organizers more control over meeting access.
• When Microsoft says the feature is expected to begin rolling out.

Video Transcript

A lot of the tools you see alongside meeting attendees in virtual calls aren’t necessarily bad. In many cases, they’re often there to help take notes, create transcripts, and visual quick summaries from calls.

The issue is that, right now, these bots can show up in the lobby looking a lot like any other participant. So, if an organizer is admitting a large group of people into a meeting, it’s easy to let a bot in without really noticing it. Microsoft is trying to fix that.

With this new feature, third-party bots waiting in the lobby will be clearly labeled and grouped separately from real attendees. This will allow organizers to admit or kick unwanted bots, instead of letting them in along with everyone else.

The goal is to provide organizations with a little more clarity around what is joining a meeting and a little more control over what gets access to the conversation. And that matters because even helpful tools can create risk if sensitive information is being discussed. Whether that is internal planning, financial information, client conversations, or something else, organizers need to know if a bot is in the mix before letting it into the room.

Now, keep in mind that this feature has yet to be released as of the recording of this video. That said, we know it’s coming soon, as Microsoft shared an update through the Microsoft 365 roadmap, with a tentative release date of May 2026.

The takeaway here is that AI tools are becoming more common in everyday business platforms. And while a lot of them can be useful, they also need to be reviewed with security and data protection in mind. Even with strong security tools in place, businesses can still end up exposing sensitive information through apps, integrations, or settings that were never fully reviewed.

Rocket IT helps organizations uncover those gaps, review security settings, and make sure the right protections are in place. If you want help reviewing whether your Teams and Microsoft 365 environment are set up securely, reach out using the link in this video’s description. And to stay up to date on trending technology news, hit that subscribe button and the bell to catch us on next week’s episode of Sync Up with Rocket IT.