Image generation–analysis

This recent article:

https://blog.ciaops.com/2026/03/07/comparing-ai-services-image-generation/

highlights some important considerations for me when comes to AI services. It is also important to consider that given the outputs are images how they are perceived is (aka like/dislike) is subjective. However, there are some general principles we can apply (aka correctness).

I find it interesting in a world where the current hype is around Claude that that result was the poorest I think most would agree.

Created with Claude Sonnet 4.6 in 357 seconds

espresso_technical_infographic

The clear winner, at least when it comes to image creation is Nano Banana in this test.

Created Nano Banana in 54 seconds

It is interesting how fast Grok created an image but given the output you can clearly see why that is.

Created with Grok in 7 seconds

But to me, if you look at the three images Copilot created, especially the default one here:

Created with Copilot in 75 seconds

you would have to say that produced a quality result well ahead of others.

I hear a lot of complaints about the poor quality of Copilot but in my tests, like this image generation experiment, simply don’t bear that out, at least for me. Remember, I used the same prompt with all the models and the outputs are here.

The most interesting thing for me from this test (apart from the Grok speed) was the monumental fail of Claude to event get close to the others with this test. I fully appreciate that images may noty be Claude’s strength but, as a business, do you want to be constantly switching between models for images, then number, then code? That’s were the real productivity suck is in this new AI world, copying and pasting outputs to the right place.

To me, Copilot still wins as the best option for the overall best option for business information workers and these tests reinforce that.

Comparing AI services–Image generation

A while back I wrote this article : Comparing AI services–an objective analysis? –

https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/09/12/comparing-ai-services-an-objective-analysis/

I gave various AI services the same image prompt and this is the result

Copilot (default) – 75 seconds

Copilot (Think deeply) – 88 seconds

Copilot (Create infographic) – 100 seconds

Claude Sonnet 4.6 – 357 seconds

Gemini – Thinking [Nano Banana 2] – 54 seconds

Grok – Create image – 7 seconds

ChatGPT – 60 seconds

New Publication – Achieving SMB1001:2026, M365 PowerShell Automation Guide

https://directorcia.gumroad.com/l/smb1001-2006-ps

Achieving SMB1001:2026. Microsoft 365 PowerShell Automation Guide

Unlock the highest level of security, compliance, and operational efficiency with the definitive PowerShell automation guide for SMBs, MSPs, and IT professionals.

Why Choose This Guide?

Production-Ready Automation: Deploy fully-scripted, repeatable, and auditable solutions for every major security and compliance control in Microsoft 365 Business Premium—no more guesswork or manual errors.
Comprehensive Coverage: Includes 12 essential technology management controls (firewall, antivirus, patching, BitLocker, application allow-listing, EDR, and more) and 18 access management controls (account lifecycle, MFA, privileged access, email security, etc.), all mapped to the SMB1001:2026 standard.
Built for Professionals: Perfect for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), IT administrators, and security teams managing multiple tenants or seeking to implement infrastructure-as-code and configuration-as-code best practices.
Audit-Ready Evidence: Every script is designed to generate compliance evidence, validation reports, and audit artifacts—making regulatory audits and client reporting effortless.
Idempotent & Safe: All automation is designed to be safely re-run, ensuring consistent results and minimizing risk in live environments.
Best Practice Guidance: Each control includes not just scripts, but also implementation notes, validation steps, and operational best practices—so you’re never left wondering “what’s next?”
Legal & Licensing Clarity: Single-user, non-commercial license with clear terms; organizational and commercial use available by arrangement.

Key Benefits

Achieve and Maintain Compliance: Streamline your journey to SMB1001:2026 Level 5 (Diamond) compliance with proven, field-tested automation.
Reduce Risk: Enforce least-privilege, automate patching and security baselines, and block legacy threats—dramatically lowering your attack surface.
Save Time and Resources: Replace hours of manual configuration with one-click, script-driven deployments and validations.
Centralize and Standardize: Manage all tenants, devices, and users from a single, consistent playbook—ideal for MSPs and multi-tenant environments.
Stay Audit-Ready: Generate and maintain all the evidence you need for regulatory, insurance, or client audits—automatically.

Who Should Buy This Guide?

MSPs managing Microsoft 365 environments for multiple clients.
IT Administrators seeking robust, repeatable, and documented security/compliance deployments.
Security Teams needing automated compliance validation and evidence collection.
Organizations implementing infrastructure-as-code and aiming for best-in-class security posture.

What’s Inside?

Step-by-step PowerShell scripts for every control, with validation and compliance checks.
Modular structure for easy adoption—implement what you need, when you need it.
Quick reference tables, evidence checklists, and compliance calendars.
Guidance for integrating with HR, ITSM, Azure Key Vault, and Microsoft Graph APIs.
Best practices for onboarding, offboarding, privileged access, password management, backup, recovery, and more.

Don’t just meet compliance—automate it, prove it, and stay ahead of evolving threats.
Purchase the SMB1001:2026 PowerShell Automation Guide and transform your Microsoft 365 security and compliance operations today!

See all the titles available at – https://directorcia.gumroad.com/

CIAOPS Need to Know Microsoft 365 Webinar – March

laptop-eyes-technology-computer_thumb

Now in our tenth year!

Join me for the free monthly CIAOPS Need to Know webinar. Along with all the Microsoft Cloud news we’ll be taking a look at Copilot Agents.

Shortly after registering you should receive an automated email from Microsoft Teams confirming your registration, including all the event details as well as a calendar invite.

You can register for the regular monthly webinar here:

March Registrations

(If you are having issues with the above link copy and paste – https://bit.ly/n2k2603 )

The details are:

CIAOPS Need to Know Webinar – March 2026
Tuesday 31st of March 2026
11.00am – 12.00am Sydney Time

All sessions are recorded and posted to the CIAOPS Youtube channel.

Also feel free at any stage to email me directly via director@ciaops.com with your webinar topic suggestions.

I’d also appreciate you sharing information about this webinar with anyone you feel may benefit from the session and I look forward to seeing you there.

CIAOPS AI Dojo 010

What’s the session about?

This month we will be focusing on new Copilot features and updates as well as optimising AI for Small Business.

Who should attend?

This session is perfect for:

IT administrators and support staff
Business owners
People looking to get more done with Microsoft 365
Anyone looking to automate their daily grind

Save the Date

Date: Tuesday the 31st of March 2026

Time: 9:30 AM Sydney AU time

Location: Online (link will be provided upon registration)

Cost: $80 per attendee (free for Dojo subscribers)

CIA Brief 20260301

Zero Trust Workshop – Remediations –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IqON_3_ZEU

Threat modeling AI applications –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/26/threat-modeling-ai-applications/

What’s New in Microsoft 365 Copilot | February 2026 –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-36…

Query your local Excel files with Copilot Chat –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365InsiderBlog/query-your-local-excel-files-with-…

Celebrating 250 million: Empowering communities to enable the global AI economy –

https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2026/02/24/empowering-communities-to-enable-the-global-ai…

Scaling security operations with Microsoft Defender autonomous defense and expert-led services –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/24/scaling-security-operations-with-microsoft…

Microsoft Sovereign Cloud adds governance, productivity and support for large AI models securely running even when completely disconnected  –

https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2026/02/24/microsoft-sovereign-cloud-adds-governance-productivity-…

Agent 365 Blog –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/agent-365-blog/hello-world-/4494728

Notes From the Field: Finding and Remediating EWS App Usage Before Retirement –

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/notes-from-the-field-finding-and-remediating-ews-…

After hours

Japan in 8K -Tokyo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq3VGnWzYg

Editorial

If you found this valuable, the I’d appreciate a ‘like’ or perhaps a donation at https://ko-fi.com/ciaops. This helps me know that people enjoy what I have created and provides resources to allow me to create more content. If you have any feedback or suggestions around this, I’m all ears. You can also find me via email director@ciaops.com and on X (Twitter) at https://www.twitter.com/directorcia.

If you want to be part of a dedicated Microsoft Cloud community with information and interactions daily, then consider becoming a CIAOPS Patron – www.ciaopspatron.com.

Watch out for the next CIA Brief next week

New Publication – Achieving SMB1001:2026. Step by step GUI based instructions for MSPs and IT Professionals

https://directorcia.gumroad.com/l/smb1001-2006-gui

Unlock the highest level of cybersecurity and compliance for your business with the definitive SMB1001:2026 Compliance Guide.

What Is It?

A comprehensive, step-by-step, GUI-based manual designed for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), IT professionals, and compliance officers. This guide demystifies the SMB1001:2026 Level 5 (Diamond) standard, providing clear instructions for implementing every required control using Microsoft 365 Business Premium and related Microsoft tools.

Key Features

Complete Coverage: All five domains—Technology Management, Access Management, Backup & Recovery, Policies & Plans, Education & Training—are mapped to actionable controls.
Stepwise Implementation: Each control includes requirements, GUI navigation, best practices, and links to official Microsoft documentation.
Audit-Ready Evidence: Guidance on collecting and maintaining evidence (screenshots, reports, policies) for every control, ensuring audit readiness.
Advanced Security: Includes new 2026 controls like Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), SPF/DKIM/DMARC for email, and phishing-resistant MFA.
Vendor/Product Comparisons: Practical tables for backup, insurance, training, DMARC, vulnerability scanning, and password managers—helping you choose the right tools.

Benefits

Achieve SMB1001:2026 Level 5 Certification: Essential for regulatory compliance, cyber insurance, and client trust.
Reduce Audit Risk: Clear evidence requirements and troubleshooting guides minimize compliance gaps.
Streamline IT Operations: GUI-based instructions minimize reliance on PowerShell/CLI, making implementation accessible to Level 1 support staff.
Protect Against Modern Threats: Ransomware, phishing, credential compromise, and vendor risk are all addressed with layered security controls.
Save Time & Reduce Errors: Step-by-step guidance, best practices, and troubleshooting appendices ensure smooth rollout and rapid problem resolution.

Who Should Buy?

MSPs and IT professionals managing Microsoft 365 environments for SMBs.
Compliance officers and business managers seeking audit-ready, best-practice security.
Organizations aiming for SMB1001:2026 certification, improved cyber insurance premiums, and a mature security posture.

How It Solves Your Problems

Fragmented Compliance: Brings all controls together in one place, mapped to Microsoft 365 tools.
Audit Evidence Gaps: Provides templates and checklists for evidence collection and retention.
Risk of Misconfiguration: Stepwise, GUI-based instructions reduce errors and ensure correct implementation.
Backup & Recovery Weaknesses: Covers offsite, air-gapped, and immutable backup strategies, with vendor comparisons.
Human Error & Training: Includes security awareness, phishing simulation, and role-based IT/admin training modules.

Why Purchase?

Required for SMB1001:2026 Level 5 (Diamond) certification.
Simplifies complex compliance and security requirements.
Saves time and reduces operational risk.
Provides audit-ready documentation and evidence.
Aligns with Microsoft 365 tools for seamless integration.

Take the guesswork out of cybersecurity compliance. Invest in the SMB1001:2026 Compliance Guide and empower your business to achieve, maintain, and prove the highest standards of security and operational resilience.

Achieving SMB1001:2026 is available here – https://directorcia.gumroad.com/l/smb10012006

See all the titles available at – https://directorcia.gumroad.com/

CIA Brief 20260222

Microsoft Gaming CEO and Xbox President Phil Spencer leaving Microsoft effective immediately –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQGNVbdJAk4

New e-book: Establishing a proactive defense with Microsoft Security Exposure Management –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/19/new-e-book-establishing-a-proactive-defens…

Running OpenClaw safely: identity, isolation, and runtime risk –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2026/02/19/running-openclaw-safely-identity-isolation…

Project Silica’s advances in glass storage technology –

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/project-silicas-advances-in-glass-storage-technology/

After hours

Engineers vs Junkyard RC Car Death Match

We’re not ready for superintelligence – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg1ro-zG7AM

Editorial

If you want to be part of a dedicated Microsoft Cloud community with information and interactions daily, then consider becoming a CIAOPS Patron – www.ciaopspatron.com.

Watch out for the next CIA Brief next week