Microsoft has unveiled Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing advanced AI capabilities to its suite of workplace productivity tools. Copilot combines large language models (LLMs) with business data and Microsoft 365 apps to help users unleash their creativity, boost productivity, and enhance their skills.
“Copilot combines the power of large language models with your data and apps to turn your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet. By grounding in your business content and context, Copilot delivers results that are relevant and actionable. It’s enterprise-ready, built on Microsoft’s comprehensive approach to security, compliance, privacy and responsible AI. Copilot marks a new era of computing that will fundamentally transform the way we work,” said Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President, Modern Work and Business Applications, Microsoft.
Microsoft 365 Copilot offers a completely different approach to work rather than just improving existing processes. The Copilot puts customers in charge by giving them the flexibility to keep, modify, or discard any suggestions made by the tool. The tool effortlessly integrates with everyday apps, helping users be more creative in Word, analytical in Excel, expressive in PowerPoint, productive in Outlook, and collaborative in Teams, enabling them to work more efficiently and effectively.
Microsoft 365 Copilot will transform the workplace in three ways:
Boost Creativity
Microsoft 365 Copilot aims to boost creativity by providing users with a starting point in their writing or presentation creation process in Word. Copilot generates a first draft that can then be edited and modified, saving users hours of time sourcing and editing. The user always stays in control and can prompt Copilot to shorten, rewrite, or provide feedback as needed. Copilot in PowerPoint adds relevant content from previous documents to create beautiful presentations, while Copilot in Excel helps analyze trends and create data visualizations quickly and easily.
Increase Efficiency
Copilot is designed to help users focus on the most important tasks and avoid wasting time on redundant ones. With Copilot in Outlook, you can quickly go through lengthy email threads and respond with suggested replies in no time, allowing you to clear your inbox quickly. Copilot in Teams makes meetings more productive by summarizing key discussion points in real-time and generating action items. Copilot in Power Platform enables users to automate repetitive tasks, create chatbots, and develop functional apps in a short time.
According to data from GitHub, Copilot can significantly increase productivity for developers, with 88% reporting increased productivity, 74% feeling more satisfied with their work, and 77% spending less time searching for information or examples. Copilot not only benefits individuals but also creates a new knowledge model for organizations by leveraging their vast amounts of data and insights. Business Chat helps to surface relevant information and insights from various data sources, making it easier for knowledge to flow freely across the organization. Business Chat can be accessed from multiple platforms, including Microsoft 365.com, Bing, and Teams.
Enhance Skills
Copilot can help improve your skills and quickly learn and master new ones. Instead of being limited to a small set of commands, one can now use natural language to access the full range of features available within Microsoft 365.
Microsoft's Copilot System is not just OpenAI's ChatGPT integrated into Microsoft 365 but goes beyond that. It's an engine that combines the processing power of LLMs, including GPT-4, with Microsoft 365 apps and business data in the Microsoft Graph. The company is currently testing Copilot with a small group of customers to gather feedback and improve the models before scaling up.Microsoft 365 Copilot is the latest OpenAI investment in the company.
