What Is Microsoft 365 Copilot? Microsoft’s Newest AI System Explained
Over the years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our world. It serves diverse purposes, from being used to power virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri to being used for chatbots and image and facial recognition for improved security. AI is now used for large language models (LLMs), a cutting-edge technology that can mimic human intelligence.
Microsoft has jumped on the AI train, working closely with OpenAI to create various artificial intelligence tools to improve work and collaboration. It integrated AI into its search engine, launching Bing AI in February 2023. Also, there are now AI integrations with Edge browser, Microsoft 365, and Windows 11.
In March 2023, Microsoft introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot (aka Microsoft Copilot or Copilot), a tool that combines the power of large language models with data in Microsoft Graph and Microsoft 365 apps. Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, described Copilot as a tool that will “Fundamentally change the way we work and unlock a new wave of productivity growth.”
This post delves into Microsoft Copilot and how you can use it with Microsoft 365 apps. It also covers its AI capabilities.
What Is Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is the ultimate digital assistant used in Microsoft 365 to simplify workflow and increase productivity. With this AI tool, businesses no longer have to expend time handling mundane and repetitive tasks. Copilot handles these tasks, freeing up time you can use to focus on more meaningful work.
In the words of Microsoft’s CEO, “With our new Copilot for work, we’re giving people more agency and making technology more accessible through the universal interface — natural language.” So, you can instruct Copilot to handle tasks like scheduling meetings, creating content, or collating notes rather than doing them yourself.
For example, using natural language, you can ask Copilot, “Tell my team what we decided on the new product strategy during the team meeting on Friday morning.” Then, it will summarize the points discussed and agreed on and send them to team members via email or chat threads.
With Copilot, you can analyze team members’ calendars to know the best way to schedule meetings across time zones and send out the invite. This makes it an excellent tool for remote and hybrid teams. Also, Microsoft Copilot helps businesses gather relevant content for a presentation, generate ideas, and convert them into engaging slides.
Taking advantage of Copilot’s ability for creative thinking helps businesses recover valuable time, reduce their workload and stress, and improve collaborations. Also, with Copilot’s ability to quickly and accurately process data, it is possible to make more informed decisions, which improves productivity.
Additionally, Copilot is embedded into the Microsoft 365 apps used daily, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, etc. With Microsoft 365 Copilot, you are always in control and can decide the information you want to keep, modify, or discard. Also, it’s now easier to be more expressive when using PowerPoint, more analytical with Excel, have increased creativity in Word, be more collaborative in Teams, and have better productivity in Outlook.
AI Capabilities of Microsoft Copilot
One feature distinguishing Copilot is its ability to understand context using natural language prompts. It can comprehend the meaning behind user queries and provide relevant and accurate insight. Copilot is beyond keyword matching. It delves into the nuances of language to understand the user’s intent, making it proficient in handling various tasks.
Also, Copilot does not stop learning thanks to its machine learning (ML) capabilities. It can adapt to users’ preferences and work styles and provide personalized recommendations by analyzing user interaction patterns. As a result, it will only get more intuitive and practical, making it a digital assistant that understands and can anticipate your needs.
Further, Copilot can manage schedules, set up team meetings, manage shared calendars, and coordinate schedules among teammates. Also, with Microsoft 356 Copilot’s advanced capabilities, you can get informed responses based on your business data. This means you can get personalized and contextually relevant insights on your business processes and workflows.
Conclusion
Copilot is a tool that can boost productivity in many ways and will evolve and improve over time. However, you can be confident you will get excellent task automation, real-time and personalized assistance, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
With all these functions, you will supercharge your business’s productivity. So, if you want to work smarter, unleash creativity, and transform how you and your employees work, get on the Copilot train.
Want to know more?
We’ve written a comprehensive guide to supercharging business and employee productivity with Microsoft Copilot.
We cover everything from a deep dive into Microsoft AI and how it works, integration, and also some actual prompts you could use to help you become more productive when using your favorite Microsoft Apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
