Unleashing New Capabilities for Enhanced Productivity
On the 9th of March, Microsoft 365 Copilot was introduced and has since been making waves as a trusted assistant for work. With the Microsoft 365 Copilot Early Access Program, more customers are gaining access to this innovative tool. The program has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from enterprise customers, including Goodyear, General Motors, The Walsh Group, and Avanade, who recognise its potential to revolutionise work.
Microsoft is also rolling out the Semantic Index for Copilot. This new capability will be available to enterprise customers with Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 licensing, whether they are using Copilot or not. The Semantic Index is a sophisticated mapping of user and company data. Instead of simply searching for keywords in file names or bodies, the Semantic Index understands the context and relationships within the data. For example, if you inquire about the “March Sales Report,” Copilot will not only look for documents containing those words but will also recognise that sales reports are typically produced by Kelly on the finance team using Excel. This conceptual understanding allows Copilot to determine your intent accurately and assist you in finding the information you need. The Semantic Index for Copilot not only improves the responsiveness of Copilot itself but also enhances enterprise search results.
Now, let’s explore the exciting new capabilities that Microsoft 365 Copilot is bringing to the table.
Copilot in Whiteboard
Microsoft Teams meetings and brainstorms are about to become more creative and effective. Using natural language, Copilot in Whiteboard allows users to generate ideas, organise them into themes, create designs, and summarise whiteboard content. This capability enables more productive and efficient meetings, as Copilot can provide ideas on specific topics. Leveraging the power of Microsoft Designer, Copilot can transform ideas into original images that complement the text. Feedback solicitation, work summaries, and the use of Microsoft Loop components take collaboration to the next level.
Copilot in PowerPoint
The integration of OpenAI’s image generator, DALL-E, brings a new dimension to PowerPoint presentations. By simply using words, users can ask Copilot to create custom images that enrich their slides. From a black and white image of a bulletin board with sticky notes to postcards with an artistic photography style, Copilot delivers impressive visuals. Additionally, Rewrite with Copilot optimises presentation text by transforming bullet points into paragraphs (and vice versa), making it more concise, and generating original titles.
Copilot in Outlook
Microsoft has made it easier than ever to craft impactful communications with Copilot in Outlook. When drafting an email, Copilot provides coaching tips and suggestions on clarity and tone, ensuring that messages are effective and well-received. Whether it’s delivering sensitive information or sending a clear message under tight deadlines, Copilot offers valuable guidance.Copilot in OneNote
Copilot in OneNote enhances notetaking and organisation capabilities. Leveraging user input, Copilot helps in improving the look of digital notebooks, reorganising content, adjusting formatting, and highlighting key points. Whether it’s summarising notes into bullet points, identifying unanswered questions, or creating comprehensive plans, Copilot streamlines information management.
Copilot in Microsoft Loop
With Copilot in Microsoft Loop, teams can stay synchronised by summarising all the content on a page. Copilot generates summaries, allowing team members to quickly catch up on the progress made. Summaries can be edited, more details can be added, and they can be sent to others as Microsoft Loop components, facilitating collaboration.
Copilot in Microsoft Viva
In the near future, Microsoft 365 Copilot will extend its capabilities to Microsoft Viva. Specifically, Copilot in Microsoft Viva Learning helps users design personalised learning journeys, discover relevant learning resources, and schedule time for assigned trainings. Viva Learning academies are now generally available, allowing organisations to curate role-specific and line-of-business-specific experiences for individuals, supplying engaging and relevant learning opportunities.As Microsoft continues to bring Microsoft 365 Copilot to customers, they still are committed to their AI principles and Responsible AI Standard. Microsoft prioritises user privacy, reviews AI systems for potential threats, filters harmful content, and applies technologies like InterpretML and Fairlearn to detect and correct data bias. Transparent decision-making processes, limitations, and source references empower users to review and adjust content based on subject-matter expertise.
With the introduction of these new capabilities, Microsoft 365 Copilot is set to empower users, boost productivity, and enhance collaboration across various Microsoft platforms.