Microsoft has launched a new AI-powered tool, called Microsoft 365 Copilot, that combines large language models with business data and Microsoft 365 apps to increase creativity, productivity, and skills.
Testing with commercial customers
The company is currently testing Microsoft 365 Copilot with select commercial customers. The tool will merge the functionality of a ChatGPT-like large language model with Microsoft 365 apps, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
Two ways to experience the Copilot
Customers will experience Microsoft 365 Copilot in two ways. First, it will be integrated into the 365 apps that they use regularly, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Second, there will be a new experience called Business Chat that will work across the large language model and the 365 apps.
Enhanced capabilities
According to Microsoft, this integration will enable the apps to perform tasks that were previously impossible. Business Chat will offer natural language prompts, such as “tell my team how we updated the product strategy,” which will generate a status update based on meetings, emails, and chat threads. Customers can decide what to keep or discard, and they will always have control.
Jared Spataro’s statement
Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, said, “Copilot merges the power of large language models with your data and apps to transform your words into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet.”
How the Copilot works
Microsoft 365 Copilot’s functionality will vary across different applications. For instance, in Word, it can write, edit, and summarize in real-time alongside people as they work. In PowerPoint, it can transform ideas into a visually stunning presentation through natural language commands. In Excel, it can quickly generate professional-looking data visualizations and unlock insights in a fraction of the time.
Business Chat
Additionally, Business Chat will bring together data from documents, presentations, emails, and other sources to help customers summarize their chats or write emails.
