On Thursday, Microsoft announced its plan to integrate generative artificial intelligence, known as Copilot, into its Microsoft 365 suite of apps, such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. This new feature, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4, will automate tasks such as drafting, creating presentations, and summarizing long email threads. Microsoft stated that Copilot is not simply embedding the popular ChatGPT chatbot into Microsoft 365.
According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, this development represents a significant shift in the way we interact with computing, and it will bring about a new wave of productivity growth. He added that by introducing Copilot for work, Microsoft is empowering individuals with more control while making technology more accessible through natural language, which is the most universal interface.
Tech companies are in a race to launch AI features after the arrival of ChatGPT last year. Just days after Google announced its AI tools for Workspace apps, Microsoft made a similar announcement for its Microsoft 365 suite of apps. This shows that companies are striving to stay ahead of the competition by integrating AI into their products.
What is Microsoft Copilot?
Microsoft has embedded Copilot into several of its popular apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. The AI tool adapts to the specific app and performs various tasks, and you have the freedom to choose what to keep, modify, or discard. This feature allows users to personalize their experience and tailor it to their specific needs.
Microsoft has outlined several tasks that Copilot can perform for users in its suite of apps:
- In Word, Copilot can generate a first draft by following prompts, add content to existing documents, summarize text, rewrite portions or the entire document, and suggest tones.
- In Excel, users can ask Copilot questions about their dataset in natural language instead of using formulas.
- In PowerPoint, Copilot can transform existing documents into decks or create new presentations based on simple prompts or outlines.
- In Outlook, Copilot can summarize email threads and respond to emails with prompts.
- In Teams, Copilot can answer specific questions or provide users with a catch-up on anything they may have missed.
- These tasks illustrate the versatility of Copilot and how it can assist users in different contexts within the Microsoft 365 suite of apps.
