Microsoft has announced that it is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) tools into its suite of office software, including Word, Excel, and Outlook emails. The company’s new feature, called Copilot, is a processing engine that allows users to perform tasks such as summarizing long emails, drafting stories in Word, and animating slides in PowerPoint.
The tech giant is marketing the feature as a tool that increases productivity, freeing up time workers usually spend in their inbox or allowing them to more easily analyze trends in Excel. Microsoft 365 General Manager Colette Stallbaumer said that the new features are currently available only to 20 enterprise customers, but the company plans to roll them out to more enterprise customers in the coming months.
Microsoft’s Latest Move in AI Tools
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that the integration of AI tools marks the next major step in computing, which will fundamentally change the way people work and unlock a new wave of productivity growth. Several companies, including Mattel and Instacart, have started using generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E to generate ideas for new toy designs and provide food-related customer support.
Recently, Google has also announced its plan to integrate generative AI tools into its Workspace applications such as Gmail, Google Docs, and Slides. The company plans to test these features with select users throughout the year before a full rollout.
Business Chat Functionality
Along with Copilot, Microsoft is also adding a chat function called Business Chat, which resembles ChatGPT and takes commands to carry out actions using user data. Microsoft’s Business Chat will enable users to summarize an email about a particular project to their co-workers, for instance. This new feature is yet another step in Microsoft’s quest to enhance its business and productivity offerings.
GPT-4 AI Model
Microsoft’s announcement comes two days after OpenAI, which powers the generative AI technology Microsoft is relying on, rolled out its latest artificial intelligence model, GPT-4. OpenAI has been working on GPT-4 for the past few years, and the company claims that it’s the most powerful AI model yet. It boasts 10 trillion parameters, 10 times more than its predecessor, GPT-3. GPT-4 is expected to have a significant impact on the world of AI, just like GPT-3 did.
Implications for the Workplace
Microsoft’s new AI tools, including Copilot and Business Chat, are likely to have a significant impact on the workplace. By allowing workers to automate tasks and freeing up time usually spent in their inboxes, the tools can help them focus on higher-value work. AI can also help workers analyze large amounts of data, providing valuable insights that would have been impossible to find manually.
The potential benefits of AI are clear, and many companies are likely to start incorporating it into their operations in the coming years.
The Future of AI
As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s likely that we’ll see more and more companies incorporating it into their operations. Microsoft’s latest move in this direction is just one example of how AI is transforming the workplace. It’s clear that the potential benefits of AI are vast, and as the technology continues to improve, we can expect to see more companies incorporating it into their products and services. As for Microsoft, the company’s continued investment in AI is likely to keep it at the forefront of the industry for years to come.
