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Copilot for Microsoft 365: Key news updates to know

In Part 1 of our Copilot for Microsoft 365 spotlight series, Cloud Security Architect Neil du Plessis unpacks the news you need to know about this AI-powered assistant for the modern workplace.

By Neil du Plessis | Cloud Security Architect, BUI

Copilot for Microsoft 365, the advanced AI assistant embedded in Microsoft 365 apps like PowerPoint and Word, made waves in workplaces worldwide after it was ANNOUNCED IN 2023.

The tool enables people to perform tasks and generate content using natural language commands and is ALREADY CONSIDERED A GAME-CHANGER for productivity and human-computer interaction, even as Microsoft continues to refine its capabilities and features.

So, what can we expect from this innovative technology going forward? Here are four important updates to know about Copilot for Microsoft 365.

1. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now generally available to businesses of all sizes.

On 1 November last year, Microsoft made Copilot for Microsoft 365 available to Microsoft 365 customers on Enterprise plans. Since then, Microsoft has removed the Microsoft 365 prerequisite and minimum-purchase restrictions to expand its Copilot for Microsoft 365 licensing model to include enterprises using Office 365 E3/E5 and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

As of 15 January 2024, Enterprise customers (Office 365 E3, Office 365 E5, Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5) and Business customers (Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Microsoft 365 Business Premium) can purchase Copilot for Microsoft 365 as an add-on to an existing subscription for $30 per user per month.

2. Copilot for Microsoft 365 will be supported in more languages and regions this year.

Initially, Copilot was only available in English for users based in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Today, it’s available in 36 regions across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, and Microsoft is working hard to expand both audience and market reach.

In addition to English, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is supported in Chinese (Simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish. Microsoft plans to support several more languages over the first half of 2024, including Arabic, Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Ukrainian.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer, speaks on stage at Skylight at Essex Crossing in New York City during the Microsoft Copilot event in September 2023. Image credit: Microsoft

3. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now integrated with more apps and services.

Microsoft is enhancing the workplace value of Copilot for Microsoft 365 by adding new features and integrating it with more apps and services – both inside and outside of the Microsoft 365 suite. For example, Copilot works seamlessly with Loop and SharePoint, and is coming soon in Planner, OneNote, and Stream to allow users to access and manage files and tasks through natural language prompts and queries.

Copilot can also connect with third-party apps and services, including Salesforce, Jira, Dynamics 365, Bing Web Search, ServiceNow, and Zendesk, enabling users to perform actions and gather external information without leaving their current app.

Copilot can also leverage the power of the Microsoft Graph and third-party integrated applications like SQL and Confluence to provide users with personalised, contextual suggestions and insights based on their preferences, history, and activity.

4. Copilot for Microsoft 365 is becoming more accurate and reliable by the day.

Microsoft is committed to improving Copilot for Microsoft 365 so that it consistently produces relevant, high-quality output for users based on their prompts and context. To achieve this, Microsoft has been refining Copilot’s processing and orchestration engine, updating its Large Language Models, and gathering public and partner feedback through early access programmes, preview programmes, and dedicated community forums like the Copilot Feedback Hub, where users can share their observations, suggestions, and experiences with the tool.

These efforts continue to yield results: Copilot’s accuracy and reliability have improved significantly since launch; 70% of early users have reported increased personal productivity; and 77% of early users have said that once they used Copilot, they didn’t want to give it up.

With its expanded licensing model, broader language support, increased integration with apps and services, and improved accuracy and reliability, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is set to become a critical tool for businesses of all sizes.

As Microsoft further refines Copilot’s capabilities and features, we can expect this AI-powered assistant to revolutionise organisations everywhere by empowering people to do more with their favourite Microsoft 365 apps every day.

BUI Cloud Security Architect Neil du Plessis is a certified CISSP and Microsoft Cybersecurity Expert specialising in holistic, cloud-powered defences for modern workplaces.

Wondering if Copilot for Microsoft 365 is right for your organisation? Join the BUI team for an interactive workshop and we’ll assess your Copilot for Microsoft 365 readiness and define a road map for your adoption journey. The workshop is conducted virtually, and is suitable for senior business development managers, line-of-business leaders, managers, technical decision-makers, and end-users. Register your interest by completing this digital form and we’ll contact you directly.

Delivering customised productivity solutions for modern enterprises

We’re proud to announce that we’ve earned the Teamwork Deployment Advanced Specialization from Microsoft in recognition of our premier capabilities in the deployment of Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and Yammer workloads for customers.

This is the sixth advanced specialization we’ve achieved since September 2020, after similar accomplishments in Adoption and Change ManagementIdentity and Access ManagementMicrosoft Windows Virtual DesktopThreat Protection, and Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure.

Microsoft 365 teamwork solutions play a critical role for enterprises, notes Chief Technology Officer Willem Malan. “With these cloud-powered tools, business teams are able to meet, chat, call, and collaborate online, and they’re able to do it securely – from their offices, factories, warehouses, and dining-room tables – as they adjust to the hybrid and remote-work scenarios we’re seeing today,” he says.

Enabling secure collaboration in the new world of work

Microsoft Teams, in particular, has emerged as a powerhouse platform for business communication and co-operation, observes Malan. “There are about 145 million daily active users on Teams, across locations and time zones around the world. It’s a very comprehensive shared online workspace, and Microsoft continues to introduce new features to help people carry out their daily tasks and stay in touch with their colleagues, clients, and service partners, no matter where they’re based. From one-on-one conversations to group calls and company-wide video conferences, Teams delivers the rich functionality required for seamless collaboration in diverse environments,” he explains.

As enterprise leaders look to the cloud for efficiency and scalability, they must remember the importance of people-centric change, advises Malan. “You have to choose the right tools for your people and their specific needs. You have to make sure that those resources are configured and deployed correctly. And you have to give your teams the training and support they need to adopt and embrace the new technology, as quickly and easily as possible,” he adds.

The Teamwork Deployment Advanced Specialization not only validates our expertise in this area, but also demonstrates our commitment to delivering innovative, customised solutions for the modern workplace.

“We’re excited to help our customers embrace the Microsoft productivity suite. From flexible communication and collaboration with Teams to email and calendaring with Exchange Online and content management with SharePoint Online, our specialists are empowering business organisations to become more productive every day,” concludes Malan.

Give your teams the tools they need to stay secure and productive.

Microsoft Teams is a shared virtual space geared for modern communication and collaboration.

See how one of South Africa’s top digital banks uses Teams to ensure business continuity.