Microsoft has announced a significant expansion of its generative AI-infused Copilot chatbot, making it accessible on a wider range of devices and platforms. The company unveiled these updates at a digital event for commercial customers and partners, showcasing how Copilot is set to transform productivity and user experiences across Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Key Highlights:
- Copilot now available on two new Surface laptops optimized for AI tools
- Integration of Copilot capabilities into Windows 11 and Microsoft 365 apps
- Introduction of Business Chat, a new AI-powered assistant for Microsoft 365
- Enhancements to Dynamics 365 Copilot for CRM and ERP
- Continued commitment to responsible AI development and deployment
Copilot on New Surface Laptops
Microsoft introduced two new AI-enabled Surface for Business laptops – the Surface Pro 10 for Business and the Surface Laptop 6 for Business. These devices are optimized to leverage Copilot’s capabilities, featuring a dedicated Copilot key on the keypad for quick access to the chatbot.
The new Surface laptops boast significant performance improvements over their predecessors:
| Device | Performance Boost |
|---|---|
| Surface Laptop 6 | 2x faster than Laptop 5 |
| Surface Pro 10 | Up to 53% faster than Pro 9 |
These performance gains are attributed to the integration of Neural Processing Units (NPUs), which are designed to handle the complex computations required by deep learning algorithms used in AI.
Copilot in Microsoft 365 and Windows 11
Copilot capabilities are now deeply integrated into Microsoft 365 apps and Windows 11, allowing users to harness the power of generative AI across their workflows. With Copilot in M365, users can:
- Get answers and solutions to queries
- Draft emails and documents
- Generate images from text prompts
- Receive writing suggestions
- Create to-do lists
- And more
In Windows 11, users can enable Copilot by selecting the “Work” option, granting the AI access to their entire universe of work data, including emails, meetings, chats, documents, and web content.
Introducing Business Chat
Microsoft also unveiled Business Chat, a new AI-powered assistant that works across the Microsoft 365 suite. Business Chat leverages large language models (LLMs) and the Microsoft Graph to provide users with intelligent, context-aware assistance.
With Business Chat, users can:
- Generate status updates based on recent meetings, emails, and chat threads
- Summarize key discussion points from meetings
- Suggest action items in real-time during meetings
- Automate repetitive tasks using natural language prompts
- Create chatbots for various business scenarios
Dynamics 365 Copilot Enhancements
Microsoft announced that Dynamics 365 Copilot, the world’s first AI copilot for CRM and ERP, will bring next-generation AI capabilities to every line of business. This integration aims to streamline processes, enhance customer experiences, and drive operational efficiency across organizations.
Responsible AI Development
As Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of generative AI, the company remains committed to building these technologies responsibly. Guided by its AI principles and Responsible AI Standard, Microsoft employs a multidisciplinary team to review AI systems for potential harms and mitigations.
Some key focus areas include:
- Refining training data
- Filtering to limit harmful content
- Query and result blocking for sensitive topics
- Applying technologies like InterpretML and Fairlearn to detect and correct data bias
Microsoft emphasizes the importance of transparency, making it clear how its AI systems make decisions by noting limitations, linking to sources, and prompting users to review and fact-check content based on their subject-matter expertise.
The Road Ahead
As Microsoft continues to integrate Copilot across its productivity apps and platforms, the company is working closely with customers to gather feedback and improve the technology. The goal is to empower users to find purpose and meaning in their work, while navigating the learning curve that comes with adopting new AI-driven workflows.
In the coming months, Microsoft plans to expand Copilot’s availability to more customers, with pricing and licensing details to be shared in due course. The company is also investing heavily in developer tools and platforms, such as the Microsoft Bot Framework and Azure Cognitive Services, to enable businesses and developers to build their own AI-powered applications and experiences.
Conclusion
Microsoft’s integration of its Copilot chatbot across new devices and platforms marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to bring the power of generative AI to every aspect of work and life. By embedding Copilot capabilities into Windows 11, Microsoft 365 apps, and new Surface laptops, the company is making AI more accessible and intuitive for users across various roles and industries.
As the technology continues to evolve, Microsoft remains committed to responsible AI development, working closely with customers, partners, and researchers to address potential challenges and ensure that the benefits of AI are realized in an ethical and inclusive manner. With Copilot poised to transform productivity, creativity, and decision-making, the future of work looks increasingly AI-driven, and Microsoft is at the forefront of this revolution.