At Microsoft’s Ignite 2024 conference, the tech giant unveiled Copilot Actions, a feature that automates repetitive tasks for Microsoft 365 Copilot users. Currently in ‘private preview’, the new AI tools allow users to streamline activities such as summarising the important bits of Microsoft Teams meetings, generating reports, or automating meeting preparation. Limited AI automation features are also coming to PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
Microsoft’s Copilot takes action
Currently in private preview, Copilot Actions allow Microsoft 365 users to automate repetitive mundane tasks like generating summaries of Teams meetings and weekly reports, and even automating meeting prep using only simple, fill-in-the-blank prompts. This new suite of features is designed to be set up once and run in the background.
The company also announced enhancements to Microsoft 365 Copilot across its Office suite. PowerPoint will support translation into 40 languages, and its Copilot Narrative Builder will leverage branded templates, speaker notes, and transitions to create rough first drafts of a presentation. Additionally, the feature can use SharePoint images in presentations for a more cohesive workflow.
Read More: Give Siri a break – here’s how to install Microsoft’s Copilot on your Mac
In Excel, a new start experience will suggest templates preloaded with headers, formulas, and visuals to accelerate spreadsheet creation. Meanwhile, improvements to Copilot in Outlook will allow it to optimize how it schedules meetings with colleagues and draft an agenda. These new features arrive for Copilot in Outlook by the end of the month.
Additionally, Microsoft announced the Copilot Control System, which helps IT professionals manage the AI system and its agents effectively. It has data protection controls that collaborate with organisations’ security measures. The model will also allow businesses to track AI investment data to manage progress better.
