You may have heard of Copilot, the new AI assistant from Microsoft. But do you know what it can do for you and your business? In this blog, we introduce you to Microsoft Copilot, briefly explain some of its business benefits, and how to get started. In fact, Copilot itself wrote the first draft of this text, although it required some human help and editing.
Copilot is not just another AI chatbot, although it was formerly known as Bing Chat. It’s a revolutionary productivity tool that can help you with almost anything. Whether you need to find information, change a setting on your device, or create a picture for a PowerPoint presentation, Copilot can do it for you in seconds.
How does it work?
Copilot is built into the Microsoft Edge browser and integrated with Windows 11. This means it can access more features and functions than any other AI assistant. It can also communicate with other Microsoft apps and services, such as Office 365, Teams, and Outlook.
No more searching through menus or tabs. No more switching between apps or windows. Just ask Copilot, and it will do the rest.
Know all, well, nearly
Copilot is also smart. It understands context and can answer follow-up questions without repeating keywords. It’s like talking to a real person who knows everything. Well, maybe not everything.
And Copilot can help you with any webpage on Microsoft Edge. Just ask it to summarise the page, and it will scan the content and give you the main points. Or ask it to extract specific information, such as dates, prices, or names, and it will highlight them for you.
Sounds amazing, right? Well, there’s more. Copilot is still in preview mode, and Microsoft is working hard to improve it and add more capabilities. The final product will be even better and more powerful.
Copilot is not just a chatbot. It’s a game-changer for your productivity and efficiency.
Don’t believe us? Here are three different ways in which Microsoft Copilot can be used for business purposes:
- Market research: Extract critical information from the internet and a user’s recent emails, meetings, conversations, and files. Simplify market research by producing a list of sources so the user can fact-check the credibility of the information if pulled from the web. For instance, a marketer at a chain of home improvement stores can undergo market research on square footage and proximity of competitors in seconds.
- Content creation: Create entirely new blog posts or projects by having the relevant files inputted as part of the prompt. Ask Copilot to choose the five most prominent aspects to fill into the body of the post. Copilot will process it in seconds, including with context intros and outros.
- Data visualisation: Find insights, analyse trends, and create data visualisations in Excel. Generate real-time summaries and create actionable tasks during and after Teams meetings. This can help businesses to streamline tasks, enhance productivity, and transform data management.
These are just some of the ways Copilot can help you. There are many more possibilities.
Getting started with Copilot
It’s all in the prompt
Copilot prompts are instructions or questions that you use to tell Copilot what you want it to do. Prompts can include four parts: the goal, context, expectations, and source.
Writing good prompts is key to getting better outcomes with Copilot. By providing clear and specific instructions, you can help Copilot understand your needs and deliver more accurate and relevant results. This can help you save time, streamline tasks, and enhance productivity.
Download our handy guide to ‘The Art and Science of Prompting’.
Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365: A Free Training Course
Learn how to use Copilot for Microsoft 365. This free training course consists of three modules, each with interactive exercises and knowledge checks. You can complete the course at your own pace and earn a certificate of completion.
To get started, visit this link and sign up for the course. You will need a Microsoft account and a Microsoft 365 subscription to access the course. You will also need to install Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 on your device.
By the end of this course, you will be able to use Copilot effectively to communicate and create content more efficiently. You will also receive a certificate of completion to showcase your new skills.
Enrol in the course today and discover how Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 can transform the way you work.
If you want to learn more about Microsoft Copilot, or any other productivity tools, feel free to contact Modern Networks.
AI Notice
This content was partly generated by AI but was reviewed and extensively edited by a human member of Modern Networks’ staff.