The Start of a Groundbreaking Desktop Productivity Revolution with Microsoft 365 Copilot

The Start of a Groundbreaking Desktop Productivity Revolution with Microsoft 365 Copilot

Disclosure: ⁢Microsoft is ​a client ‍of the author.

I⁢ remember ⁤when ⁤Office ​was first announced ‌and released. Compared to ⁤the mess of applications that came before​ it, it ⁤was a ‍Godsend.⁤ Yes, Lotus Symphony⁣ was on the‍ market​ and⁣ many ‌of us preferred it ⁤— at least, those of ‌us in⁣ accounting because ‌it was spreadsheet-based. But⁢ it would not have arrived at ‌all had‌ not Office shown up ‍first.

Office turned‍ out to be better for​ most users. Even with challenges from ‌rivals like IBM and ‍Google/Alphabet, it ​held on and remains the⁤ standard when ‍it‍ comes to ⁢a set of personal productivity tools. ⁤That’s true ​on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android’s different forms.

This week, Microsoft announced that Microsoft⁣ 365 Copilot ‌is ​coming ‍before⁤ the ⁤end ⁣of the year. It‍ has the potential⁢ to do for Office ⁣what Office did to the products that preceded it — ​make everything else​ obsolete. (Though first it will ⁢need​ to ⁤overcome​ the negative ⁢response to the $30‌ a month‌ per user ‌cost, which was not ⁤presented well.)

More ​about the pricing issue in a minute

Microsoft 365 Copilot’s​ role

Microsoft has a ⁢number of ChatGPT generative AI offerings ​coming​ to ⁤market. There’s Bing Chat (a ‍free utility‍ provided to Bing users), Bing Chat Enterprise ⁤(free to most under Microsoft desktop licenses,​ except for government and education), and​ a number of⁣ Copilot offerings, the ‍latest being this one.

Bing Chat⁣ Enterprise will eventually⁣ have ⁤a $5 incremental per‍ user price for those ​not under‍ one of the included⁣ licensing programs; it provides​ the​ benefits of ‍Bing Chat,‍ but secures internal data.⁤ The data is ‍not shared externally or⁣ used to train the primary​ generative AI platform. This process has ⁤been tested in Europe and,⁤ Microsoft says, complies with GDPR and European Data Boundaries laws. 

It essentially allows a user to find information, both⁣ internal and external, ⁣with the same intelligent ⁢ChatGPT⁤ engine used ‍in ‍Bing ‍Chat.

Microsoft 365 extends beyond ‍that ⁣by including⁢ Bing Chat Enterprise and adding Microsoft 365​ Graph and ​various Microsoft 365 apps.‍ That⁢ allows users have‌ AI help with ⁢projects done in ​Office. ⁤The user and​ company administrator remain in control, ⁤and‌ productivity benefits should be significant.

Early⁤ problems‍ and ‌limitations

The initial limitation involves an⁢ inherent inability ⁤to learn about the user‍ so that Microsoft 365 ⁣Copilot’s output looks and feels‌ like ⁢it was created ⁢by a ‍person and ⁢not by a machine. Since‍ company-specific data, including user data, stays with the company,​ training‌ an AI tool ⁣on that ⁣data is⁤ problematic. ⁢So, at least for now, ‌one ‍of the highly ​anticipated features — the ​ability‍ to ⁣act and appear as a proxy for the ⁢user ⁤— is not yet enabled.

The other⁤ issue is, ⁣as mentioned, price.‍ Since generative AI is new, particularly ⁤new ​to⁣ users, ‌the‍ $30-per-user cost for⁢ Microsoft 365 Copilot seems excessive. Microsoft‌ did not first⁤ lay‌ the⁢ groundwork for⁢ that⁣ price​ by​ highlighting ‌it’s less than other, more…

2023-07-22 01:24:02
Link from www.computerworld.com ⁣rnrn

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