Microsoft Unveils Expanded Copilot Generative AI for Business Apps and Roles
Microsoft doubled down on its Copilot generative AI at its Ignite Conference by not only rebranding Bing Chat but with an expanded suite of Copilot AI capabilities tailored for major business systems and roles. The new copilots integrate generative AI into workflows for a range of enterprise and industrial sectors, including the new Microsoft Copilot for Service and Microsoft Copilot for Sales, combining Microsoft 365 Copilot with role-specific data and actions. Dynamics 365 is also getting updated Copilot experiences for marketers, sellers, and field service teams.
Copilot Business
Microsoft framed Copilot as an opportunity to reimagine work by leveraging AI to extract value from data across productivity and line-of-business tools. It aims to make natural language the most powerful productivity tool. Copilot for Service provides guided answers and resources personalized to customer issues by connecting Microsoft 365 with existing customer service and contact center data. It integrates with platforms like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Zendesk. Customization comes through Microsoft’s newly announced Copilot Studio. It allows teams to fine-tune experiences with their own data, logic, and actions tailored to specific use cases. Copilot for Service enters public preview in December. Meanwhile, Copilot for Sales evolves the existing Sales Copilot by linking Microsoft 365 and customer relations management information. It surfaces customer insights directly within seller workflows to boost productivity. Copilot for Sales launches in Q1 2024.
For Dynamics 365, Copilot can now summarize customer profiles and opportunity data through natural language queries. A new full-screen view also lets sellers get AI-generated overviews of deals, meetings, forecasts, and more using conversational prompts. Microsoft said Copilot for Dynamics 365 Field Service, available in the December preview, enables workers to quickly access job site details on-demand through chat. AI also assists with work order creation and scheduling. Enhancements aim to streamline handoffs between marketing and sales. Marketers can better qualify leads using engagement metrics to ensure effective follow-through. Integrating with Optimizely also connects Dynamics 365 data directly to personalized campaigns. Microsoft touted Copilot’s customer service innovation particularly, with Dynamics 365 Sales users seeing up to 90 minutes in weekly time savings. Surveys also found AI boosts seller productivity, effectiveness, and quality of work.
By expanding Copilot across systems, Microsoft hopes to make AI a competitive advantage in any role by providing secure, enterprise-ready intelligence. The company believes seamlessly integrating generative AI into existing tools is key for adoption. However, questions remain around potential over-reliance on prescribed AI recommendations versus human discretion. Microsoft will need to ensure Copilot augments rather than replaces user critical thinking. Nonetheless, the new Copilot applications demonstrate Microsoft’s strategy to permeate AI through the workplace by meeting users where they already are. While rivals pursue standalone apps, Microsoft is pursuing embedding AI directly into its ecosystem. For now, the expanded Copilot platform validates the growing enterprise appetite for AI-powered tools tailored to specific workflows. Microsoft is betting ubiquitous Copilot assimilation can transform how organizations extract value. But ensuring responsible and ethical implementation amid rapid proliferation poses AI’s next great challenge.
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