For over two decades, we’ve worked as technology consultants and seen the industry grow and change. And any savvy business that wants to stay profitable does the same – coming to Aurora for the right IT services and tech solutions to make it happen.
Recently, an exciting innovation has happened in the online space – AI has become mainstream, specifically Microsoft 365 Copilot. But few organisations understand what Copilot is, how it works and why it’s useful. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into this new tech solution and look at some of the ways it could help your business thrive.
About Copilot
Microsoft calls Copilot their ‘cloud-powered productivity platform’ because it’s an add-on for the Microsoft 365 software suite – a separate subscription – that integrates with existing apps like Teams, Excel and Word, as well as storage features like OneDrive. It can be used on all kinds of devices, including smartphones and Apple products. And here’s where it gets really interesting: it’s trained on ChatGPT (GPT-4, to be exact), which is the market-leading AI chatbot, particularly in the technology industry. But instead of using the prompt-based system for conversations, you can ask it to fine-tune your work, extrapolate data, write content and much, much more.
Using Copilot
Every business has time-consuming processes that seem to sap time for little reward.
Like taking notes, for example. Capturing meeting minutes requires hours of manpower, which could be better spent on other tasks. Copilot can condense Teams chats, email threads and video meetings into short summaries for you.
Or consider data. Copilot can help with forecasting, budgeting, and data modelling with just a few clicks. And turn Excel charts, tables, and diagrams into clear information (or vice versa).
Or how about writing a report? In Word, Copilot can shorten text or rewrite it entirely. With the right prompt, it can share feedback on your writing style or review your grammar. And when you’re stuck for ideas, it can brainstorm on your behalf. And even convert all that into a glossy, bite-sized PowerPoint for your next pitch or presentation.
It’s no wonder Microsoft hails their tech solution as a way for employees to be more ‘creative, productive and collaborative’. And the technology industry is working hard on other AI to bring to the fold, as well as improving applications for Copilot.
Pros and cons
As IT service providers, we give our clients an honest look at new tools and technologies – and Copilot is no different. There are plenty of benefits to AI, but a few considerations to bear in mind, too.
For example, Copilot can create exceptional, high-quality content. But on the other hand, it’s a tool – so it’s only as good as the prompts you feed it, and the data it’s trained on. That’s because it works by ‘combining content with context’, meaning it mixes your chosen application and data with a relevant prompt as an input/output operation. Despite that, many business minds are open to a bit of fine-tuning or tweaking of the results, if it saves them time and money in the process.
It’s also a game of two halves when it comes to security. Microsoft says Copilot “inherits your company’s security, compliance and privacy policies/processes”. So if these aren’t up to scratch, you could be putting your information at risk. However, Copilot isn’t going to leak your data. While it reviews the content or prompts you feed it, it doesn’t retain them. Also, it has two-factor authentication built-in, making it harder to hack. This is an important point to make for information technology applications, which can be a backdoor into your business for bad actors.
Finally, teething problems. ChatGPT itself has been widely criticised for data bias, poor source linking and handling of sensitive topics. Microsoft is investing heavily in how it approaches these concerns for the future – though it’s crucial to mention that AI is continuously improving.
What the experts say
Organisations love the ease of using Copilot – especially as it suites in with their existing Microsoft 365 software. It can do the tasks you hate or aren’t good at, and you’re free to keep, change or discard whatever it creates.
Developers in the information technology sector found Copilot made them 88% more productive – it can be used to create lines of code, as well as find and summarise insights. It’s been well-received in GitHub, the software development platform, too.
As for Aurora, your technology consultants? We’ve seen first-hand how groundbreaking AI technology is. Not just for handling menial or mundane tasks but for more creative and inspiring applications. That’s why we want to help businesses set up their very own Microsoft 365 Copilot licences. And we’d love to help you.
Setting up Copilot
Remember, Copilot is a subscription that’s separate from 365. Microsoft is busy rolling out Copilot across their 365 estate. So, while it’s currently available for Microsoft 365 Enterprise, it’s still on the horizon for Microsoft 365 Business plans. Prices and dates haven’t yet been announced, so watch this space.
Get in touch
For over 23 years, we’ve worked in the technology industry to transform businesses and watch them thrive. In short, our IT services make businesses safer, more efficient and better connected. To see what we could do for your business, get in touch with our technology consultants today.
