Copilot Wave 2: New AI Tools for Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams
Microsoft has announced the launch of Wave 2 for its Microsoft 365 Copilot, introducing several significant updates designed to enhance productivity and streamline workflows across its suite of applications. The latest advancements bring notable improvements to Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and more, aiming to solidify Copilot’s role as a powerful AI assistant in the workspace.
One of the standout features of this release is Copilot Pages, a new digital tool intended to facilitate collaborative work. As Microsoft describes, Copilot Pages is a dynamic, persistent canvas where users can engage in multiplayer AI collaboration. This feature allows teams to work together in real-time, adding and editing content collectively. “Pages takes ephemeral AI-generated content and makes it durable,” said a Microsoft spokesperson, highlighting its role in transforming transient data into long-lasting resources.
With Web + Work + Pages, you can now ideate with AI and collaborate with other people.
Copilot Pages will be rolled out to Microsoft 365 Copilot customers starting today and will become generally available by the end of September 2024. Additionally, the feature will soon be accessible to free Microsoft Copilot users with a Microsoft Entra account.
Enhancements to Microsoft 365 Apps
Microsoft has also announced several improvements across its core applications:
Excel: Copilot now integrates with Python, enabling advanced data analysis such as forecasting and risk assessment using natural language. “It’s like adding a skilled data analyst to the team,” noted Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President of AI at Microsoft.
PowerPoint: The introduction of the Narrative Builder helps users generate presentation drafts quickly. This tool supports iterative development, allowing users to refine their presentations with AI assistance.
Teams: Copilot will now summarise both spoken and text conversations from meetings, ensuring no critical information is missed. This update reflects feedback indicating that Copilot in Teams has become a crucial tool for many users.
Outlook: New features such as the ability to prioritise emails and summarise content are designed to alleviate email overload. Users will soon be able to teach Copilot to focus on specific topics or contacts, enhancing email management efficiency.
Expanding Copilot’s Capabilities
Further expanding its functionality, Microsoft is introducing Copilot agents, which automate and execute business processes. These AI assistants range from simple prompt-response agents to more advanced autonomous systems. The Agent Builder tool will allow users to create custom agents within BizChat or SharePoint, integrating these agents into various workflows.
Discover the latest Microsoft 365 Copilot innovations—AI collaboration with Copilot Pages, supercharging productivity with Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps, and scaling capacity with Copilot agents: https://t.co/g2AoLEWW5Zpic.twitter.com/e8uL5njZzG
Copilot in OneDrive will also be enhanced to help users quickly find and summarise document content, offering file comparison and insight generation.
Customer Impact and Adoption
The enhancements come as part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to maintain a competitive edge in the AI space. Notable adopters of Copilot include Vodafone, which has committed to 68,000 licenses, and Amgen, leveraging Copilot to accelerate research. Reports indicate that Copilot users, on average, have saved significant time, with Honeywell users saving up to 74 hours annually.
Conclusion
Microsoft’s Wave 2 release of Copilot marks a significant advancement in AI-driven productivity tools. With new features like Copilot Pages and enhanced integrations across Microsoft 365 apps, the updates aim to transform how users interact with AI and manage their work processes. As Microsoft continues to evolve Copilot’s capabilities, it is expected to further cement its position as a leading tool in the AI-assisted productivity landscape.
