Microsoft to Release Copilot AI Assistant to the Public

Microsoft 365 Copilot will become widely accessible on November 01 with added capabilities like serving as a proxy in meetings.

The assistance tool, embedded in Microsoft’s Office apps, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline productivity in the office space. It can summarize meetings held in Teams, the tech giant’s proprietary business communication platform, for those choosing not to attend.

Using ChatGPT-style generative AI (GenAI), Copilot can draft emails, write Word documents, and create spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations in seconds. Microsoft says the technology was designed to eliminate work drudgery so employees can spend time on more critical tasks.

During a demonstration, Copilot successfully summarized a chain of emails about the product launch of a fictional product. In addition, it generated an email response that expressed admiration for the idea and inquired about possibilities for collaboration.

Moreover, it transformed the contents of a Word document into a multi-slide PowerPoint presentation in less than 60 seconds. Lastly, Copilot named the themes conversed in a Microsoft Teams meeting and generated meeting minutes and a summary of discussions.

On the other hand, critics raised doubts about how widespread adoption of AI assistance can lead to job displacements. Overdependence on Smart Help technologies may also expose businesses to cybersecurity risks.

Microsoft 365 Copilot was first released on September 26 with limited availability. Upon wide release, It will cost $30.00 a month and require an internet connection as it does not work offline.

Copilot May Land Microsoft in Legal Trouble

In its current form, Copilot may violate new and emerging AI regulations, particularly regarding transparency. Europe’s AI Act and China’s AI laws require that users be informed that they are interacting with AI.

Collette Stallbaumer, head of Microsoft 365, argued that users should take responsibility and disclose their use of the AI assistant. However, the European Union (EU) reiterated that it is up to the firms to ensure proper disclosure of AI use.

Critics also stressed potential legal complications of how Microsoft will use information collected from Copilot users. The Big Five member reassured that the information will not be used as training data for large language models (LLMs).