Microsoft’s Copilot AI now has the ability to directly read your files, offering features such as creating summaries, locating specific data, and searching for additional information on the internet.
This helpful tool is designed to assist users in the workplace, and the new functionality will be rolled out for OneDrive users by the end of April.
As per a blog post on the Microsoft website, the enhancement allows the AI to ‘extract answers from your documents, presentation, spreadsheets, and other files.’
This update comes just a year after the initial announcement of the AI expansion. Competitors like Adobe Acrobat have also introduced a similar feature where their online assistant aids users in sorting through documents and condensing lengthy reports into key points.
With the latest offering from Microsoft, Copilot-generated summaries can now be accessed when sharing documents with colleagues, a feature set to be available later this month.
Initially, this functionality will only be supported when sharing a Word document from the web, with compatibility for the desktop client and the mobile app expected later this year.
Microsoft has indicated that this is only the beginning, hinting at further developments to ‘expand the limits of file interaction.’
New Features of Microsoft’s Copilot AI
Additional features of this update include Copilot generating outlines, tables, and FAQs from your content, as well as providing suggestions to enhance your content along the way.
Microsoft illustrates how users can obtain information and insights from their files through various prompts:
- What were the total beverage sales last week? Present the responses in a daily table view.
- Highlight the main differences between the selected files and present them in a tabular format.
Copilot can also create new content based on existing files. Users are guided on actions like:
- Use /sales-enablement.docx as a reference to outline a sales pitch for a new customer.
- Based on the selected resumes, create a table listing names, current titles, years of experience, educational qualifications, and current locations.
- Generate a list of frequently asked questions related to project Moonshot.
- Compare /proposal1.docx and /proposal2.docx to create a table highlighting differences in cost, milestones, and delivery dates.
Another added feature is the improvement of structured content in documents, spreadsheets, or presentations, with suggestions like ‘what recommendations do you have to enhance the deck?’
To access the file summaries, which will be available this month, users need to provide prompts to the AI such as ‘summarize the key points from [document]. List its three main points and provide insights on the industry risks and unresolved queries.’
Featured Image: Direct from Microsoft’s blog announcement
