Microsoft Copilot: Your Everyday AI Companion for Productivity and Beyond

Using AI is a skill that we believe needs to be embraced or we risk being left behind. And it is very useful when you know what it is capable of and how to use it. There are many tools that streamline our workflows and unlock new levels of efficiency.

In this article we focus on and use Microsoft Copilot as the example.

Microsoft Copilot is a native app within the Microsoft system, seamlessly integrating AI into the apps and services we use every day. From the web to our mobile devices, Copilot is designed to be your intelligent assistant, helping you work smarter, not harder.

Here are some of the most powerful and practical ways Microsoft Copilot is revolutionizing productivity.

1. The Smarter Way to Watch and Learn on YouTube

YouTube seems to have “How To’s” on anything we can think of. But it is often long and you would rather quickly grasp the essence of the video without watching the whole thing? Now you can. With Microsoft Copilot, a simple click on the Copilot icon, in the top right corner of your Edge browser, provides you with an instant summary of key points and even timestamps for important sections of your YouTube videos. You can also ask specific questions about the video's content to get precise answers, making it an invaluable tool for research, education, or simply catching up on a topic.

2. AI in Your Pocket: The Power of Visual Search

Copilot isn't just for your desktop; it's a powerful companion for your iPhone or Android. The next time you see something you can't identify, just snap a picture of it. Copilot's visual search capabilities will analyse the image and tell you what it is. Spotted a beautiful flower on a walk? Copilot will instantly tell you it’s a rose, along with other relevant information. This feature transforms your phone into a powerful knowledge-gathering device that can do far more than identify flowers.

3. From Document to Deck: PowerPoint's New Trick

The days of painstakingly creating a presentation from scratch are over. In PowerPoint, you can now provide Copilot with a prompt or, even better, a Word document. Copilot will take that information and transform it into a fully branded, professionally designed slide deck. Try it – give it a simple prompt such as create a presentation about the agenda for a weekly team meeting. I used this prompt and told Copilot to include a section for WIFLE. (If you want to find out what this is, please reach out.) Copilot even included the meaning of WIFLE without me telling it.

This feature can save you countless hours of formatting and design work, allowing you to focus on the content and message of your presentation.

4. Outlook's New Inbox Management

Managing a flood of emails can be overwhelming, especially when important messages get buried. With Copilot in Outlook, you can now highlight and pin crucial emails to the top of your inbox. This simple but powerful feature ensures you'll never miss a critical message from your boss, a client, or a key collaborator. It's a small change that can make a huge difference in staying organized and responsive. You can simply ask Copilot how to do it.

5. Effortless File Management in OneDrive

For those who manage a large number of files, Copilot in OneDrive is a revelation. Simply hover over a file, and Copilot will instantly provide a summary of its contents. This feature allows you to quickly understand a document without even opening it. What's more, you can compare multiple files at once, extracting key differences and similarities in a fraction of the time it would take manually.

In a world where time is a premium, Microsoft Copilot is a clear step forward. These features are more than just clever tricks; they are powerful tools that enhance our ability to create, communicate, and collaborate. By integrating AI into the core of the Microsoft 365 suite, Copilot is helping professionals and teams achieve more with less effort.

Indeed, Microsoft Copilot was used to assist with writing this blog, and Google Gemini was used to generate the initial image used with the article.

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