Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI-powered add-on integrated into Microsoft 365 applications, designed to enhance productivity by assisting users with intelligent suggestions and automations. Leveraging advanced language models, including OpenAI’s technology, Microsoft 365 Copilot can help users draft documents, generate data insights, create presentations, and streamline workflows. By analyzing user input and context, it provides tailored support that helps teams collaborate more effectively, make informed decisions, and optimize their tasks within familiar platforms like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Please note that Microsoft Copilot Chat is a separate offering included in your Microsoft 365 license and available at no cost.

Benefits

• Microsoft 365 Copilot integrates with Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, helping users complete tasks more efficiently. Using advanced AI models, Microsoft 365 Copilot provides real-time intelligence and insights. It can answer questions, provide recommendations, and help users make data-driven decisions.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot also facilitates better collaboration by summarizing lengthy email threads, drafting emails, and adjusting the tone and structure of messages for clarity. It also helps teams stay on the same page by providing summaries of Teams meetings and chats.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot ensures that your data remains secure. It operates within the secure environment of Microsoft 365, meaning your data is not used for training purposes and stays within your organization’s control.

Key Features

• Microsoft 365 Copilot is integrated with several key applications within the Microsoft 365 suite, each benefiting from its AI-powered enhancements in unique ways.

  • Word

    • Content Generation: Copilot can help users brainstorm ideas, outline documents, and generate text, making it easier to start writing and maintain coherence.
    • Editing and Refining: It assists in improving writing quality by suggesting style adjustments, grammar corrections, and tone modifications, enhancing the overall readability of the document.
    • Summarization: Copilot can summarize long texts or highlight key points, saving time for users needing quick overviews.

  • Excel

    • Data Insights: Copilot can analyze and interpret data, generating insights and identifying trends, thereby simplifying data-driven decision-making.
    • Automated Formulas: It helps users create complex formulas or functions with ease, facilitating data manipulation without deep knowledge of Excel syntax.
    • Visualizations: Copilot can recommend the best chart types or visualizations based on the data, improving the presentation and understanding of information.

  • PowerPoint

    • Presentation Design: Copilot assists in creating visually appealing slides, suggesting layouts, design elements, and color schemes tailored to the content.
    • Content Summarization: It can distill lengthy documents or complex ideas into concise bullet points for slides, ensuring clarity and focus during presentations.
    • Speech Assistance: The tool can help draft speaker notes and provide prompts based on the presentation content, aiding in effective delivery.

  • Outlook

    • Email Drafting: Copilot can assist in drafting emails by suggesting replies, summarizing long threads, and generating content based on context, enhancing communication efficiency.
    • Calendar Management: It can help schedule meetings, propose times based on availability, and suggest agenda items, streamlining coordination among team members.
    • Task Prioritization: Copilot can analyze email content to extract actionable tasks and reminders, helping users manage their workload more effectively.

  • Teams

    • Meeting Summaries: Copilot can generate summaries of meetings, capturing key points and action items, which helps ensure participants stay aligned on tasks.
    • Chat Insights: It can analyze chat threads and suggest relevant resources or responses, improving the flow of information and collaboration.
    • Collaboration Facilitation: Copilot aids in identifying participants’ contributions, summarizing discussions, and highlighting unresolved issues, enhancing collaborative efforts.

What to Expect

• The data you share while using this tool will not be saved or used for training a Large Language Model (LLM). 
• All data shared with Microsoft 365 Copilot resides within our Microsoft 365 Environment. This environment is approved for all data types up to Restricted Use data.

Requirements

• You must be an active BU faculty or staff member with a Microsoft 365 license.

Cost

Microsoft 365 Copilot is available at a cost of approximately $360 per user per year. The cost of the license will be prorated at the time of request and is payable via Internal Service Request to IS&T – IT Help Center. To request a license, please submit a request.

Getting Started

• Submit a request for licensing.