Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant that uses large language models (LLMs) to enhance productivity, boost creativity, and provide assistance for many tasks. It manifests itself in multiple forms and applications, including Copilot for 365, Copilot for Sales, and Copilot Studio.

Microsoft Copilot helps your business better understand the data that’s driving an application and automates time-consuming tasks. It does not replace users; rather, it complements them, automating tasks and providing intelligent recommendations based on previous work. Its user-friendliness is one of its greatest advantages, as natural or human language reduces or eliminates the need to learn technical language.

Copilot is a new way for users to interact with data, with the data source ultimately determining the specific Copilot product. Copilot for the Web and Copilot for 365 allows users to interact with data across the Microsoft environment, including SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Exchange, and various applications.

Copilot for Web

Included in all Microsoft 365 bundled licensing, Copilot for Web leverages the internet as the data set. Copilot for 365 is appropriate when seeking insights into information within your environment, but Copilot for Web is where you turn when the answers can’t be found in Teams, SharePoint, or your inbox. It provides a personalized and interactive way to perform advanced web, image, and new searches, acting as a digital research assistant, personal planner, and creative partner whenever you search the web.

Copilot for 365

To understand how Copilot works, it’s important to know it leverages the LLM, hosted in Azure, Microsoft’s private cloud. With a Copilot license, you gain access to this model via a Copilot agent within your tenant. The agent leverages the semantic index to catalog and index all the data in your Microsoft environment that a user can access via the Microsoft Graph, turning static data into a functional, searchable database. When a user opens an application and provides a human language prompt, Copilot pre-processes it, converting it into code readable by the LLM. The model then processes the data and generates a response, which is delivered back in human language.

The entire process happens in real-time and within Microsoft’s trust boundary, ensuring data security. Once the response is returned to the user, Microsoft deletes the prompt memory, preventing the data from being used for training the model globally. This feature provides peace of mind for common concerns about data security and privacy, such as who has my data, what is my data being used for, and whether Microsoft is profiting from my data.

In truth, Microsoft isn’t doing anything with your data that they weren’t doing before Copilot. Because Copilot is just an extension of the user, anything the user asks for is quickly provided, making it a powerful tool for tasks like data analysis and decision-making. However, this capability introduce some security considerations, including internal and external threats, making it critical for users to have the appropriate level of access and their identities verified to keep data secure.

Copilot Readiness

Incorporating Microsoft Copilot into your business can significantly enhance productivity and streamline operations. Whether you’re looking to optimize data analysis, automate tasks, or simply make better use of your existing resources, Copilot can help you achieve these goals. To explore how Microsoft Copilot can benefit your organization and to ensure a smooth deployment, contact Choice Solutions today. Our team of experts is ready to assist you every step of the way. Schedule a consultation now and take the first step towards transforming your business with AI-driven innovation.