Enhanced Productivity with AI: Microsoft Integrates Image Generation in Word & PowerPoint Alongside New Copilot Tools
Microsoft's Copilot Developers Target Enhancements for Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and Excel with Added AI Capabilities
Microsoft Introduces Exciting Updates to Copilot: AI-Generated Images Coming to Word and PowerPoint
Microsoft has unveiled a range of new features for its Copilot chatbot, highlighting the upcoming integration of AI-generated image creation in Word and PowerPoint as a standout addition.
June saw the rollout of additional Copilot capabilities for Teams, Excel, SharePoint, and Loop, with more updates slated for release in the near future.
While ChatGPT is currently available on Macs but not yet on Windows devices, exploring how Copilot can enrich your Microsoft 365 experience remains a valuable pursuit. Below, we delve into some of the notable new functionalities.
Elevating Word and PowerPoint: New Enhancements Ahead
Microsoft Unveils Exciting Copilot Updates: AI-Powered Image Creation Comes to Word and PowerPoint
Among the latest features highlighted in Microsoft’s ‘What’s New in Copilot’ blog, the ability to seamlessly integrate visuals into Word and PowerPoint documents stands out as a game-changer.
Launching in July, this update leverages Microsoft Designer’s AI capabilities to facilitate image creation within the programs. Users can activate Copilot while working in Word or PowerPoint, using prompts to generate and insert images. Copilot accesses Microsoft’s extensive stock photography library to fulfill user requests, such as creating images like 'a colorful chair in a Claymation style' or finding images of 'space'.
According to Seth Patton, General Manager of product marketing at Microsoft, "PowerPoint and Word users can create the perfect AI-generated image with a simple prompt, or pull in the ideal stock photo. To do this, they just open Copilot and use a prompt to create an image... and Copilot will generate the image."
In addition to image creation, Copilot enhances Word functionality by providing tools to reference PDFs and emails when drafting and revising documents. Meanwhile, PowerPoint users gain the ability to incorporate summaries from PDFs and Word documents, streamlining presentation creation.
Enhancing Teams Communication with Copilot's New Features
For Teams users, the Copilot tool introduces a powerful way to tailor draft messages before sending them.
Simply enter prompts like "add a call to action," "make it persuasive," or "convert my message into a list and add inclusive language," and Copilot will suggest alternative versions of your draft.
In a demonstration showcased in the blog, Teams' 'Adjust' tool directs Copilot to inject a humorous web design joke into a message, highlighting the tool's versatile capabilities.
Moreover, new updates provide enhanced control over access to Teams recordings, transcripts, and AI-generated summaries, ensuring greater security and management capabilities.
Enhanced Excel Capabilities and More from Microsoft
Excel users can now apply Copilot summaries to unformatted date ranges, provided they include a single row of headers. This update expands Copilot’s functionality to analyze and interpret data more effectively within spreadsheets.
Additionally, Copilot in Excel has been refined to provide more conversational and comprehensive responses to user queries. It can also assist in explaining formula errors, streamlining troubleshooting processes.
Meanwhile, businesses leveraging Microsoft’s cloud-based SharePoint tool will gain the ability to rewrite text on pages and news posts, enhancing content management capabilities. Furthermore, AI-assisted document creation in Loop is being further developed, offering expanded functionality.
These updates build upon earlier enhancements to Copilot features for Microsoft 365, continuing to enrich user experiences across various applications.
