Microsoft announced recently that Copilot will soon be available for Windows and Office 365. Microsoft already uses generative AI for its Bing search engine. However, the introduction of Copilot to Microsoft’s core products will redefine our interaction with technology both at work and at home.
This is a great move that will change the Game, but it also feels like a missed chance.
Microsoft’s efforts could have been more impressive with the capabilities of generative AI. Microsoft’s voice assistant could have been more amazing than existing voice assistants such as Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant. It’s a little sad.
This week, we will explore generative AI for desktops and close out with the Product of the Week: a new Surface laptop that is one of the most powerful ever designed for creators.
Generative AI All-Around
Microsoft sent competitors such as Google and Amazon to their senses when it introduced ChatGPT AI generative technology to Bing. Bing has had some growing pains, but if you’re a savvy user (more about that later), Bing can help you find the information you need more quickly. When Copilot is used with Microsoft’s operating system, productivity, and collaboration products, the promise is much greater.
Imagine that you could describe a presentation, and your computer would create it for you as if it were your assistant. Imagine making an outline for a book, paper, article, or other document and having your computer take care of all the grammar and spelling issues. Imagine asking Excel about the financial report that you are viewing and getting an almost instant and complete response.
Microsoft’s Copilot generative AI feature promises a future like this. You give the direction. It will create the final product. At the end of the month, we will see the rollout of all of this- the beta version has been available since August, and the enterprise version will be available on Nov. 1 at a cost of $30 per month for each user.
Microsoft Copilot Training Materials for Effective Use
You will also need to get some training in Boolean Logic, just as you would for using the web. Many resources are available to help you get up to speed.
Microsoft offers its first 30-minute course for free. It is well worth your while if you are interested in using this new toolkit.
Koenig offers a certification course. However, this is aimed at people interested in AI coding, not general users.
Microsoft WorkLab is another place where you can learn more about this technology. Some articles explain how to effectively use it to increase productivity and reduce the need to do menial tasks in many jobs.
This includes learning to use AI so as not to break it while you are learning. The last point is crucial because AI will be an increasingly important part of your work in the future. You will be able to tell if you have damaged it by the degraded quality of your work.
Cortana: The sad part
We will soon be able to talk to generative as if we were talking to a person.
My experience with the earlier versions was both interesting and captivating. What is sad, however, is that Microsoft, with Cortana from Microsoft’s Halo video game, anticipated this feature decades before it was available.
A holographic Cortana was also attempted. This evolved into a different version, which worked with AR to create a more compelling experience. They approached the Cortana Experience from the Game.
Nvidia showed off technology that was coming in the next generation of cars, which would finally close this last gap and bring Cortana to life.
Imagine how this would transform digital assistants. Cortana could be changed to suit your needs. You can change its name, gender, or even appearance.
Microsoft’s Journey to Copilot – Third Time a Charm?
Microsoft’s Copilot is its third attempt at creating a digital assistant that works.
Microsoft Bob, released in 1995, was way ahead of its times and was mis-marketed to replace the GUI. Clarify that while a voice-based interface could eventually replace GUIs, the technology was not available to do so in the 1990s.
Next came Cortana. It was initially as good or even better than Siri and Google Assistant, but we wanted it on a standalone or smartphone device, not a PC. Microsoft didn’t appear to be motivated to do that.
It’s a shame that we won’t be getting Cortana, as the latter would have made a much more innovative and fun digital assistant.
Wrapping up
The introduction of Generative AI to the desktop is going to be revolutionary. There will be some learning curves as we become accustomed to talking to our PCs. I also expect that many of us initially will have difficulty speaking to them.
As we learn more about these AI tools, and as these tools learn more about us, both elements will continue to grow. Kids are more likely to be able to use these tools and learn faster than adults.
This is a big step toward our AI future when we begin to interact with computing technology, and it starts learning about us faster than it can learn about itself.
It’s now a race between the two to see who can get AI right. Microsoft may have jumped ahead, but it’s still anyone’s race. We’ll see who can give an AI personality and a more human-like interaction. The winner will either be the next technological giant, or they’ll acquire them. Amazon is also making impressive progress in this area.
Our computers are becoming much smarter. It is only a question of time until we realize that they are smarter than we are.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2 Business
Microsoft Surface may seem like a relic of the past, but that doesn’t stop them from creating some truly compelling and innovative hardware.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2 was an example of this. It was announced at a Surface event after Copilot. It isn’t good to be an afterthought when your launch is taking place.
The Surface Studio 2 starts at $2,099.99 and can be upgraded to a portable workstation equipped with professional Nvidia graphics. The device’s cantilevered display (my favorite kind) can be used to create a canvas. Microsoft also has one of the best pen interfaces in the market.
On paper, the flexible screen and solid pen support potentially make this laptop better for creators than the MacBook.
This laptop, when combined with the AI tools mentioned above, should be far more productive than a laptop without pen functionality or one without AI.
