2025 will bring some exciting developments for businesses that rely on Microsoft 365 to manage day-to-day workflows more efficiently.
As part of its Ignite 2024 announcement, Microsoft unveiled several AI agents for workflows that work alongside existing tools to address many of modern companies' most pressing problems. Microsoft 365 Copilot will see many enhanced features that enhance its ability to automate certain tasks through more specialized knowledge and skills.
These new Copilot productivity tools represent the evolution of AI. They promise to make it easier to manage mundane tasks and simplify cumbersome and complex business processes.
Access More Knowledge With AI Agents for Workflows
Do you know how much data your business creates and stores every day? It’s probably more than you think — and as the data repository grows, synthesizing that data and getting insights becomes increasingly difficult.
Microsoft 365 Copilot upgrades are coming that will make this process easier. Soon, you’ll be able to automatically create and use agents to search SharePoint sites for relevant information. Not only will all new SharePoint sites automatically produce an agent tailored to the site’s content, but users will also be able to create custom agents with any site, file, or folder they want.
When using this tool for workflow transformation, AI does the heavy lifting. Whether onboarding a new employee or planning a product launch, everything you need is readily available with just a few clicks.
Empower Employees Through Self-Service
When managing your business, AI automation can give your employees the autonomy to handle some of their own needs. The Microsoft 365 updates and enhanced AI features include a new Employee Self-Service agent in Business Chat (BizChat). You can set up agents so employees can get answers and accomplish basic tasks independently.
Implementing these AI-driven tools can free up leadership to work on more strategic priorities and get the information they need when they need it.
Make Meetings More Engaging
The Microsoft 365 update also includes enhancements to Copilot productivity tools on Teams. The new Facilitator agent takes detailed meeting minutes and provides an ongoing summary in real-time. This allows everyone in the meeting to stay more engaged and better manage post-meeting action items, assignments, and discussion points for future meetings.
The Benefits of Streamlined Project Management
The project Manager is another new agent in the updated Microsoft Copilot. This new tool works with the Planner platform and automates project planning.
With this new productivity tool, you can create a new custom template with prompts or use pre-existing templates, allowing the AI agent to fill out the plan.
To do this, you need to set a goal for the project and add relevant documents or folders that the planner can use as a resource. In addition to assigning tasks, the agent keeps the project on track by monitoring progress and automatically sending reminders or requesting status updates.
With these updates, developers will also notice increased functionality in Copilot Studio. Developers can build new agents that can be deployed across channels, including Microsoft 365 Copilot and Teams.
