Microsoft 365 rebrand's to Microsoft 365 Co-pilot

 

Was the Microsoft 365 Copilot launch the blunder of the 21st century?

An intriguing question, especially coming from a Microsoft Partner, right? As a company deeply embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem, we couldn’t help but ask ourselves this very question. The answer? Well, it’s even more thought-provoking.

As a Microsoft Partner, we’ve long been tasked with enhancing the vast digital toolbox that Microsoft provides.

Our role is to deliver value-added services, offering support to those who use Microsoft tools, while building expertise and technical know-how over the years. And let’s be clear: to even be recognized as a Microsoft Partner, you need to demonstrate commercial success. This leads us to an essential question: Are the tools we’re promoting actually delivering real value to our clients?

To answer this, we need to look beyond mainstream media and uncover the global reception of Microsoft’s latest innovation — Co-pilot. Is AI merely a buzzword with little substance, or is it possible that certain regions (perhaps even South Africa) just aren’t ready for AI yet?

Microsoft 365 is already a massive success, boasting 84 million business users worldwide. With these numbers, it would be easy to assume that any new product could quickly be a hit. But that’s not quite the case here. From our interactions with the Microsoft team locally, it’s clear that an incredible amount of customer experience research is going into refining Microsoft 365 Co-pilot before its global launch.

What’s even more remarkable is the approach Microsoft is taking — charging forward with blind determination, unshaken by the bad press from competitive AI tools, Elon Musk’s chaotic takeover attempt of ChatGPT, and shifting dynamics in the AI chip market. “Copilot is like nothing we’ve landed before, so we have to think differently,” says Peter Varey, director of Employee Insights at Microsoft Digital. “Instead of just promoting a new tool, we’re changing the fundamentals of how we work.”. Some of the best observed advantages include:

- Net Satisfaction: The overall positive or negative experience with Co-pilot.

- Favorability: Whether Co-pilot helps employees be more productive or get tasks done faster.

- AI-assisted Hours: The amount of time saved using Co-pilot.

That leads us to the rebranding of Microsoft 365 to Microsoft 365 Co-pilot. I imagine that the "Office suite" will soon become your AI-powered assistant, transforming how we approach modern work. It’s an inspiring concept, and while the picture might seem ambitious, it could change the game forever. But the question remains: Did the launch of Microsoft Co-pilot fall short of expectations? From a qualitative standpoint, the feedback from Microsoft employees has been overwhelmingly positive. A staggering 76% of employees report satisfaction with Co-pilot, and 85% use the tool regularly — higher than any other Microsoft solution. As a Microsoft Partner, our job is to help our clients mirror this success by providing them with the education and exposure necessary to fully embrace Co-pilot.

At IP Dimension, we believe the early adoption of AI holds enormous potential. We find it hard to imagine a future without it. And let’s face it — there aren’t many AI tools that integrate as seamlessly into your Microsoft 365 environment as Co-pilot does. In fact, Office tools have always been our "co-pilot". When we need to present an idea visually, we turn to PowerPoint. For drafting letters, we have Word. For analyzing data or finances, Excel is our go-to. Now, Microsoft has added the “thinking” element to this mix — and that’s a game-changer. The potential for skyrocketing productivity, both individually and as teams, is enormous.

Exciting times lie ahead, and here at IP Dimension, we’re lucky enough to have a front-row seat to this groundbreaking shift in how we work. So, was the Co-pilot launch a misstep? Not by a long shot. This is just the beginning of something truly transformative

By: Jacques Klopper