How Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure AI learn and give you answers
The fact that Microsoft 365 Copilot does not learn from your data is probably the number one misconception we hear about the difference between it, and Azure AI solutions. Think of Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure AI as two different nine-year-old children that both have basic reading and comprehension skills. Let’s call Microsoft 365 Copilot Child A. Child A is given a giant, generalized textbook and then is asked to use that textbook to answer questions. Child A has reading comprehension skills, and can pick out key words and things that might fit together — but you will have to be very specific about what you need for them to give you the correct answer. Furthermore, the textbook you give them will have to be organized in a way that makes sense to the child.
Child B, a custom solution built using Azure AI Studio has the same reading and comprehension skills. But instead of being given a generalized textbook, you give Child B a textbook on a specific subject that you use to teach the child. When you ask questions, they provide answers based on the textbook and what you have taught them. They learn more from the knowledge you share as time goes on, they learn from mistakes, and can even make connections between topics, eventually interacting as an expert.
In this way, Microsoft 365 Copilot is a general assistant, whereas custom solutions built with Azure AI Studio can work to become experts, each with their own use cases.
Examples of Microsoft 365 Copilot in daily productivity
Microsoft 365 Copilot can assist knowledge workers with their day-to-day activities and make them more productive. Below are just a few of the basic use cases for Microsoft 365 Copilot that anyone with access to a license can get started with in productivity apps right away. Keep in mind that Microsoft is continually adding Copilot capabilities to its solutions and can be found in Power Platform, Power BI, Dynamics 365 and more.