Microsoft announced on Monday that it has signed a large-scale procurement agreement with Vodafone Group Plc. Microsoft will use an AI assistant for the Office Copilot suite and introduce a series of new AI tools to help employees create Excel charts, prioritize emails, and collaborate as a team.
Microsoft stated that Vodafone will purchase 68,000 licenses for the company version of the Copilot assistant. In early trials, it was found that employees saved about three hours of work per person per week after using the Copilot assistant.
<h2>Copilot Customer Base Surged by 60% Last Quarter</h2>
Other Copilot customers include Honeywell International Inc. and financial services company Finastra Group Holdings Ltd. Microsoft stated that in the most recent quarter, the number of Copilot customers increased by over 60% compared to the previous quarter, with the number of customers having over 10,000 users doubling. However, the total number of customers was not disclosed.
Microsoft has been integrating AI technology from partner OpenAI into its product line, claiming that these new features are the &#34;second wave&#34; of Copilot AI tools for enterprises, aiming to provide strong support for applications such as Teams meetings, Word, and Outlook.
Analysts believe that connecting popular Office software with OpenAI's AI models distinguishes Microsoft's products in the market from competitors, including OpenAI's own products. Last week, OpenAI released the new model ChatGPT-o1, which can perform certain tasks similar to human reasoning, and Microsoft stated that it will integrate this technology into its own products at some point in the future.
Microsoft mentioned that there is strong demand for the early versions of Copilot, with customers praising some of its features, especially its ability to summarize meetings and documents. Currently, Copilot costs $30 per user per month, and Microsoft expects it to potentially become a major new source of revenue in the future.
However, many features are still being improved, and the performance of generating new content is relatively unstable, especially when it comes to tasks involving spreadsheets or understanding context. In recent months, investors have shown signs of impatience with tech companies' efforts to profit from large-scale investments in AI.
<h2>New AI Tools to Help Users Create Excel Charts, Analyze and Prioritize Emails</h2>
Microsoft also introduced a new feature called Pages for Copilot's chat application, providing colleagues with a collaborative space to use the data they create and the content generated by AI. Pages stores AI-generated materials in one place and allows employees to edit and share them. This new feature was launched on Monday and will be widely available later this month. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, &#34;You can brainstorm with AI and collaborate with others.&#34;
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Microsoft has also widely introduced its Excel spreadsheet application's Copilot tool to help users create charts and pivot tables. Excel Copilot can also handle text data and perform predictions and risk analysis using the Python programming language. The Python feature is currently in preview and can be accessed through regular language rather than programming code.
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In addition, Microsoft has announced new AI features for Word, Teams, and PowerPoint. The &#34;Prioritize My Inbox&#34; option introduced in Outlook will analyze emails based on user responses and the people they report to in the company to help clean up the inbox. This program will be available for preview later this year, summarizing emails and explaining why these messages should be prioritized.
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<h2>Netizen Reactions: Can Improve Efficiency, Cheaper is Better</h2>
Most netizens are excited and looking forward to Microsoft's wave of updates, believing that it can significantly improve work efficiency.
Some netizens commented:
<blockquote>
The true value of AI lies in its integration with your data and workflow. Therefore, the next phase of Microsoft 365 Copilot will enhance this collaborative effect. It is designed to make AI work effectively, efficiently, and seamlessly for you.
</blockquote>
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Others said:
<blockquote>
It's not just about the model itself, but how well it integrates with your team's daily tasks and tools.
</blockquote>
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Some mentioned:
<blockquote>
The user interface is crucial. Companies that do not understand this will fail, while those who understand this principle will succeed.
</blockquote>
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Under Microsoft CEO Nadella's post, most netizens praised the new Copilot feature released by Microsoft, but some also suggested that Microsoft should consider lowering prices
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MSFT

Microsoft also announced a large-scale procurement agreement with Vodafone Group Plc, where Vodafone will purchase licenses for 68,000 company edition Copilot assistants with the latest AI capabilities. Analysts believe that Microsoft is connecting the popular Office software with OpenAI's AI models, distinguishing Microsoft's products in the market from competitors' products, including OpenAI's own products

- Microsoft announced a large-scale procurement agreement with Vodafone Group Plc for AI assistants in the Office Copilot suite, introducing new AI tools to aid employees in Excel chart creation, email prioritization, and team collaboration.
- Vodafone will purchase 68,000 licenses for the corporate version of Copilot, with early trials showing employees saving about three hours of work per week using the assistant.
- Microsoft's integration of OpenAI's AI models into its products, like the "second wave" Copilot AI tools, aims to enhance support for Teams meetings, Word, and Outlook, potentially distinguishing its offerings in the market.

Microsoft Copilot's customer base increased by 60% last quarter! The new upgrade can code Excel sheets and prioritize email analysis