Copilot for Microsoft 365: Will AI fix work? [3/6]

Today, we'll take on the million-dollar question: “Can AI Fix really work?"

The pace of work has become mad —along with the crush of data, information, and always-on communications. We are struggling to separate signal from noise, while business leaders feel pressure to increase productivity amid economic uncertainty.

"The new generation of AI will remove the drudgery of work and unleash creativity,” said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. We couldn’t agree more. We firmly believe that AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot can alleviate digital fatigue, foster an AI-Employee alliance and nurture AI aptitude.

Microsoft's "2023 Work Trend Index: Annual Report - Can AI Revolutionize Work?" provides valuable insights into employee desires and how AI can meet them. Here's a quick summary:

Digital Overload:

Almost two out of three individuals (64%) admit to struggling with time and energy for their jobs. These same people are also 3.5 times more likely to face challenges in innovation and strategic thinking. Additionally, 60% of leaders are already feeling the impact, citing a lack of innovation or breakthrough ideas in their teams as a concern.

AI-Employee Alliance:

When asked what they value most about AI in the workplace, business leaders are twice as likely to choose "boosting employee productivity" over "reducing the workforce." A remarkable 70% of surveyed employees expressed their willingness to use generative AI to lighten their workload, without fully automating it.

AI aptitude:

Every employee needs to be savvy with AI. It's not just about understanding how to use AI tools but also effectively applying their outputs. Cultivating AI skills within an organization can be the antidote to digital overload and the key to empowering employees.

Can AI Truly Transform Work?

Now, let's revisit the big question: Can AI truly revolutionize work? In the abovementioned research by Microsoft, people were asked to envision work in 2030 and identify changes they'd like to see, assuming no additional effort on their part was required. Here is what they answered:

It's astounding that in 2023, Generative AI - exemplified by Microsoft Copilot - is already equipped to address most of these concerns. It's a game-changer on our path to a more efficient and creative workplace.

The full Microsoft report can be downloaded here

Next week, we’ll post an interview with Luc Dedroog and Bart Swerts, that includes some learnings from our own onboarding experience with Copilot for Microsoft 365. So stay tuned!