Microsoft to Roll Out Copilot, GenAI Assistant, Starting November 1st
Less than a year after OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3.5 made waves with the public, Microsoft is set to introduce its own genAI assistant called Copilot within its suite of productivity and collaboration applications. The rollout is scheduled to begin on November 1st. However, while Microsoft has been swift in integrating genAI into tools like Word, Excel, and Teams, many customers of Microsoft 365 are expected to exercise caution when implementing Copilot within their organizations. This will likely involve conducting internal trials to identify potential use cases and improving data security practices to mitigate the risks associated with connecting large language models to corporate systems.
“I would think that 2024 is a year of experimentation, as opposed to volume procurement or volume deployment,” stated Matt Cain, a vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, regarding the adoption of Copilot by M365 customers. Companies that wish to access Copilot will be required to purchase a minimum of 300 Copilot seats, which may be seen as a significant investment. However, since most organizations are willing to see it as speculative capital, they are open to exploring the potential benefits that Copilot can bring.
One major concern for businesses considering the implementation of Copilot is data security. While Microsoft already has security controls in place within its Azure Cloud, the utilization of large language models will draw attention to any existing data management weaknesses. The introduction of Copilot makes it easier for employees to access both relevant and sensitive files that have not been properly classified and protected. This could include HR and payroll data, customer information, or even research and development data. Rob Young, CEO of UK-based Microsoft consultancy Infinity Group, described Copilot as “just another level” in terms of data accessibility.
To address these data security concerns, Microsoft offers tools like Purview Data Protection and SharePoint data categorization. However, many businesses currently have significant gaps in their data management strategies, according to Matt Radolec, VP for incident response and cloud operations at data security software vendor Varonis. Reports indicate that a large number of files hosted in SaaS environments, including both cloud and on-prem files, have unrestricted access. In some cases, thousands of sensitive files may have organization-wide permissions, leading to potential data breaches.
As November 1st approaches, it appears that only a small percentage of M365 customers have effectively addressed these data security risks within their organizations. Many customers are expected to focus on implementing blocking and tackling measures after the launch of Copilot, and it remains to be seen how effective these measures will be. Microsoft’s Copilot Early Access Program allowed several businesses, including Orange Business, to gain firsthand experience with the technology. This enabled Orange Business to advise its clients on the implementation of Copilot and potentially expand its deployment throughout the company.
Marie-Hélène Briens Ware, VP at Orange Business, emphasized the importance of allowing employees to determine the potential efficiency gains with Copilot. The company allocated Copilot licenses to 15 different job roles, ranging from personal assistants to financial analysts. They also sought diversity in geographic location and included both enthusiastic and less tech-savvy individuals to understand how comfortable everyone was with the tool.
While it is still early days for Copilot, Gartner recommends conducting trials with a wide range of employees, including both top performers and underperformers. Feedback from users, whether they actively use Copilot or not, is crucial in assessing its value. Ultimately, the success of Copilot deployment will be determined by the impact it has on users and their reluctance to give up their licenses.
Measuring the return on investment in terms of increased productivity is challenging, as it depends on various factors such as organizational culture and data availability. Microsoft 365 Copilot will require an additional $30 per user per month for customers with E3 and E5 licenses. Therefore, businesses will want to ensure that the investment is justified by tangible improvements in productivity.
In conclusion, as Microsoft prepares to launch Copilot, organizations must carefully consider data security and conduct internal trials to identify the most effective use cases for the genAI assistant. The success of Copilot will depend on user feedback and its impact on productivity within different job roles and organizations.
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