Everyone an AI assistant if the hype is to be believed, but are you any use for it today? And is it already worth paying for it? We take a closer look at Microsoft Copilot Pro.
Artificial intelligence took off steeply with the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, and to this day we continue to surf the hype. The question is even whether we should call it hype anymore? Parties like Microsoft, Meta or Google are placing billions of dollars worth of GPUs with chip giant Nvidia to train AI models. Unlike the metaverse that briefly peaked, AI seems to be a keeper.
Now the question is how to deal with it as an organization? Standing still is going backwards, everyone an AI assistant tomorrow? Olivier Cuyvers, Sales Manager at Easi, nuances. “Anyone can ask a question today with, for example, Microsoft Copilot, free with Bing, to get acquainted with artificial intelligence.”
“Testing is good, but the most important thing is in the brand name: Copilot. AI can sum up something very broadly all-encompassing, but it is still a copilot, not an autopilot. Taking over blindly without double-checking would be a big mistake.”
First the big companies, then the small
According to Cuyvers, many organizations today are already working on AI. “Often it starts with larger companies embracing disruptive technology. After that, everything will slowly flow into the SME market. We do notice that at many executive committees the topic is on the table. They are all asking themselves what to do with AI.”
The first step with large companies is an activation of, say, 20 test licenses. “Companies that go all-in today, we are not yet encountering,” Cuyvers emphasizes.
Often it starts with larger companies embracing disruptive technology. After that, everything will slowly flow into the SME market.
Olivier Cuyvers, Sales Manager at Easi
He does say that the push for AI is strong because they don’t want to fall behind. They are looking for a capstone, a killer app to make the move.
Driek Desmet, System Engineer at Easi, emphasizes that the bar has been set low. “That is at the same time also a poisoned gift. For example, with Microsoft Copilot Pro, a lot is already technically ready within Microsoft 365 with Sharepoint or Office, for example. So how do you get good results? What questions do you need to ask? What tools do you need? For this you need an adoption plan.”
Challenges for the SME
Even before the hyper train thunders on, Cuyvers would like to put organizations on their feet. AI is a help, but there must also be a will to embrace it and see its benefits. “Change Management is our biggest challenge there. Getting noses in the right direction to see the potential of an AI assistant.”
Nor is he blind to the economic realities and skepticism of SMEs. Paying an extra 20 euros per account for an AI assistant? The economic crisis is hitting them hard today, giving them other priorities.
“I do have a hard time with that,” says Cuyvers. “I understand it’s an investment, but it’s annoying that SMEs often say they don’t see immediate results. With proper use they do huh, that applies to all new technology.”
It all starts with a group of enthusiastic profiles within an organization. Let them play a little with a demo account or a handful of licenses
Olivier Cuyvers, Sales Manager at Easi
It all starts with a group of enthusiastic profiles within an organization. Let them play around with a demo account or a handful of licenses. “There is ROI in Copilot, they need to know that. People cost money, especially in Belgium. Use them more efficiently and leave band work to an AI assistant.”
A concrete example of AI automation
To show us how Copilot pays for itself quickly, Desmet cites an example within the HR department. In his example of publishing a job posting, he incorporates all the tools within Microsoft 365 that are available today:
- Have Copilot write out a job posting in Word, a solid foundation that gets 80 percent of the work done
- Build in Copilot Studio a link to the HR package to automatically select the best candidates for the job
- Draft interview questions via Copilot in Word or do it in Microsoft Loop
- Application via videocall in Teams: let Copilot take notes
- Combine all the above information and have Copilot write up a contract proposal with all the data now available
- Have Copilot create a PowerPoint presentation for onboarding
Desmet emphasizes that you have to explain it that way to organizations and work it out in a customized way. “If you keep it too vague, they’ll drop out because they don’t see the added value.”
Security and privacy
One of the main reasons companies stay away from AI is security and privacy. Data must be clearly shielded per user profile, to prevent, for example, an employee from asking a question about colleagues’ wages via Copilot. That’s often where the shoe pinches for SMEs, according to Desmet.
“Smaller SMEs often have unstructured and unsecured file servers, allowing Copilot to work instantaneously with all this data. Thus, Copilot may be releasing unwanted, sensitive information to users. So it is essential that folder security is in place.”
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“That’s also where the challenge is for SMEs. However, the advantage of Copilot is that all the data stays in your environment. Nothing is taken outside to further train the AI for public use, which is the case with ChatGPT.”
Apart from that, we must continue to emphasize that an AI assistant is a co-pilot, a helper. You still have to look closely to see if something is correct, similar to fake news on social media today. Be critical for results, don’t just blindly adopt anything.
Are we still relevant?
Developments around AI are happening at lightning speed, requiring everyone to stay sharp. Will you still be relevant in five years? We asked Cuyvers and Desmet if they still have a job at Easi as a service provider, now that a tool like Copilot is getting smarter and smarter. Both gentlemen laugh at the question, but also understand the seriousness.
“Copilots are absolutely valuable for both non-technical and technical professionals. We need not fear that AI will quickly take over our jobs. In integration projects, change management remains critical. AI will mainly enable us to work more efficiently. So this also applies to IT professionals, such as programmers and security analysts.”
It’s going ridiculously fast. Microsoft itself admits as much with Copilot.
Olivier Cuyvers, Sales Manager at Easi
Cuyvers is especially curious to see how Copilot and all the other AI assistants will evolve. “It’s going ridiculously fast. Microsoft itself admits as much with Copilot. AI should help us all with initial filtering. You’re going to have to know your job better, the level of the employee has to go up. That sounds contradictory because AI helps us, but to understand such an assistant, we have to understand it even better.”
“Easi is surfing the AI wave,” Cuyvers concludes. “As are a lot of other companies. I suspect ITdaily is too? It has to, too, if you want to stay relevant in the future.” Whether playing with the free version or diving deeper into paid versions of AI assistants, standing still will feel more like going backwards than ever.
This is an editorial in collaboration with EASI. For more information on their Copilot offerings, please visit here.
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