Microsoft is set to hold a “Future of Work with AI” event on March 16th at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET, in which CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft 365 lead Jared Spataro will detail how the technology will influence the workplace. While Microsoft has not revealed much about the event, rumors suggest that the company may introduce AI-equipped versions of Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook and Word.
According to a February leak from The Verge, Outlook could use AI to improve search results and suggest email replies, while Word may make writing suggestions. These rumored features could draw on the Prometheus AI model used in Bing, which Microsoft has integrated into services like Teams and invested in through OpenAI for years.
In fact, Microsoft has already launched some enterprise-oriented AI features yesterday. Dynamics 365 and Viva Sales now have an AI “Copilot” that helps reply to customer chats and emails, summarize Teams meetings, and explore marketing data. These features rely on an existing Azure OpenAI service, and the event may showcase how Microsoft plans to expand its use of AI to maintain its position as an AI leader and fend off rivals.
Indeed, other companies like Google are also investing in AI and building OpenAI’s ChatGPT directly into their products. Google has even unveiled Bard as its ChatGPT equivalent, highlighting the growing importance of AI in business.
As we wait for the “Future of Work with AI” event, it’s clear that Microsoft is committed to integrating AI into its services and products. Whether the event confirms the rumored Microsoft 365 features or showcases something else entirely, it’s sure to be an important milestone in the company’s AI strategy.
