It was just a matter of time before AI helpers would sit next to us and pull some weight off our shoulders. The recent release of Microsoft 365 Copilot and Duet AI in Google Workspace is now making it possible to speed up our processes at work and while studying.
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Why some AI friends are better than others
The generative AI industry has inundated us with countless tools that promise to make everything harder, better, faster, and stronger (to quote Daft Punk). Meanwhile, tech giants like Google and Microsoft have taken their time to develop their AI tools properly this year. Finally, they are releasing the “killer applications” they announced earlier this year.
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We are talking about AI features that are so forward and complex, so deeply integrated into the structure of the services we use daily, like Gmail, that they will experience massive adoption rates. Some small or independent companies have launched these features in the early stages of generative AI – so we already know some of them – but we can now use them in an integrated digital environment.
Tools that until now were signature features of Stable Diffusion or OpenAI will be swallowed by tech giants and chewed into their services.
Also, many AI tools will be matched by different companies as soon as AI research progresses. Think about the generative fill option in Adobe Firefly; this disrupting technology caused such a sensation when it was released in Photoshop that it instantly became a standard feature in many AI platforms, like Vary Region in MJ or DALL-E Outpainting.
Ghosting your nerdy AI friends can be good for both
As part of the new ‘all in one place’ approach, big tech companies will integrate their products into our professional lives more conveniently, making it easier to use their services. This is a major improvement compared to the early days of AI, when we had to log into different platforms and switch between apps to achieve the same results.
Big tech companies are starting to integrate their products into our professional lives more and more
If you are an early adopter of AI, you may have become attached to certain geeky tools. However, over time, they may become obsolete, or you may outgrow them and prefer new AI tools. It is essential to continue feeding your talent and curiosity with the new niche tools that are now mushrooming. Yet, in a professional environment, the strongest survive.
So, prepare to be stuck with big tech AI tools for a long time. The sooner you make friends with them, the better!
Meet your new friends
Ready to welcome your new AI classmates? Copilot by Microsoft is marketed as “our everyday AI companion”, and Duet AI by Google is officially aimed to make you “benefit from generative AI features built to make work better, easier and more fun.”
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Will they keep their promises and help us become more efficient in our work, study and everyday life? We have dug into them and tested some features. The answer is yes; they will be precious allies as long as you play by the rules.
- Rule number one: make a deal. They come at the cost of the business subscription to their main services (Google Workspace and Microsoft 365), plus you have to pay an extra 30 dollars each to access Copilot or Duet AI.
- Rule number two: work, work, work, work, work. Use them daily, starting from small tasks to more complex errands. Keep yourself posted on the latest upgrades, features, hacks and tricks.
- Rule number three: put a ring on it! If you like it, you should stick with the service of your choice or both. The better you know your AI BFF, the more rewarding your relationship will be. Now, put your hands up!
AI can be precious allies as long as you know how to play by their rules
Nice things to do together
You can ask Copilot to sum up your notes in Word or Notepad after a class or reorganise them, prioritising aspects that you think are relevant.
The same goes for the Google Workspace digital environment; you can write on the go using Gmail or Docs with contextual assistance. A service you must have already tried is the automatic fill-in for words and relevant info based on context when replying to emails (no misspelt names anymore!).
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You can type instructions inside PowerPoint to generate visuals in the charts, using them as inspiration or creative placeholders. Same with Duet AI in Google Slides. Remember Paint? This heritage Microsoft app is your friend again in Windows 11, which is set to deliver a better AI experience.
You can ask Excel or Sheets to make sense of your data, like making an agenda or organising your spare time or study time, considering the hours you spend in class.
Also, AI-powered video calls will become a new normal to boost your performance and allow you to interact remotely with professors, mentors, clients or classmates. You can take notes while making a Teams phone call as Copilot can summarise the conversation in real time. In Meet, you also can be creative with AI-generated backgrounds.
AI tools will help us boost our everyday lives in increasing ways
Are you a match?
Relationships are not always easy, including friendships between humans or humans and AI-powered assistants. Communication and interaction can sometimes be challenging, but this is no excuse to be rude or bossy around your new friend!
To get the best out of your AI assistant, ask them for help politely and provide specific details about what you need. Prompting in a natural language is the way to go as if you were talking (or chatting) with an actual classmate or colleague.
Are you a tidy kind of person? Your AI assistant will be more efficient as well. Are you the messy kind? No worries. It will collect your stuff and sort things out based on your instructions.
Just be sure to check in often and delegate the most boring and time-consuming tasks to your assistant; you will be happy with the results, and your friendship will be fine.
Gaia Giordani
Generative AI explorer and New Media Communication expert
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